Rome (AFP)

Italy wasted no time: five days after having kicked off the Euro, the "Nazionale" became Wednesday, thanks to its success against Switzerland (3-0), the first team to qualify for the round of 16 where they should be accompanied by Wales.

Two wins, six points, six goals scored and none conceded: Italy, absent from the last World Cup in Russia, does not miss its return to the international scene.

Against Switzerland, she went on a 29th game without defeat and is only one length behind the record set by her predecessor from 1935 to 1939.

More importantly, Roberto Mancini and his players confirmed what they showed in the 3-0 opener against Turkey: they are going to have to be counted on for the title.

Everything was not perfect at the Stadio Olimpico, especially a slightly laborious first quarter of an hour, but the "Nazionale", still without Marco Verratti, once again relegated to the stands, has resources.

Even the injury exit of its captain Giorgio Chiellini, from the 24th minute and only a few moments after having believed to open the mark before the intervention of the video assistance to the refereeing (VAR), did not disturb it.

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Mancini can in particular count on Dominico Berardi, revelation at 26 years of this start of the tournament.

It is on a cons superbly negotiated by the winger of Sassuolo who served in withdrawal his teammate Manuel Locatelli to give the advantage to Italy (26th).

- Lined by Locatelli -

Taking advantage of the generosity of the Swiss defense, Locatelli doubled the mark (52nd), before the third goal at the end of the match from Ciro Immobile (89th).

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In the other group A meeting played earlier in Baku in front of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and 30,000 spectators won over to the cause of Turkey, Wales revived after their disappointing inaugural draw (1-1) against Switzerland.

The Welsh dragon woke up with a success (2-0) and a festival of bright openings from Gareth Bale.

The Welsh captain has still not put an end to his scarcity of goals in the selection which lasts since October 2019, but he distilled two assists, the first for Aaron Ramsey (43rd), the second at the end of the match, on a corner played artfully for Connor Roberts.

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What to forget his penalty grossly missed at the hour of play.

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With four points and a last group match against an Italy already qualified on Sunday, the Welsh, surprising semi-finalists of Euro-2016, can begin to think of the eighth.

"We can think about it, but we will still have to be patient. If we had been told that we would have four points after two games, we would have signed with both hands," said Bale.

In the aftermath of the clash between the last two world champions France-Germany (1-0), the second day of the group stage began with Russia's narrow victory over Finland (1-0) in Saint Petersburg. .

Alekseï Miranchuk made the difference in added time in the first period, with a superb curling strike from the left.

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- No sanction against Rüdiger -

For the decisive match against Denmark on Monday, Russia, already decimated by injuries, will probably have to do without its defender of Brazilian origin Mario Fernandes, released on a stretcher after an aerial duel (26th).

The first reports even raised fears of a serious spinal injury, but Fernandes was finally able to return to Moscow with his teammates.

This defeat condemns Finland, victorious over Denmark on Saturday (3-0), to the feat against Belgium on Monday in its last group match.

"It will be a huge challenge for us. But the team has shown that they can compete," insisted coach Markku Kanerva, whose players warmed up with a "Get well Christian!" T-shirt.

("Good recovery Christian!") In tribute to Dane Christian Eriksen, still hospitalized after his heart failure in the middle of a match.

It's been a busy day for UEFA, which imposed a suspension match on Austrian Marko Arnautovic for having "insulted another player" during his country's victory against North Macedonia (3-1).

On the other hand, the European body has given up on opening disciplinary proceedings against German defender Antonio Rüdiger, accused by Paul Pogba of having "nibbled a little" on Tuesday evening during the German defeat against the Blues (1-0).

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Another file that arrived on the UEFA offices, that of the maintenance in play during France-Germany of Benjamin Pavard, struck violently by the German Robin Gosens in the face, a decision which revives the debate on the management of concussions in football.

© 2021 AFP