You shall not pass.

There was an adroitness and brusqueness to Italy’s three-man rearguard of Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci and Andrea Barzaglia, and goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon when faced – not with a listless Romelu Lukaku as was the case in the match against Belgium – but Swedish uber-athlete Zlatan Ibrahimovic. They shoved and pushed, tousled and hustled, tackled and challenged, all just to prevent Ibrahimovic from applying his majestic skills.

In the sunshine of Toulouse, rival captains Buffon and Ibrahimovic hugged. Buffon had just delivered a heartfelt – almost at combustion level – rendition of Fratelli d’Italia, that most melodic of national anthems. That was where the pleasantries ended.

After two minutes, Ibrahimovic and Chiellini duelled inside the Italian box to reach Kim Kallstrom’s pinpoint cross. Ibrahimovic, in behind the Italian defender, desperately lunged for the ball, resting his elbow on Chiellini, who imperiously fended off the Swede’s mass and muscle.

Hungarian referee Kasai blew for a foul, but, in football, few sights are more enthusing and poetic than Chiellini and Ibrahimovic entangled. In his book I am Zlatan, the Swede writes of a game in which he "took hold of [Chiellini’s] head and dragged him like a disobedient dog".

Intimate reunion

Yet, for all the competitiveness and tournament tension, the Squadra Azurra’s defensive fixation on the Swedish striker was, at the same time, a bit of an intimate reunion: old friends, or foes, rekindling their fractious, often fraught, relationship in the knowledge that whoever prevailed would do so in a spirit of sportsmanship.

Indeed, Italy and Ibrahimovic are well-acquainted. Back in 2004, Ibrahimovic, desperate for a move to Serie A – he cried out when his agent Mino Raiola told him of English club Sunderland’s interest – impressed against Italy. He battered the opposing defence and, then, in the last minutes of the game, struck with a Zlatanic goal – so audacious in its execution that only he could have scored it.

His stunning back heel of great athletic prowess looped up and over Buffon and flew in between a jumping Christian Vieri and the bar and into the net. Italy would exit the tournament as a result of Ibrahimovic’s goal.

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Singular focus

At Sweden, Ibrahimovic is the singular focus. He won’t be at his next club, presumably Manchester United. Thus, this tournament, with Sweden’s limited squad not expected to qualify for the 2018 Russia World Cup, is his grand farewell – one last time for Ibrahimovic, in yellow and blue, to shine with much finesse up front, and plenty of braggadocio off the field. He is after all a legend, according to his own words.

But on Friday, Ibrahimovic was playing 11 Italians. Tactical alchemist Antonio Conte believes in the power of the collective. A team must be the sum of its parts, something Belgium never were in Italy’s opening game, notwithstanding the conveyor-belt of talent in their squad. Italy’s application was regal, but they did give away a gilt-edged chance to Lukaku and two free heading opportunities inside their own box.

Conte drills his team to be serene on the ball. Italy displayed calmness in possession against Sweden, but with Cavendra and Darmian hugging the touchlines to provide more width, the Squadra seemed devoid of creativity in the midfield. Sweden’s shape stifled any forward intent Italy had. Erik Hamren’s game plan in the final third was simple: give the ball to Ibrahimovic.

Fading away

Over 90 minutes, the towering striker was remarkably subdued. He committed two faults in the Italian area inside the first 15 minutes. Then, he set up a Swedish attack, but little came off it. Ibrahimovic played with much zeal, but little imagination, like the entire Sweden team. On 27 minutes, the ball fell to him again. He swivelled, but Chiellini, immediately on hand, cleared the ball into a corner kick.

Italy were pleased with the game’s progression. As the game turned into a dour stalemate, unlike the pleasant goalless draw between neighbours Germany and Poland in Group C, Ibrahimovic faded, isolated up front and not in a position to influence the game by dropping deep.

There was little magic from Sweden’s captain. Against Ireland, he had shown flashes of his genius, notably his astute curling cross across the goal mouth, leaving Irish defender Ciaran Clark in no-man’s-land and forcing him to head the ball into his own net.

Against Italy, Zlatan underwhelmed. In the waning moments of the match, Eder buried the ball to win the game for Italy after a magnificent lateral run through the heart of the Swedish defence. Sweden’s hopes for progress now rest on their final group game against Belgium. Once more, it will be Ibrahimovic versus 11 other players. This time, he will need his golden touch.