Italy are through to the last 16 of the European Championship finals after Eder struck late on to beat Sweden.
The game looked to be heading towards a dull goalless draw before Eder raced onto Zaza’s knockdown to drive home from the edge of the box.
Sweden failed to produce a shot on goal for the second successive game, with captain and star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic kept quiet throughout.
Italy are top of Group E with six points while Sweden are third on one.
Prior to the tournament, Italy boss Antonio Conte had played down his side’s chances of success in France, citing an ageing squad and a lack of upcoming talent as reasons for fans to temper their expectations.
In their opening group game at Euro 2016, they caught the eye as they outfoxed one of the tournament favourites in Belgium with patient and well-organised football.
They found joy in that game by getting between Belgium’s lines, quickly turning defence into attack against a side that – while packed with individual talent – looked disjointed.
Italy, though, had no such luck against a conservative Sweden side, who were content to sit deep.
Eder’s place in the team had been questioned after a record of just two international goals prior to this game, but coach Antonio Conte kept faith with the forward and was rewarded with the winner.
Eder (17) had played for 88 minutes but found the energy to cover plenty of distance and pick up Zaza’s knock down before racing to the edge of the box and scoring.
For 88 minutes, the tactic worked but this Italy side is built upon a foundation of being defensively solid and clinical in attack.
That latter quality was illustrated when Brazilian-born striker Eder scored in the closing stages with only Italy’s second shot on target, driving brilliantly into the left corner of Andreas Isaksson’s net.
Ibrahimovic is well versed in the defensive style of football Italy is famed for, having spent seven seasons in Serie A playing for Juventus, Milan and Inter.
But prior to Friday’s game, Ibrahimovic had faced the Azzurri just once before – at Euro 2004.
He scored with an outrageous flick late in that game, denying Italy a victory that ultimately cost them a place in the knockout stages.
It would have taken another piece of individual brilliance for him to score against Italy again, as Sweden’s lack of creativity offered him little to work with, a scenario that often saw him dropping deep in order to build an attack.
The former Paris St-Germain forward did balloon a shot over from three yards out but his blushes were spared by the offside flag.
A second game without a goal for Ibrahimovic means his wait to become the first player to score in four European Championships goes on.
If the Swedes don’t show significant improvement in attack in their final group game against Belgium, it is a feat he may never achieve.
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