Tactical Analysis: Italy vs. Austria

London's Wembley stadium was the contemporary battleground for the most recent iteration of the long and storied history between Italian and Austrian forces. Some 200 years on since Italy's northern heartlands were the jewel in the Austrian Empire's crown; it was Italy who came out on top in this showpiece event against their once overlords.

Italy came into the tie as clear favourites as both their arsenal of players and recent form suggested that the Italians should make light work of the overmatched albeit hardworking Austrian side; however, this couldn't be further from the truth, as the Austrians gave the Italians their toughest test to date at this summer's tournament.

The 90 was an attritional affair dominated mainly by the imperious nature of both sides CBs who did well to avert almost all threat from either side. The man with many friends, Marko Arnautović, though he had put Austria in the lead and in the process soiling Italy's clean sheet record, whoever the striker can not count those in the VAR room as one of his many diverse, close associates.

It was in extra-time where the game exploded, with Federico Chiesa the first to strike, who found the net after some impressive ball control. Ten minutes later, it appeared that the game had run its course as Matteo Pessina put the ball past Daniel Bachman and into the Austrian goal with his left foot.