Statistics be damned!
Ireland need to beat Italy on Wednesday night to have any hope of reaching the Euro 2016 knockout stages. Beating the Azzuri by two or three goals would certainly enhance those chances.
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Unfortunately for Ireland, Wednesday's opponents have conceded just seven goals in 12 competitive games, including two clean sheets so far at this tournament.
Antonio Conte may rest a couple of his defenders now that Italy are guaranteed top spot in Group E. It is a faint hope but one Irish supporters, and the national team, are clinging too.
We feel bad, then, bringing up the fact that the match will be refereed by Ovidiu Hategan. The Romanian has overseen one match at Euro 2016 thus far, Northern Ireland's 1-0 loss to Poland.
Hategan has officiated three international games involving Italy and they have yet to concede a single, bloody goal.
In 2013, he took charge of two Italian games at the U21 European Championships. Italy won 4-0 over Israel in the group stages and defeated The Netherlands 1-0 in the semi-final.
In October 2014, he was the referee for Italy's 1-0 win over Malta in the Euro 2016 Qualifiers. Graziano Pelle scored the crucial matchwinner in that taut affair and Hategan sent off Michael Misfud and Italian defender Leonardo Bonucci.
There are more statistics that further point to a tough day at the Euro 2016 office for Ireland:
- As a team, Italy have run an average, combined 9 kilometres further than any other side.
- Ireland are in the bottom eight for all sides in terms of average attempts on goal, shots on target and goals conceded.
- Ireland have attempted the fourth least passes [616], completed 473 and have the fourth worst pass completion rate [77%].
But, in the words of Marco Tardelli, we have 'passion and character'.
1-0 will be enough.
