Tops
Marco Verratti, a brilliant comeback
Back with Italy after his six-week absence with a knee injury, the PSG midfielder was very fit this afternoon.
A true metronome of this renewed Italian team, he also dictates his game to the Welsh, in a very intense duel in the midfield at the start of the game.
He even offers the only Italian goal on an excellent free kick just outside the box.
His statistics for a return match are very honorable: 5 key passes, 8 duels won, 136 touches of the ball for 93% of successful passes, 4 tackles.
A very complete match, which bodes well for the rest of the competition.
Matteo Pessina, a three-star substitute
He had the difficult task of replacing Manuel Locatelli in the middle, he who had doubled against Switzerland in the last match, and did so successfully.
In a similar repertoire, the Atalanta player brought danger by throwing himself quickly towards goal and interfering several times in the heart of the Welsh defense.
The 27th Italian player, who replaced Sensi in the list after his injury, scored his first goal for Squadra azzura today, cutting Verratti's free kick with the sole.
The beautiful story of this Euro.
Danny Ward, ultimate Welsh bulwark
Italy shot 23 times on goal, with just 6 shots on target and therefore only one goal.
Thanks to this man.
The Welsh goalkeeper had already distinguished himself in previous meetings, and against a reshaped Italy he held his place.
Author of 5 saves, he allowed Wales to lose only 1-0, while they played at 10 for 35 minutes.
Flops
Ethan Ampadu, a first to forget
The young Chelsea defender inaugurated his first start in this Euro against Italy.
Unfortunately, his great beginnings came to nothing.
Rather solid against Belotti in the axis in the first period, he condemns himself to the 55th when he comes to wipe the crampons on the ankle of Bernardeschi at full speed and late.
The referee sent him a red card directly and he headed for the locker room, leaving his team at 10 and led 1-0.
Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey, the ghostly duo
The important duo of Wales who had allowed them to shine against Switzerland will not have done so again tonight.
Almost transparent, with a tactical repositioning that places Ramsey in only number nine, the two players will not have found each other, and worse yet, they have been served very little.
Only 24 balls touched for Gareth Bale, 40 for Aaron Ramsey, forced to pick up to get a few chances.
At the end of the match, the Tottenham player puts it into perspective and sees this 1-0 defeat only as a free call to order, since the Welsh, second, have qualified for the round of 16.
The overly archaic Welsh game plan
To face this formidable Italian team, Page had decided to play in 3-4-3, using Neco Williams and Connor Roberts as pistons or even defenders in a defensive position. A game plan not sufficiently worked out for the Welsh, who seemed to have trouble finding themselves and who were quickly passed in midfield. The most obvious being the attack. Where Kieffer Moore, Daniel James, Aaron Ramsey and Gareth Bale easily switched in a 4-2-3-1 against Switzerland, the Juventus striker alone at the forefront of the attack fails to weigh enough on a well-established Italian defense. The exclusion of Ampadu in the 55th will have sounded the return to 3-2-3-1 for Wales, which finally provides opportunities, even at 10 against 11.
