Defending champions Italy were eliminated from Euro 2024 after a dominant Swiss team secured a 2-0 victory in Berlin, advancing to the quarter-finals.
Switzerland, impressive throughout the group stages, narrowly missed topping Group A due to a late German equalizer.
From the start of the match, they controlled possession and pushed a lackluster Italy back.
The breakthrough came when Remo Freuler, making a decisive run, fired past Gianluigi Donnarumma with a slight deflection.
Italy’s attempts to recover after a dismal first half were quickly thwarted as they conceded just 30 seconds into the second half.
Nicolo Fagioli’s error led to Ruben Vargas curling a spectacular shot into the top corner.
Italy had a couple of near-misses, with Fabian Schar heading against his own post and Gianluca Scamacca hitting the woodwork, but they failed to significantly improve their performance.
Switzerland, reaching the quarter-finals for only the second time, will face either England or Slovakia next.
Murat Yakin’s meticulously organized squad outplayed the two-time champions in this Berlin clash, ending an 11-match winless streak against Italy that dated back to 1993.
