Cesare Casadei was the match winner for the Italians, scoring in the seventh minute with a deft touch over the goalkeeper following on from scrappy build-up.
With 83 minutes left on the clock, Slovakia had plenty of time to find a leveller to keep their campaign alive, but that never came as they and Romania were both eliminated in Group A, leaving the traditional big boys, Spain and the aforementioned Italy, to advance.
Above the stand containing Slovakia’s loudest support, a banner read ‘Na Tatrou sa blyska, hromy divo biji’.
Translated into English, it reads: Lightning flashes over the Tatras, thunder drums wildly.
The drums were in heavy supply underneath the banner, ratcheting up the partisan crowd, but flashes of light were hard to come by under the dark skies in Trnava in a game where a result was needed.
Perhaps, then, it was fitting that Slovakia’s Italian - Tomas Suslov - was their brightest spark throughout the contest.
He has been in Italy for the last two years, plying his trade for Verona in Serie A. It was a season to forget for the Presov native, one assist and no goals in the league from a player so creative, betrays a raw talent that was on show on Saturday night.
Playing on the right of the home side for much of the game, the 23-year-old found space in the pockets during the first half, dribbling past two in the first half before being fouled. In a game, where Slovakia struggled for rhythm and chances, Suslov was able to create some - his threat shown by the Italian defence taking him down half a dozen times.
Italy’s defence, stout throughout, had its wobbles. Misplaced passes created some panic at the back, but Slovakia, as was the custom in Trnava, were unable to punish them.
Ultimately, Italy were happy to shut up shop late on. Suslov produced another sublime dribble, but his final ball lacked the same level of quality. But, the Italians, now two wins from two, never really looked like being broken down as they held onto the clean sheet.
Now out of the competition, Slovakia can feel hard done by to be leaving their own party so soon. In the game until the final minutes against Spain, outperforming Italy on xG, they showed promise, but that lack of cutting edge, highlighted more so against the Azzurri, was their undoing.
Suslov and co. were given a rapturous applause after the final whistle, the banner will be back, and so will Slovakia.
Check out the full match report from the game with Flashscore.