The Azzurri staged an impromptu party in the heart of London last night after Italy qualified for the quarter finals of Euro 2012 with a 2-0 defeat over the Irish.
Nervous fans at Bar Italia in Soho erupted with cries of “Italia! Italia!” - jumping, dancing and blowing whistles as Mario Balotelli secured victory with a spectacular 90th minute volley.
Emilio Amati, 49, an Italian-speaking banker from Zurich, said: “We had to suffer for the win tonight. But Balotelli’s goal was spectacular. He is the best attacker we have, I hope we see more than that.”
He added: “Now we are going to party. We’re Italian. We win, we party.”
Francesca De Nigris, 18, a student from Lecce, said: “It was a spectacular ending. At the beginning of the match I just felt scared.”
Italian nerves might seem unwarranted as the last time the Irish, who were already eliminated from the tournament, beat Italy was 18 years ago to the day, at the 1994 World Cup.
Lee Giuseppe Francimori, 26, a graphic designer, from Angel, said: “It was a good match but we didn’t play brilliantly. To be honest, we would have been hammered if we played like that against the Spanish.”
Italy will now play the winner of group D - which includes England.
Mr Francimori added: “We haven’t shown ourselves to be one of the top teams yet, but we can do it. I hope we face the English next.”
Aria Valzano, 20, student, originally from Lecce said: “I’m so thrilled and excited, we are going to win, I just know it. It was a very nerve wracking game, but we pulled through in the end.”
Daniele Rampicone, 28, a student from Terni, said: “I honestly didn’t believe we would do it, it was a great finish to the match. We didn’t make the quarter finals in the World Cup two years ago so this is great. I hope we can make it a tournament to remember.”
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His girlfriend, Flavia Campi, 24, also from Terni added: “I’m so delighted. The moment when Balotelli scored was incredible. I knew we could do it.”
Meanwhile group rivals Spain had come within a single goal of leaving the tournament but it was Croatia who missed out after losing to the world champions.
Croatians who packed into the East Village London, Shoreditch, to watch the game were left despondent by the result.
Ivor Sokolic, 26, a head-hunter originally from Zagreb, said: “I thought it was a good match and we showed some great confidence. Croatia has bowed out, but it was graceful. Obviously I’m disappointed though.”
Steve Kefelek, 27, a teacher from Lewisham, said: “Spain deserved to win, they played better than us, but Croatia did well at stopping them perform at their best.
“We didn’t have enough possession, and that is our great strength - holding possession, but it was a very late goal from the Spanish.”
Tanja Smyth, 44, an osteopath, originally from Sisak, said: “I’m gutted. I hoped we would win. We are the smallest country in the competition and this is the first game we lost and we are out. It’s so sad.”
