Switzerland2 - 0Italy

Euro 2024's knockout phase starts with the dismal exit of reigning champions Italy, who succumb to Switzerland in the last 16.

Goals in either half, from Remo Freuler and Ruben Vargas, saw the Swiss secure a merited success at Berlin's Olympiastadion, and they march on to meet either England or Slovakia in the quarter-finals.

While Murat Yakin's men were impressive throughout, the Azzurri were subdued rather than being buoyed by sneaking through this year's 'Group of Death' via a last-gasp goal against Croatia.

Switzerland's first win over their Italian neighbours for some 31 years puts them through to the last eight, and you can relive Sports Mole's live minute-by-minute commentary of the action below.

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4.32pm

Good afternoon! Thank you for joining Sports Mole for today's Saturday showdown between two neighbouring nations intent on reaching the Euro 2024 quarter-finals.

Italy and Switzerland meet at the iconic Olympiastadion, having played out some significant matches over the past three years - most notably, the Azzurri's 3-0 success at the delayed Euro 2020 finals.

Finishing their Group A campaign unbeaten on five points, Switzerland progressed in second place and now take part in the knockout rounds for a sixth consecutive European Championship; meanwhile, Italy managed a haul of four points from games against Albania, Spain and Croatia, with a late draw versus the latter ultimately keeping their defence of the title alive.

Kickoff is less than 30 minutes away, so let's take a look at the team news...

4.34pm

SWITZERLAND: Sommer; Schar, Akanji, Rodriguez; Aebischer, Freuler, Xhaka, Rieder; Vargas, Ndoye; Embolo

SUBS: Stergiou, Elvedi, Zakaria, Okafor, Steffen, Mvogo, Zuber, Zesiger, Sierro, Duah, Kobel, Shaqiri, Jashari, Amdouni

4.36pm

Switzerland coach Murat Yakin selects what seems to be an attacking lineup, with suspended wing-back Silvan Widmer replaced by Fabian Rieder, and Ruben Vargas joining Dan Ndoye in support of Breel Embolo up front.

4.40pm

ITALY: Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Mancini, Bastoni, Darmian; Cristante, Fagioli, Barella; Chiesa, Scamacca, El Shaarawy

SUBS: Dimarco, Buongiorno, Gatti, Frattesi, Jorginho, Pellegrini, Raspadori, Vicario, Bellanova, Retegui, Zaccagni, Cambiaso, Folorunsho, Meret

4.44pm

Italy boss Luciano Spalletti brings in Gianluca Mancini for suspended defender Riccardo Calafiori, also introducing Juventus midfielder Nicolo Fagioli and Mancini's Roma teammates Bryan Cristante and Stephan El Shaarawy to the starting XI today.

Matteo Darmian deputises for Federico Dimarco at left-back, as the latter is still struggling with a calf problem. Scamacca beats Retegui to selection up front.

4.46pm

A remarkable moment for El Shaarawy today - and it's been a long time coming!

4.49pm

Deep into eight minutes of second-half stoppage time, substitute Mattia Zaccagni stole a precious point by scoring Italy's equaliser against Croatia, but he's not rewarded with a start in the last 16. As it turned out, the Azzurri would have been eliminated if they had ended up with just three points and a negative goal difference, so they remain indebted to the Lazio forward for even being in Berlin today.

4.53pm

Following the draw with Germany, Switzerland have now lost only once in their last 13 European Championship matches - that sole setback was against Italy at Euro 2020. However, since winning a World Cup qualifier in 1993, they are winless in 11 games against the Azzurri across all competitions. Can they finally end that trend today?

4.56pm

Right, then. There are only moments until Euro 2024's knockout phase kicks off in the German capital. The national anthems are up next!

4.58pm

Spine-tingling stuff at the Olympiastadion! Both teams have belted out their stirring anthems, and kickoff is now just a few seconds away...

1 min

KICKOFF: With a place in the last eight at stake, Switzerland - clad in all-red, Italy are in their traditional Azzurri blue - kick off this last-16 clash.

2 min

Switzerland's early pressure pays off, earning a corner kick. Bastoni nods the set-piece delivery away, though, as Italy's makeshift defence passes its first early test.

4 min

Cristante concedes a free-kick for a foul on Aebischer, one of several Serie A players in the Swiss lineup today. Italy have made some six changes to their team today, and so far it's not quite working.

6 min

After El Shaarawy narrowly fails to hook a bouncing ball into the six-yard box, he concedes a foul on Ndoye and Switzerland will have a free-kick deep inside their own area. It seems Italy are slowly finding their feet.

8 min

With Switzerland probing patiently in midfield, Italy have dropped off a few yards and are sitting perhaps a little too deep. The pressure is relieved, though, when Barella drops to the turf after a challenge by Freuler.

