Italy secures place in Euro 2024

Italy secured their place in Euro 2024 following a nail-biting 0-0 draw against Ukraine in the decisive Group C qualifier.

While the Azzurri confirmed their spot with a better head-to-head record, Ukraine keeps their Euro dreams alive through playoffs.

In a high-stakes match at BayArena in Leverkusen, European champions Italy faced formidable opposition from Ukraine, who demonstrated resilience despite never having beaten the Italians.

The encounter witnessed a flurry of opportunities, with both goalkeepers, Gianluigi Donnarumma for Italy and Anatoliy Trubin for Ukraine, showcasing exceptional skills.

Italy, making their eighth consecutive Euro appearance, dominated possession and created numerous chances. Federico Chiesa had an early opportunity, while Donnarumma denied Ukraine’s Georgiy Sudakov with a remarkable save.

The tension escalated as the match progressed, with Ukraine’s Mykhailo Mudryk coming close in the 66th minute, only to be thwarted by Donnarumma’s heroics.

The final whistle marked Italy’s qualification, securing second place in the group, six points adrift of England, who had previously sealed their spot by defeating Italy 3-1 at Wembley.

Despite the draw, Italy coach Luciano Spalletti praised Ukraine’s performance, acknowledging the challenges they posed.

“Ukraine showed that they are an equipped team and they gave us a hard time,” Spalletti commented post-match.

“Today we played a good match because, in the first half, we had many opportunities to secure the result.”

The road to Euro 2024 for Ukraine now leads through the playoffs in March.

The playoff draw, scheduled for Thursday in Nyon, will determine their fate.

Reflecting on the achievement, goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma expressed satisfaction, saying, “We are where we deserve to be with all the difficulties we had, but thanks to the new coach and staff, we are back.”

Under Spalletti’s guidance, Italy has rejuvenated its form, winning three times, drawing twice, and losing once since he took over in August.

The qualification marks a redemption for the Azzurri, who failed to secure a spot in the previous year’s World Cup in Qatar.

With the Euro 2024 set to take place in Germany, Italy aims to make a strong statement on the continental stage, building on the momentum gained in the qualifiers.