Italy 0-3 Argentina: Martinez, Di Maria and Dybala seal Finalissima
Lionel Messi puts on a MASTERCLASS to ensure it’s a miserable return to Wembley for Euro champions Italy as they are beaten 3-0 by Argentina in Finalissima… with Lautaro Martinez, Angel Di Maria and Paulo Dybala on target for Copa America winners
- Argentina, Copa America champions, took on European champions Italy at Wembley on Wednesday night
- Star man Lionel Messi, unsurprisingly, stole the show for the South Americans in a dominant 3-0 victory
- Lautaro Martinez was teed up by Messi first, with the Inter forward tapping in from close range for 1-0
- Angel Di Maria made it 2-0 before Messi teed up Paulo Dybala in stoppage time to cap off a fine performance
After a season sprinkled with hints that his magic may be fading Lionel Messi proved once again he still has what it takes to sell out Wembley Stadium and keep Argentina dreaming in a World Cup year.
Messi’s sheer presence lured a capacity crowd of more than 87,000 to the home of English football and did not disappoint, orchestrating the 3-0 demolition of Italy, creating the first goal for Lautaro Martinez and the third for Paulo Dybala.
All that was missing was a goal to call his own. Angel di Maria converted the second and Messi was foiled three times in quick succession as he hit a mesmerising purple patch of form in the second half.
He will be 35 later this month and scored only 11 goals in an underwhelming first season at Paris Saint-Germain but he revealed this week that his sluggish form was down to the aftereffects of Covid after contracting the virus at the turn of the year.
Lionel Messi (second from right) ran the show at Wembley as Argentina defeated Italy to win Finalissima on Wednesday
Messi turned provider for the first goal as Lautaro Martinez (centre) was on hand to poke to ball home from close range
Angel Di Maria made it 2-0 for Argentina on the stroke of half-time with a delicate lob over goalkeeper Gigi Donnarumma
Di Maria scored the only goal to win Argentina the Copa America title and he stepped up when it mattered most once more
Giorgio Chiellini (right) looked stunned as he prepares to bring the curtain down on his international career with Italy
It would be foolish to write off the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner just yet. There is still no-one quite like him when the ball is at his feet and starts to move, lifting thousands to their feet and holding them in his thrall.
And he can still conjure such flashes of brilliance as he did against the Italians, leaving with the Man of the Match award, a crowd-pleasing choice, and another winner’s medal around his neck.
This was ‘Finalissima’, the prestige showdown between the champions of Europe and South America for a shiny new trophy paraded on the pitch before kick-off by legends of the two nations Marco Tardelli and Javier Zanetti.
And it went emphatically in Argentina’s favour, leaving Italy to reflect on the end of an era.
Both sets of fans came together on a special occasion at Wembley with two champions colliding in a blockbuster match
Chiellini was honoured before the match as Italian officials looked the recognise the veteran defender’s accolades
The Finalissima trophy was on full display close to the tunnel as both sets of players got a look at it on the way to the pitch
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin (right) was among the VIPs present at Wembley Stadium on Wednesday for the final
Having failed again to reach the World Cup finals, Roberto Mancini will start to rebuild with Euro 2024 in mind. A new-look Azzurri will face England on Saturday week at Molineux in the UEFA Nations League.
Here at Wembley, it was farewell at the end of Giorgio Chiellini’s glittering international career, with his 117th and final cap at the age of 37. He didn’t make it past half time, at which point Italy were 2-0 down.
Messi made the first as the half hour approached, turning and wriggling clear of Giovanni di Lorenzo before cutting a pass square for Martinez, the Inter Milan striker linked with a summer move to Chelsea and Tottenham, to stab in from close range.
Until then, Italy had been the better side without extending Argentina ‘keeper Emi Martinez of Aston Villa.
The second came in stoppage time at the end of the first half, scored by the excellent Di Maria. Released by Martinez, he finished by clipping a shot past Gianluigi Donnarumma as the goalkeeper rushed out.
Mancini made three changes at the interval and Leonardo Spinazzola came on in the second half, his return to international football after tearing an achilles in the Euros last year.
Messi was the man of the moment and he took early aim from a free-kick, where he has proven so deadly in his career
Chiellini (left) wanted to leave little to chance in trying to tame Messi, grabbing a load of his shirt as the Argentine broke away
It proved futile as Messi (right) ran the show and finished the final with two assists as Argentina dominated in a 3-0 victory
Donnarumma stood firm as Argentina pushed for a third. There were two fine saves from Di Maria. The first turned over after a deflection and the second to beat away a fierce volley.
Then three to frustrate another PSG team-mate, Messi. The first would have been a vintage goal by the great man after he danced through a crowd of blue shirts inside the penalty box but could not find a way past the goalkeeper.
He was firmly in the groove by this stage and created a glorious opening for Giovani Lo Celso with a cross from the right with the outside of his left foot after tackling Jorginho. Spurs midfielder Lo Celso, who spent last season on loan at Villarreal, slid the ball into the side-netting.
Dybala came off the bench to squeeze in the third after a run from halfway by Messi, who was thrown in the air in celebration by his teammates after the final whistle.
Argentina are 32 games unbeaten, adding the Finalissima to their Copa America title and moving on to the World Cup.
‘One of the teams likely to win it,’ according to Mancini, and with their talisman still sparling despite his advancing years.
Chelsea midfielder Jorginho (second from left) was less-than-impressed as he barked instructions to his team-mates
Paulo Dybala added a third in stoppage time and now Argentina will dare to dream of glory at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar
Share this article
Source: Read Full Article