10 min

Terrible news for the Azzurri, as midfield mainstay Barella limps off injured, apparently struck down by a muscular problem. They simply cannot afford to lose the Inter Milan man at this stage.

11 min

As Barella tentatively returns to the fray, Switzerland push forward again, and Ndoye fails to connect fully with a raking throughball by his captain, Xhaka. That was a decent half-chance from around 10 yards out, but he scuffed it and Donnarumma was left untroubled.

13 min

Vargas is down hurt after a late challenge by Di Lorenzo, but after a brief moment of concern he returns to his feet in time to see Aebischer sling the free-kick too far into the box, allowing Donnarumma to safely gather it.

15 min

Fagioli's switch of play briefly opens up the Swiss defence, but Cristante's loose touch in the area allows Rodriguez to intervene at the cost of a corner. The set-piece ultimately comes to nothing.

17 min

Chiesa can't quite keep the ball in play on the byline, but at least Italy are starting to threaten their opponents. For their part, Switzerland can be content with their start to this contest.

19 min

Embolo and Vargas combine on the left, as Italy's defence are caught momentarily out of position; however, the latter's cross is badly mishit and Donnarumma comes out to safely pouch it.

20 min

CHANCE! Apparently recovered from his earlier knock, Barella drops a delightful free kick over the Swiss defence from 25 yards out. However, El Shaarawy scuffs it, having cleverly run clear and been played straight through on Sommer. Great invention, though.

22 min

After Vargas beats Di Lorenzo again, then links up with the influential Xhaka in midfield, he lays the ball off to Rieder on the edge of Italy's area. The latter's pass is mishit, though, and a promising attack comes to an end.

24 min

SAVE! Springing Italy's offside trap with a perfectly timed run, Embolo is clear through on goal, with only Donnarumma to beat. He tries to pick out the top corner, but the Azzurri captain again saves his side by leaping to palm it away! Embolo really should've scored there!

26 min

CHANCE! Akanji makes a crucial late block, after Chiesa drifts over to the left flank, then zips inside and shoots low at goal. His angled strike is goalbound, but the Manchester City defender is alert to prod it away from immediate danger.

28 min

Switzerland manage to clear their lines from successive Fagioli corners, before racing down the other end. On the counter, Ndoye again eludes his marker, but the Bologna winger's low ball skids across the box and remains untouched.

30 min

Excluding shootouts, Switzerland have failed to win any of their seven previous last-16 matches at either the Euros or World Cup outright, progressing to the quarter-finals on just one occasion. They've been marginally the better side so far today, but they could do with a goal to reward their dominance.

32 min

CHANCE! Well known to the Italian team due to his long spell at Torino, Rodriguez races forward down the left and sees some space opening up. He has an ambitious crack at goal, but the ball spins wildly off target.

34 min

Switzerland get in behind again: Rieder finds himself on the right byline, with a chance to cut the ball back into the box, but his attempt to cross is pretty awful and allows Donnarumma to easily collect it. Another let-off for the reigning champions.

35 min

YELLOW CARD! Barella is booked for a foul on Rieder, but he has not already had a yellow card at Euro 2024 so is not facing a potential suspension should Italy progress.

37 min

GOAL! SWITZERLAND 1-0 ITALY (FREULER)

37 min

GOAL! Switzerland make the breakthrough! It's been coming. Freuler is the unlikely figure bursting into the box to smash a low shot past Donnarumma, after cushioning a low Vargas pass into his path and firing towards the bottom-right corner. It takes a deflection before nestling in the back of the net!

39 min

A slick Swiss move opens the scoring in Berlin:

41 min

On a hot day in the German capital, both teams are glad of a brief break, as Di Lorenzo stays down on the turf after a tackle. He will need some medical attention, as the other players take on both drinks and some tactical instructions.

43 min

Fortunately for Spalletti, who has already lost several defenders to injury and suspension this summer, Di Lorenzo is able to continue. The game resumes, with half time fast approaching.

45

YELLOW CARD! A clear foul by El Shaarawy results in Italy's second booking of the game. He catches Schar, who limps away from the challenge.

45+1 min

OFF THE POST! Rieder almost adds a second just before the break! He tries to cleverly catch Donnarumma out at the near post, with a free kick from out wide on the right. However, the Italian captain keeps his side's deficit down by getting a glove on it, and it glances off the right-hand post.

45+3 min

HALF TIME: SWITZERLAND 1-0 ITALY

5.53pm

Having conceded first for the fourth straight game at Euro 2024, reigning champions Italy are heading out of the tournament as things stand: they trail by a goal to neighbours Switzerland in Berlin. Swiss supremacy was confirmed by Freuler's 37th-minute finish, and it could easily have been worse for the abject Azzurri.