Italy plays, wastes, does not score, and remains first in the Nations League group after the 0-0 at England. Roberto Mancini’s work to reconstruct the Azzurri continues with profit – but without a goal. A major debut for Gatti in defense, the verve of Frattesi, the presence of Scamacca, the tactical sense of Pessina: many positive signs, to compose the puzzle of a more confident Italy in the game of the Southgate national team, which unlike the Azzurri will go to the World Cup. However, the ability to close the circle is still lacking, that is to put the ball into the goal, and for tonight it is not only on the attacker’s shoulders that the weight of the problem falls, also recognized by the coach at the end of the match. Now remains, before the holidays, the last match in Munich against Germany. Mancini gets there without Tonali – the only blue in the new course below expectations – who will be disqualified. For what it’s worth, it will be necessary to maintain the primacy of the group, if not to consolidate it. England-Italy presented itself as an alleged revenge of the Wembley final, but the only legacy is the stadium without an audience due to the Uefa disqualification following the chaos of that match. The context is completely different, the teams change in search of new names. Judging from the start, the show does not lose any: only the goal is missing. Mancini, in the continuous turnover that began after the London knockout with England to refound the blue, chooses another absolute rookie, Federico Gatti in the center of the defense with Acerbi, and gives confidence in the midfield to Frattesi from the first minute, after the miniscampolo match in Bologna. In attack, it’s time for Scamacca, accompanied by Pessina and Pellegrini. The eyes are on Tonali. On the other hand, Southgate pays homage to Serie A by choosing, in the 4-2-1-3, Tomori in defense and Abraham as center-forward.
All on their knees, as it was a year ago in the European final, for black lives matter, then off to the Nations League challenge. England starts in pressing, Italy speeds up the dribble vertically and what they gain in depth loses in decision. After less than 2 ‘the good opportunity occurs on Frattesi’s right: the young player from Sassuolo closes the triangle wide on the opposite pole with Pellegrini who frees him in the area. The good ball for Abraham, reassembled by Locatelli, comes from an error by Donnarumma on a backward pass and is only 4 ‘. The game is open, Mount finds a position between the lines that puts the Azzurri in difficulty and at 8 ‘closes the triangulation with Sterling on the crossbar – with a deviation from Donnarumma. Sterling himself tries to dribble in the 16 ‘, deflected for a corner by Di Marco, Rice’s turn is a little high on the corner. The minutes pass and Italy gains in dribbling accuracy; while Sterling’s races on the right and Grealish on the left only lead to a cross, the blue maneuver takes shape. At 24 ‘, everything starts from Di Lorenzo freed in the area from the right, on the rebound Tonali shoots with the door wide open but is blocked. Scamacca makes the center goal more than the center forward, but in the blue firework at the end of the first half (Pessina deflected for a corner by Ramsdale in the 44th minute) there is a good ball on his right too, but the shot is high.
Upon returning, the teams remain unchanged, and so does the script. A few minutes pass and again Pessina, on a completely vertical action, has the ball right on the right from the edge but the flying serve is still high. The English cross, even if monotonous, causes a thrill to the Azzurri in the 6 ‘: Gatti, precise on Abraham, loses Sterling who vanishes high, luck for Donnarumma. The attacker City engages in a personal duel with the goalkeeper, who blocks his low shot from inside the box at 8 ‘. But when it comes to maneuvering, you have to look to the other door. At 12 ‘Pessina, after having wasted a counterattack, di Lorenzo fishes well on the far post but the opportunity vanishes for the goalkeeper’s exit. At 20 ‘comes the time of Esposito and Gnonto for Pellegrini and Locatelli, and on the other side for Kane in place of Abraham. Gnonto immediately tries the shot, wide. When there is a quarter of an hour left, Mancini gets angry about the ball stolen in midfield by Pessina, and poorly developed on the counterattack on Scamacca in the center of the area. It is the last situation for the striker, replaced by another Sassuolo, Raspadori. With teams stretched and tired, Kane creates the first opportunity with 10 ‘from the end, but he pulls high.
The closure is emblematic of the blue evening: in full recovery Gnonto flies, dribbles and counter-shoots, then fishes Frattesi in the area anticipated by Maguire’s physique. He wanted to win, the new Italy, and he came close. But missing the only thing that really matters, the goal.
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