#3 Zlatan fails to shine
When your captain - the focal point of the team – fails to put his foot on the gas, it’s difficult to get that inspiration to win. Swedish superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovic was well off his mark today. At times, he was found standing idle when Italy had possession in their own half, not finding it needful to press them down and put them under pressure.
Offensively, he failed to make his height and power do the talking, as the Italian defensive trio marshalled him with relative conviction. He missed an open goal midway through the second half, although the effort was ruled offside anyway.
He must do more and raise his game by a gear or two if he wants to lead his side to success in this tournament. The intensity was simply lacking from the 10-time Swedish Player of the Year awardee.
