Unfortunately for them, Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored on a wonderful back-heel shot with five minutes left in regulation to lift Sweden to a 1-1 tie at Porto's Dragao Stadium on Friday, robbing Italy of three points and sending its Euro 2004 campaign into serious peril.
"We scored a lucky goal and have to be satisfied with one point," Ibrahimovic said. "It was an incredible goal. I think it was one of the most beautiful and important goals."
Added Sweden coach Lars Lagerback: "It was marvellous."
Italy's Andrea Pirlo, left, and Sweden's Freddie Ljungberg battle for the ball. (AP Photo/Steven Governo)
Antonio Cassano (starting in place of suspended AS Roma teammate Francesco Totti) scored for the Italians in the first half.
"We produced a great performance, we had a lot of chances and their goalkeeper made good saves," said Italian coach Giovanni Trapattoni. "In the final minutes we were tired and slowed down. Certainly the result makes our chances for qualifying questionable."
Italy sits third in Group C with two points and trail front-runners Sweden and Denmark (four points). Italy needs a win in its final game against Bulgaria on Tuesday, and needs either Denmark or Sweden to lose when they square off against each other to ensure its passage through to the quarter-finals.
Against the Swedes, Italy had to play without Totti, slapped with a three-game suspension by UEFA for spitting on midfielder Christian Poulsen during Italy's 0-0 draw with Denmark earlier in the week.
But the Azzurri hardly missed the services of their inspirational playmaker.
This was an Italian team that bared no resemblance to the lifeless side that stuttered and stumbled against Denmark. This Italian team played fast, free-flowing and attacking soccer, full of purpose and spirit and putting Sweden on its heels from the opening whistle.
Defensive battlers Gennaro Gattuso and Simone Perrotta helped Italy take firm control of the midfield area, breaking up attacks and taking Sweden completely out of its rhythm.
Andrea Pirlo, who started on the bench against Denmark, rejuvenated the Italians, pulling the playmaking strings in midfield, while Allesandro Del Piero and Cassano caused problems for the Swedish defence the entire game with their deft touches, dangerous runs and direct play.
Wingbacks Christian Panucci and Gianluca Zambrotta made surging runs down the flanks and teased the Swedes with tantalizing crosses into the Swedish box for their teammates.
The effective play of the pair added another dimension to the lethal Italian attack, while captain Fabio Cannavaro and Alessandro Nesta brilliantly marshalled Italy's back line.
Indeed, Swedish strikers Ibrahimovic and Henrik Larsson – so dangerous against Bulgaria when they combined for three goals – were totally neutralized, marked completely out of the game by the miserly Italian defence.
Del Piero and Christian Vieri had several scoring chances in the opening half hour, peppering the Swedish goal with dangerous shots and headers, but they couldn't give Italy the lead.
Then in the 37th minute, the breakthrough for the Italians.
Panucci carried the ball to the end-line and then cut back, ghosting past two Swedish defenders before whipping a left-footed cross into the penalty area. Cassano, beating the offside trap, delicately and precisely headed the ball home past Swedish goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson to give the Italians a deserved 1-0 lead.
"Hats off to Cassano for his beautiful goal and his good performance," said Trapattoni of the 21-year-old forward. "He could have scored more goals. He's young and can improve a lot."
The Italians kept up their feverish pace in the second half, continuing to press and look for the second goal that would have ensured them of the victory.
Italy's efforts nearly came completely undone in the 77th minute. Larsson split the defence with a driving run before feeding Mattias Jonson with a diagonal pass, but Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon made the save of the tournament, parrying Jonson's blistering low shot away with his hand.
The Swedes, however, would not be denied.
After Italy failed to clear the ball off a corner kick, a mad goalmouth scramble ensued. Ibrahimovic contorted his body and hit the ball with an audacious back-heel shot that just tucked in under the crossbar after Vieri failed to make a miraculous goal-line clearance.
Ibrahimovic's goal – possibly the goal of the tournament – stunned the Italians as the Swedes were able to kill off the final five minutes of the game and thwart a late Italian surge in extra time to hang on for a tie.
"It was like in the last World Cup, when we allowed goals in the closing minutes," Buffon said. "Ibrahimovic's goal was classy and lucky."
After the thrilling contest, Ibrahimovic said his team was satisfied with the draw as Italy is "one of the most difficult teams to play."
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