Euro 2020 - Italy 1-0 Wales: Matteo Pessina strike downs 10-man visitors as both sides go through

Italy made it a perfect three wins from three as they secured first place in Group A with a 1-0 victory over Wales in Rome.

Chris Gunter missed a great chance to put Wales ahead in the first half before Matteo Pessina clipped in a Marco Verratti free kick to give Italy the lead six minutes before half time.

Both sides missed chances in a second half dominated by Italy after a red card for a dangerous challenge by Ethan Ampadu. Italy came the closest when Federico Bernardeschi hit the outside of the post from a free kick.

Italy will now travel to Wembley to face the runners up from Group C, while Wales head to Amsterdam to face the runners up from Group B.

Roberto Mancini has rebuilt Italy into a statistical juggernaut. They are now unbeaten in 30 matches and have won their last eleven by scoring 32 goals and conceding precisely zero.

Within that run they have won all three of their Euro 2020 matches. All three of those victories were secured in Rome; now they go on the road, to Wembley initially to face either Austria or the Ukraine, and right now look like a team capable of getting back there for the final on 11 July.

They are certainly the most enigmatic team in the competition; after failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, they arrived in this championship as the most unknown quantity that Italy has ever sent to a finals. Sterner tests will come their way in the knockout rounds, but a prolonged habit of scoring goals and not conceding them is useful thing to have in the tank at the business end of a tournament.

Even before Italy gained the numerical advantage when Ampadu was sent off, Verratti was pulling their defence and midfield over the pitch. He makes Mancini’s new-look team tick and capped a masterful passing display by setting up the winner for Pessina.

Italy (4-3-3): Donnarumma 6; Toloi 6, Bonucci 6, Bastoni 7, Emerson 7; Pessina 7, Jorginho 7, Verratti 8; Chiesa 7, Belotti 6, Bernadeschi 7. Subs: Acerbi 7, Cristante 6, Raspadori 6, Castrovilli 6, Sirigu 6.

Wales (5-3-2): Ward 7; Roberts 6, Gunter 6, Rodon 7, Ampadu 5, Williams 6; Morrell 5, Allen 7, Ramsey 7; Bale 6, James 7. Subs: Moore 6, Wilson 6, Levitt 6, Davies 6, Brooks 6.

27’ CHANCE! Wales win their first corner of the match. James whips it swiftly in to the front post, where Gunter arrives unmarked and heads just over from six yards out. What an opportunity; Wales should be ahead.

39’ GOAL! Italy 1-0 Wales (Pessina): Italy area ahead! From a free kick near the right corner of the Welsh area, Verratti whips a low ball into the penalty area. Pessina gets across the defence, applying a glancing touch to the cross that diverts it low past Ward and into the far corner.

42’ SO CLOSE! Verratti is running this. He clips a lovely pass into the area from out on the left, and Pessina breaks from nowhere to glance the ball just wide of the far post.

53’ OFF THE POST! Bernadeschi takes a low free kick, whipped right around the wall; Ward is beaten, but the ball clips the outside of the post and drifts behind for a goal kick.

54’ OH WHAT A CHANCE FOR WALES! A long ball into the Italian area bounces past Bastoni and Ramsey is in on the right. He dithers, and it costs him; he doesn't shoot, looks for support that isn't there and then loses the ball as he tries to adjust his feet.

55’ RED CARD! Ampadu catches Bernadeschi as he misses the ball in a fifty-fifty, and it's a straight red! It's VAR checked, but it's going to stand; he missed the ball and came down hard with his studs on Bernadeschi's ankle. Was that high enough and reckless enough to justify a red? I'm not so sure, but Wales are down to ten men.

65’ EXCELLENT SAVE! Italy break quickly on Wales, and Chiesa cuts past Williams to get to the byline. He pulls it back to Belotti near the six yard box, and Ward turns the first time shot around the post.

75’ OH WHAT A CHANCE! Wales launch a free kick into the area. Rodon heads it to the back post where Bale, unmarked, skies a volley over the bar from eight yards out! That's a huge miss; Wales have been outplayed today, but have created three superb chances.