The term 'taking the game by the scruff of the neck' was made for moments like this.
Our 2pm game today
was a Friday afternoon snoozefest. On paper Italy vs Sweden seemed like an enticing encounter, particularly as it pitted one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, Gianluigi Buffon, against one of the modern game's biggest personalities, Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
There is history between the two in the same tournament, from back in 2004 in Portugal. Who can forget this sensational finish by the mercurial Swede...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeXKyj2ggwM
Alas, this year's encounter was an attritional affair, with Sweden sitting deep against an Azzurri side that performs best on the counter-attack. Neither side showed much ambition beyond a few tentative attacks. It looked destined to end in the scoreless draw it deserved.
In fact many felt it was the worst game of the tournament thus far...
https://twitter.com/Miketyson2007/status/743814355586785280
https://twitter.com/Special1JoseM/status/743813138844254208
https://twitter.com/KArjun_/status/743812624110882818
But just as the match was coming to a merciful and seemingly impotent end, Italy's 29-year-old striker Eder decided to do something about it. Cutting in from the left with rare purpose and drive, he evaded three Swedish defenders before blasting the ball past the Swedish goalkeeper.
It was a marvellous finish that such a game hardly deserved...
https://twitter.com/itvfootball/status/743817327511121920
