The ball arrived at Demien's feet cleanly and he took one touch to control, but the moment he received it the Italian section erupted again with louder jeers and whistles that echoed across the stadium, and immediately he felt pressure arriving from his right as Italy's midfielder closed him down quicker than he'd anticipated, and for a split second Demien hesitated, trying to assess his options while the defender's angle was tighter than he'd judged and the hostile noise pressed against his concentration.
He attempted to turn away from the pressure but took too long to release the ball, and Italy's midfielder read the moment perfectly and stepped across to nick it away before Demien could complete his turn, and the small theft drew a brief groan from the England supporters while the Italian fans cheered the dispossession with vindictive satisfaction.
