October 07, 2026 11:51 pm (IST)
Follow us:
facebook-white sharing button
twitter-white sharing button
instagram-white sharing button
youtube-white sharing button
RBI shocks borrowers with first repo rate hike since 2023; rates raised to 5.50% | ‘Completely false’: Virat Kohli reacts to ₹5 crore claim over Premanand Maharaj visit | We’re watching it very closely: US urges Russia to share more information on plague situation | This isn’t about schools: Trump blames ‘mass migration’ and Islam for violent protests across France | ‘Crash axe’ blow fractured Smit Machchhar’s skull: Shocking details emerge from flydubai cockpit horror | ‘Vote thief’ Gyanesh Kumar: Rahul Gandhi climbs barricade, waves Tricolour during explosive INDIA bloc protest | ‘Crash axe’ blow fractured Smit Machchhar’s skull: Shocking details emerge from flydubai cockpit horror | ‘He should not have been flying’: JD Vance on Flydubai co-pilot | Israel was ready to shoot down Flydubai jet if it kept flying towards Tel Aviv: Reports | 'If law wasn't followed, we can undo it': Supreme Court's big warning on SIR process amid Gyanesh Kumar row

Impressive Italy leave Belgium floored

| | Jun 14, 2016, at 03:11 pm
Lyon, June 14 (IBNS) Italy showed they remain a force to be reckoned with after starting their UEFA EURO 2016 Group E bid with an impressive 2-0 victory against highly rated Belgium.

For all their gifted individuals, the Red Devils looked a disjointed force in the opening half as both Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne ran into white shirts whenever they took possession. Radja Nainggolan had the first glimpse at goal, elicting a save from Gianluigi Buffon, but the 18,000 or so Belgian fans in attendance were in for a shock on 32 minutes when the Azzurri went ahead via a moment of excellence.

Leonardo Bonucci started it, picking out Emanuele Giaccherini with a wonderful lofted pass over Toby Alderweireld, and the Bologna midfielder controlled well before slotting past Thibaut Courtois for his first international goal since 2013. Belgium were rattled, and both Antonio Candreva and Graziano Pellè could have stung them with a second shortly after.

Pellè then forced Courtois into a one-handed save from a header as the second period began at a livelier pace, and Romelu Lukaku nearly levelled when he flashed wide on the counter. Suddenly there was a little more intensity about Marc Wilmots's men, substitute Divock Origi wasteful with a header, but the Italian resistance held firm – and they had the final say when Pellè volleyed in emphatically in added time.

Man of the match: Emanuele Giaccherini

Credit: UEFA.com

Support Our Journalism

We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism

IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.

Support objective journalism for a small contribution.