Suslov’s Struggles Highlight Slovakia’s Underwhelming U21 Euros Endeavour on Home Ground

No tournament wishes to see their hosts eliminated prematurely, yet that was the fate that befell Slovakia on Saturday night, as they were ousted from the Under-21 European Championships by Italy, suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat in their second group match.

Italy’s match-winner came from Cesare Casadei, who netted the only goal in the seventh minute, delicately chipping the ball over the goalkeeper following a messy build-up.

With 83 minutes remaining, Slovakia had ample opportunity to equalise and keep their hopes alive, but they failed to find the goal, meaning both they and Romania were knocked out of Group A. This left the traditional powerhouses, Spain and Italy, to progress to the next stage.

Above the section of the stand that housed Slovakia’s most fervent supporters, a banner proclaimed, ‘Na Tatrou sa blyska, hromy divo biji’.

In English, this translates to: Lightning flashes over the Tatras, thunder drums fiercely.

The rhythmic drumming was abundant beneath the banner, energising the passionate crowd, yet there were few moments of brilliance beneath the gloomy skies in Trnava during a match in desperate need of a significant result.

Perhaps it was fitting that Slovakia’s standout performer was their Italian-based player, Tomas Suslov.

Having spent the last two years in Italy, playing for Verona in Serie A, the season was one to forget for the native of Presov, who managed just one assist and no goals in league play—a stark contradiction to his evident creativity on display on Saturday night.

Operating predominantly on the right flank, the 23-year-old found pockets of space during the first half, notably dribbling past two defenders before being taken down. In a match where Slovakia struggled to find their rhythm and create opportunities, Suslov was a shining light, with the Italian defence resorting to fouling him on multiple occasions.

Italy’s defence, though solid, showed moments of uncertainty. A few misplaced passes caused some concern, but Slovakia, as has been the trend in Trnava, failed to capitalise.

In the latter stages, Italy effectively closed down the game. Suslov executed another brilliant dribble, but his final pass lacked the requisite quality. Nevertheless, the Italians, with two wins from two matches, appeared unfazed and comfortably retained their clean sheet.

As Slovakia exits the tournament, they may feel aggrieved to have departed their own event so early. They put forth a spirited effort against Spain and outperformed Italy in expected goals, showcasing their potential. However, their inability to finish, as emphasised during their clash with the Azzurri, proved to be their undoing.

Suslov and his teammates were met with rapturous applause after the final whistle, and the banner will return, alongside Slovakia in future tournaments.