Wales book last 16 berth despite loss to Italy as Swiss made to wait

Mateo Pessina scored as Italy made it three wins out of three at Euro 2020 by beating 10-man Wales 1-0 to finish top of Group A on Sunday with both teams advancing to the last 16.

Pessina’s goal means Italy will play the runner-up from Group C in the next round, with Wales facing the team that comes second in Group B.

In his 35th game in charge of the Azzurri who failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, Roberto Mancini’ssidealsomatchedan80-yearitalianrecord.

Italy extended their unbeaten run to 30 games -- 25 wins and five draws -- a feat last achieved under two-time World Cup winning coach Vitorio Pozzo between 1935 and 1939.

It was also an 11th consecutive win with a clean sheet for Italy who had already booked their ticket to the knockout rounds with a game to spare.

Italy will play Ukraine or Austria at Wembley on June 26 for a spot in the quarter-finals.

Wales, semi-finalists in 2016, suffered in a game they played a man down for most of the second half ater Ethan Ampadu was sent off for a foul on Federico Bernardeschi.

Realmadrid’sgarethbale,wales’all-timeleading scorer with 33 international goals, could not add to his tally missing a chance for the equaliser in the final quarter of an hour.

Wales coach Robert Page made three changes to his starting line-up, Ben Davies, Chris Mepham and Kieffer Moore dropping to the bench with the trio one booking away from suspension.

Mancini also brought in fresh players for their final group game with eight changes, and a threeman frontline with Federico Chiesa, Andrea Beloti and Federico Bernardeschi.

Paris saint- germain’ s mar cover ra ti proved decisive on his return from injury at era six-week layoff.

Beloti threatened ater 12 minutes but Wales goalkeeper Danny Ward held firm with Emerson Palmieri then missing a chance from a distance.

Rafael Toloi fired another which took a deflection off his Atalanta teammate Pessina, into the arms of Ward, while Chiesa missed an opportunity to latch on a Beloti shot across goal.

But Pessina broke through six minutes before half-time with a flick off a Verrati free-kick leaving Ward with no chance.

It was the first goal for Italy in a major competition for the Atalanta player who had been called up as a late addition ater Stefano Sensi’s injury.

SWITZERLAND DOWN TURKEY: X HER DANS HA Q IR I scored twice as Switzerland beat Turkey 3-1 in Baku on Sunday but they will have to wait to see if they reach the last 16 of Euro 2020 as one of the four best third-placed teams.

Wales held on to second place in Group A thanks to a superior goal difference ater their 1-0 loss to Italy.

Shaqiri’s goals came ater Haris Seferovic’s firsthalf opener and either side of Irfan Kahveci scoring Turkey’s only goal of the tournament.

Switzerland coach Vladimir Petkovic made two changes from Wednesday’s heavy loss to Italy, including giving Steven Zuber his first start of the championship.

Turkey boss Senol Gunes brought centre-back Merih Demiral back ater dropping the Juventus defender last time out, with his side looking to avoid a third straight competitive defeat for the first time since Euro 1996.

Switzerland opened the scoring in the sixth minute, silencing the 17,000 crowd supporting Turkey due to close historical and diplomatic ties between Ankara and Baku.

Seferovic buried a low effort past Turkish goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir for his 22nd international goal, ater Zuber’s dummy.

Zuber was involved again for the second 20 minutes later, as Seferovic held up possession and his pass deflected to the Eintracht Frankfurt winger’s feet.

The former Hoffenheim man then fed Shaqiri who curled a sublime effort past a helpless Cakir.

Shaqiri should have doubled his account for the match less than two minutes later when a bursting run put the Liverpool midfielder clear with just the goalkeeper to beat, but Cakir saved with his foot. Shaqiri scored twice as Switzerland beat Turkey 3-1 but they will have to wait to see if they reach the last 16 as one of the four best third-placed teams. Wales held on to 2nd place in Group A thanks to a superior goal difference ater their loss to Italy