Wales caretaker boss Rob Page bemoaned Ethan Ampadu’s ‘unbelievable’ red card after his side’s 1-0 defeat to Italy and felt it was a ‘harsh’ call to send the youngster off.
Italy midfielder Matteo Pessina scored the only goal of the game in Sunday’s clash in Rome but Wales progressed through to the knockout stage as runners-up in Group A with a superior goal difference to Switzerland.
Aaron Ramsey and Gareth Bale wasted big chances to equalise either side of Ampadu’s dismissal in the 55th minute and Roberto Mancini’s dominant Italy team held firm to qualify as group leaders with a 100 per record at the tournament.
Referee Ovidiu Hategan wasted little time in pulling out his red card following Ampadu’s challenge on Federico Bernardeschi and the Chelsea defender looked stunned at the decision as he made his way off the pitch at the Stadio Olimpico.
And while replays showed Ampadu came down with force on his opponent’s ankle, his manager suggested he should have stayed on the field while speaking to BBC Sport shortly after the final whistle.
‘It didn’t quite go to plan the press in the first half,’ Page said.
‘We addressed it at half-time and we managed to get Ethan Ampadu as the centre of the diamond and get him on the ball a little bit more at the start of the second half.
‘The sending-off changed the course of the game. I haven’t seen it again yet.
‘I thought it was harsh to get a booking but to see the red card come out was unbelievable.
‘Then of course it’s an even bigger hill to climb.’
Wales captain Bale felt Ampadu was ‘unfortunate’ to be given his marching orders.
‘I actually didn’t see him take too much of the player but I didn’t really see too much,’ he told ITV Sport.
‘Obviously I’m going to argue to try and defend Ethan but it was unfortunate.
‘We had to dig deep and obviously we knew we were losing so we had to make such we didn’t concede as we knew that five-goal swing was there.’
Ramsey said he ‘felt sorry’ for Ampadu but was glad the side held firm to go through to the last 16 as runners-up behind Italy.
‘We dug in for Ethan. I feel sorry for him but we have each other’s backs out there and we finished off the job,’ the Juventus midfielder said.
‘I think it was a bit harsh maybe. I know he certainly caught him but it’s one of those decisions that can go either way.
‘For us then it was just important to try and stay compact and to create a couple of opportunities.
‘We could have nicked a draw on another day but it wasn’t to be. We’re still delighted we go through in second.’
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