Italy needed extra time to fight with Austria at Wembley and set up the Euro 2020 quarter-final against Belgium or Portugal.
Austria has made its first appearance in the European Championship knockout stage by working tirelessly to intimidate its opponents.
A header blocked Marko Arnautovic after a VAR offside check during the regular time. When the game was goalless before his substitutes Federico Chiesa and Matteo Pessina were sent to Italy.
Chiesa showed a fierce way to bring down the ball, hit Daniel Bachmann with an angle. And Pessina, who scored in the team’s game against Wales, doubled the lead.
Austria bounced back with a brave header from Sasa Kalajdzic, Italy’s first goal in 12 games. But the 31st Azzurri game without defeat, a new national record saw them go on.
Italy had some great chances in the first half as Austria’s Watford goalkeeper denied Nicolo Barella before Ciro Immobile hit the post from 25 yards out.
Austria has produced a terrifying defense signal to frustrate four-time world champions while opening up their opportunities.
Arnautovic put another chance on the bar and, with another, fired straight at the goalkeeper. At the same time, David Alaba came on after kicking the ball before the disallowed goal.
Italy will meet the winners of Sunday’s last-16 match between Belgium, the world’s top team, and the Portuguese in the quarter-finals in Munich on July 2.
The Substitutes win it for Azzurri.
Roberto Mancini’s team Italy was one of the standout teams at the Euro 2020. But they struggled to repeat the form that saw them win three group games in a row for the first time from Rome.
They were weak after the break, and it was only when Mancini made changes that they finally found themselves ahead.
Chielsa and Pessina scored in the first 10 minutes of extra time to clear the game in Austria, written off before the game.
Even then, Kalajdzic, another substitute, was allowed to put the goal back. And make it a tense ending before the Italian fans in the 18,910 crowd could celebrate.
Mancini believes Italy too, but they will have to play better if they win the next game and reach the semi-finals.
