Argentina celebrated the reintroduction of the Cup of Champions with a 3-0 victory over Italy in a heavyweight contest dubbed the ‘Finalissima’ at a noisy Wembley Stadium on Wednesday (June 1).
Lautaro Martinez and Angel di Maria scored in the first half to put the South American champions in perfect control against an Italy team back at Wembley 11 months after defeating England to win the postponed Euro 2020 final.
Argentina captain Lionel Messi set up two goals. Argentina proved too swift and fluid for the ponderous Azzurri in front of an 87,000-strong crowd ready to convert northwest London into Buenos Aires for the night. Argentina’s early dominance was rewarded when Martinez knocked in from close range from Messi’s low cross in the 28th minute.
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Martinez then threaded a ball through for Di Maria to beat Giorgio Chiellini and increase the advantage with a dinked finish on the stroke of halftime, sending the south American crowd behind the goal into raptures.
Argentina might have scored a sackful of goals after the interval, with Messi pulling the strings and Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma spared his team a battering with a series of brilliant saves.
Meanwhile, Giorgio Chiellini, a veteran Italian defender, played his last game for his country against Argentina. “Right now, we have to accept the outcome since they were in such a different state than we were. There was a significant disparity between the two groups. Sorry, but it’s all part of the fun. “I’m retiring with a lot of pleasure in this stadium, which brought me so much joy last year,” Chiellini told the UEFA official website.
“The boys must work with their heads down and rekindle the excitement they’ve lost.” You don’t squander as much energy and have a clearer brain when you’re enthusiastic. That is the most challenging element. He went on to say, “They’ll have to locate it as quickly as possible.”
Chiellini’s international career came to a dismal conclusion as the 37-year-old was replaced on his 117th and final appearance at halftime.
Argentina’s supporters praised their idol’s latest masterpiece by chanting Messi’s name around the stadium.
Dybala scored a brilliant goal off a beautiful Messi pass in stoppage time as the maestro added the last flourish.
