Alberto Aquilani admitted there was "great bitterness" in the Italy camp after a 2-2 draw against England left them facing elimination from the finals.
The midfielder, chosen as Carlsberg Man of the Match, took the corner that led to Italy's first goal and scored the second as they came from 2-0 down to draw at the Gelredome last night. However, for all his contribution to a thrilling contest, he was left downbeat, saying: "There is great bitterness among us. We gave our all in such a big match. We came back from a two-goal deficit and we feel so sad because we could have won."Having lost their opening game 1-0 against Serbia, Italy go into their final fixture against the Czech Republic on Sunday with destiny no longer in their own hands. To reach the semi-finals, they must beat the Czechs and hope Serbia avoid defeat against England.
The 22-year-old Aquilani said: "I hope Serbia will be at their best and beat England, or at least do their best."
The Roma product demonstrated excellent technique against England with his 69th-minute equaliser also showing his striking ability from distance. Given his all-round excellence, it was no surprise the UEFA Technical Study Group made Aquilani its Man of the Match, for which the player was grateful. He said: "The people who made this choice showed that they know about football but I would have preferred to win the game and not the trophy."
The atmosphere in the dressing room afterwards might not have been inspiring, but Aquilani at least was sure that he and his team-mates had worked hard. "We gave all we had, and from that point of view there is nothing to say," he said.
Coach Pierluigi Casiraghi will require a similar performance from his side against the Czechs and hope Serbia do them a favour.
[U21 Euro 2007 Championship Finals Schedule]
No comments:
Post a Comment