Antonio Conte delivered the tactical masterclass of Euro 2016 so far to help Italy outwit Belgium on Monday night. Scepticism has long surrounded what some feel is the worst Azzurri squad in decades, but superior organisation and shrewd strategy underpinned a strong defensive display that quelled the underwhelming stars of Belgium's so-called "Golden generation".
The Italian lineup was not a glitzy one, with Conte using a workmanlike midfield five in front of three robust centre-backs. They alternated between 5-3-2 and 4-4-2, and shuffled from side to side in order to reduce space for Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne, who had started out wide to accommodate Marouane Fellaini just behind Romelu Lukaku. It worked a treat.
On the ball, Italy passed directly to the feet of the two strikers, Eder and Graziano Pelle, who stuck close together to link up and bring teammates into play. They would often try to pick out onrushing wing-backs or central midfielders, though the first goal came straight from the defensive line, when Leonardo Bonucci's lofted pass was converted by Emanuele Giaccherini.
Belgium created little before the break, and yet it still took more than an hour before coach Marc Wilmots made changes. More creative players entered throughout the second half as Hazard and De Bruyne got more involved, but Italy held firm before Pelle's volley made it 2-0 late on. It was a victory of organisation and tactics, and though Wilmots later spoke of individual errors, the defeat reflected far worse on him than any specific player.
Italy build through strikers
Before kick off, it was hard to see where Italy's goals would come from. They scored just 16 times in 10 qualifying games and took five of their seven victories by a one-goal margin. The top scorer was Pelle with three goals, while Eder had one league goal since January. Just behind them were industrious wing-backs Matteo Darmian and Antonio Candreva, dynamic central midfielders Giaccherini and Marco Parolo and anchor man Daniele De Rossi.
The plan was all about movement and timing. When playing out from the back, Italy pushed the wing-backs high and wide to stretch Belgium, making the shape resemble a 3-3-4. That helped the centre-backs play passes directly to the strikers, who then spread it wide. These passes could be layoffs to the central midfielders, or direct deliveries into space for the wing-backs.
This did seem the best bet, because Italy had no numerical advantage in the centre and were up against a solid midfield trio in Axel Witsel, Radja Nainggolan and Fellaini. It also helped that Belgium hardly pressed the centre-backs. Lukaku watched Bonucci, the best passer in the backline, but Andrea Barzagli was allowed to carry the ball out on the right side and consequently became Italy's top passer, with 40 out of 48 completed. Seven of these went directly to Pelle, who helped Italy move up the pitch and build attacks.
Flexible defence stops Hazard, De Bruyne
Belgium's plan was less successful. Italy stayed compact and made it three vs. three in the middle, while the centre-backs could step up if someone slipped in between the lines.
They also controlled the flanks. When the Belgian centre-backs had the ball, Italy lined up in a 5-3-2 where wing-backs Darmian and Candreva marked Hazard and De Bruyne. When the Belgian full-backs got the ball, the wing-backs moved up to close them down, while the nearest centre-back picked up Hazard or De Bruyne. The rest of the team then shuffled across, effectively making it a 4-4-2.
One solution might have been overlaps, but Belgium's full-backs were Jan Vertonghen and Laurent Ciman, who are originally centre-backs, and neither had the pace to circumvent the Italian defence. Consequently their only big chance in the first hour came on the counter, when Italy had lost their shape and Lukaku missed a one-on-one. By the time of their first substitution, on 62 minutes, Hazard had offered little and De Bruyne had seemed lost out wide.
Midfield runners trouble Belgium
Conte was not in a position to waste talent like that. In addition to adventurous full-backs and target man strikers, he used Parolo and Giaccherini's running to drag Belgium out of shape. They would drift out wide to double up alongside Candreva and Darmian. On other occasions, they sprinted in behind the defence to receive passes from the strikers.
Ultimately the most decisive pass came from Bonucci, who was left unmarked by Lukaku to hit a superb ball over the top for Giaccherini.
But particularly in the second half, the Italian runners tested Belgium. At one point Pelle released Candreva in behind Vertonghen, who recovered with a last-ditch tackle. Later, Candreva lifted in a cross that Pelle nearly converted. Another slick move culminated in Eder hitting a superb first-touch pass in behind the defence for Parolo.
This was not about individual skill, but running and timing. By full-time, Italy had tried just seven dribbles and pulled off three -- a remarkably low number. Meanwhile, official statistics showed they had covered 11.7 kilometres more than Belgium. Not bad for a starting lineup discovered to be the oldest in Euro history, at an average of 31 years and 169 days.
Wilmots changes to no avail
As the second half progressed, Wilmots made attacking changes. He introduced Dries Mertens on the left wing for Nainggolan to move Hazard in behind Lukaku, which made the Chelsea man more involved in the final third. Divock Origi also replaced Lukaku before Yannick Carrasco came in for Ciman, which gave De Bruyne a more familiar role as well.
Still, Belgium found no way through. Origi header over from close range and Fellaini will rue failing to control a cross inside the area, but beyond that Italy blocked and cleared everything in sight, with three cynical tactical fouls contributing to keeping opponents at bay.
Belgium had seven shots in the final 28 minutes, of which five were blocked and two missed the target. That denoted a defensive triumph for Conte, as Wilmots was left out-thought and outclassed.