By Kehinde Okeowo
England’s 55-year wait for a major football trophy continued when Italians broke the hearts of millions of English fans to defeat The Three Lions in a keenly contested match in Wembley Stadium on penalty shootout.
Italians began the day in England on a not too upbeat mood when their compatriot , Matteo Berrettini, a tennis player, lost in the final of Wimbledon to Novak Djokovic.
The Italians started on a poor note when English defender Kieran Trippier found space at the edge of Italian box to put a cross to another defender, Luke Shaw, who volleyed the cross home in the 2nd minute of the game to give England a 1-0 lead.
After the rude awakening by the early goal, the Italians dominated the remaining part of the first half, but were without any cutting edge in the English half. They only had a shot on target against a well marshalled English defence.
Italians continued to dominate the match in the second half and were duly rewarded in the 67th minute, when central defender , Leonardo Bonucci, tucked in a rebound from the post after English goalkeeper Jordan Pickford had saved an earlier effort to level the game at 1-1.
The game continued in that fashion till it went into the extra time with the Italians still dominant but England got back into the game during extra time but both sides could not win it during extra time .
The penalties shoot out was eventually won by the Italians who scored three of their penalties, while England could only score two of the five they played. The Italians are now third time lucky , after they had lost two finals in 2000 and 2012.
