Euro 2016: Italy survives late push, outlasts Belgium
Spain needs late heroics to top Czech Republic, Ireland and Sweden play to draw
The jubilant scenes were reminiscent of Italy's triumph at the 2006 World Cup after the final whistle in Lyon on Monday night.
Ten years after its last World Cup success, the Squadra Azzurra had just beaten Belgium 2-0 in its first match at the European Championship. And there was plenty to celebrate for an aging team that was written off by its critics before the game and described as one of the worst ever by Italian media.
Italy's substitutes surged onto the pitch to celebrate, while veteran keeper Gianluigi Buffon ran the length of the field shouting as the song "Seven Nation Army" — the team's unofficial anthem since the 2006 World Cup — blared out of the stadium's speakers.
"We did really well to prepare this game so well and prove all the critics wrong, because the critics were all against us," said Italy coach Antonio Conte, who got a bloody nose in the celebrations that followed Emanuele Giaccherini's first-half opener.
"But this is the beauty of football. You get the chance to prove people wrong, if you have the determination and will to work like we have."
Another goal in stoppage time from Graziano Pelle, combined with excellent defending, helped Italy to its resounding win over one of the tournament favorites.
Victory against the odds also sent Italy to the top of Group E, after Ireland opened its campaign with a 1-1 draw against Sweden in the earlier game.
"Our players understood that they needed to do extraordinary things to make sure they are talked about," Conte said.
"The players in my group are clever, they understood that we have achieved something important with that win. But they also know we need to give more than 100 percent to continue in this tournament."
Sweden 1, Ireland 1
Zlatan Ibrahimovic rescued Sweden yet again in a 1-1 draw with Ireland on Monday, even though he couldn't set a European Championship scoring record.
Sweden trailed until the 71st minute, when Ibrahimovic created the equalizer. Gliding forward, the Sweden captain sent the ball across the goal mouth and Ireland defender Ciaran Clark stooped to head it into his own net.
Ireland has taken a deserved lead in the 48th minute with Wes Hoolahan scored from a sweetly struck half-volley from inside the area.
In a group where Belgium and Italy are favoured, a point for each team leaves their Euro 2016 prospects uncertain.
Ireland created more chances Monday and midfielder Jeff Hendrick went close with a series of shots, including one that hit the crossbar in the 32nd.
Ibrahimovic hooked shots wide in each half as he tried to become the first player to score in four different European Championships.
Tiny in stature compared Ibrahimovic, Hoolahan threatened to eclipse the star attraction. The 5-foot-6 midfielder showed fine technique to control a first-time shot from a chipped cross by right back Seamus Coleman, who went on a twisting dribble deep into the Sweden penalty area.
Earlier, Ireland captain John O'Shea wasted an early chance, failing to follow Germany's Shkodran Mustafi and Spain's Gerard Pique as central defenders scoring key opening goals in a third straight Euro 2016 match.
Spain 1, Czech Republic 0
Gerard Pique finally broke down the Czech Republic's stubborn defence with a goal in the 87th minute to give Spain a 1-0 victory in the opening match of its European Championship title defence on Monday.
Pique ran behind the defenders and calmly headed the ball into the net after a well-placed cross by Andres Iniesta to give Spain the Group D victory.
"It was an incredible pass by Iniesta," Pique said. "It was very important to start with the three points. We played very well, we controlled the game but it seemed the ball didn't want to go in."
The two-time defending champions had created a series of scoring chances throughout the match at the Stadium de Toulouse. But they looked set to being denied victory by a combination of poor finishing and a brilliant performance from Czech Republic goalkeeper Petr Cech.
The Czechs had a great chance to break the deadlock themselves in the 65th minute but Cesc Fabregas saved Spain with a goal-line clearance after a header by Theodor Gebre Selassie.
The result left Spain and Croatia atop Group D with three points each. Croatia defeated Turkey 1-0 on Sunday.
La Roja controlled possession and was on attack most of the time but couldn't break down the Czechs' resistance until Pique's late header.