France beat Italy 2-1 in the second match of Group D and, with their win over the Azzurrini, join Switzerland at the top of the standings (2-1 by the Swiss over Norway in the 18:00 CEST match). Pellegri responded to Kalimuendo's goal in the first half, but Barcola sealed the 2-1 win in the second half - doubts over a penalty kick for Italy and a goal not given in the second half despite the ball appearing to have crossed the goal line.

 

In the match at the Cluj Arena, the French side got off to a better start, with Kalimuendo and Gouiri's forays threatening the Azzurri defence from the outset. The first chance for Nicolato's eleven came in the 13th minute: Udogie earned a free-kick in the opponent's half and Tonali took it - the number eight's free-kick was very dangerous, but the ball cut across the area and went past Chevalier's goal. In the 21st minute, the French goalkeeper earned the applause of the public: Scalvini's venomous header from Tonali's corner was prodigiously deflected over the crossbar by the Bleu defender. The reaction of Caqueret and his team-mates was immediate, however, and after just two minutes Kalimuendo opened the scoring: a cross by Kalulu from the right flank and a masterful flick by the Rennes forward, who beat Carnesecchi at the back post. Italy were in trouble and France came close to doubling the lead twice with Gouiri and Thuram, but in the 35' minute the Azzurrini put everything back on a level playing field: Tonali's perfect cross from a free kick and Pellegri's lethal header, which left Chevalier no chance - third goal for the Torino forward with the Under 21 national team and second assist for Tonali in the final stages of an Under 21 European Championship after the one on 22 June 2019 for Chiesa against Belgium. At the end of the first half the two teams went in search of the advantage, but on the one hand Carnesecchi said no to Konè from distance and on the other Udogie did not hit the target at the end of a counter-attack led by Cambiaghi - at half-time the score was 1-1.

 

 

At the start of the second half Gnonto took the Cambiaghi's on the pitch and after a balanced start Italy protested for a hand ball in the French penalty area on the development of a corner kick, but Lindhout let it pass, as well as a slight contact between Rovella and Gouiri in the opposite box a minute later. The balance was broken again in the 62nd minute: France's quick move, Udogie covered the diagonal well and intercepted the ball, but then had it stolen by Barcola who, two yards from goal, sent it past Carnesecchi. 2-1 to Ripoll's team, who 10 minutes later twice came making it three. First with Caqueret's close-range effort, countered by a great save from the Azzurri goalkeeper; then with Gouiri's effort, who sent the ball toward the empty net but found Pirola's timely intervention. A quarter of an hour from the 90th minute Nicolato switched Miretti and Cancellieri for Rovella and Pirola; Ripoll responded shortly afterwards with Wahi and Adli taking over from Kalimuendo and Gouiri. It was still the French who ruled the game and dictated the pace, but in the 82nd minute Chevalier overcame a triple save from the Azzurri's offensive move through Miretti, Ricci and Cancellieri. Italy did not give up and a minute later France went down to 10 men: a deep ball by Cancellieri for Gnonto, Badé was clearly late on the attacker and the referee drew the red card. Tonali conceded the free-kick to Miretti, who, however, kicked it just over the crossbar. In the final minutes Nicolato's team wasted a sensational chance with Cancellieri, who, on one step from the goal, missed the target, but the episode that sparked the controversy came in the second half, when Bellanova's header hit first the post and then Lukeba's body, but he was positioned beyond the goal line. Without the help of Goal Line Technology the Inter full-back's goal was not awarded. At the triple whistle France, first in Group D with Switzerland, celebrated.

 

 

BOXSCORE FRANCE 2-1 ITALY

 

GOALSCORERS: 23’ Kalimuendo (F), 35’ Pellegri (I), 62’ Barcola (F)

 

FRANCE (4-3-3): Chevalier; Kalulu, Badé, Lukeba, Nkounkou; Thuram (64’ Cherki), Caqueret, Kone (84’ Simakan); Barcola (64’ Olise), Kalimuendo (78’ Wahi), Gouiri (79’ Adli). Coach. Sylvain Ripoll.

 

 

ITALY (3-5-2): Carnesecchi; Okoli, Pirola (76’ Cancellieri), Scalvini; Bellanova, Ricci (88’ Colombo), Rovella (75’ Miretti), Tonali, Udogie (88’ Parisi); Pellegri, Cambiaghi (46’ Gnonto). Coach. Paolo Nicolato.

 

REFEREE: Lindhout (NED)

 

ASSISTANTS: Honig, Inia (NED), D’Ettorre (Lanciano), IV: Krogh (DEN)

 

 

BOOKINGS: yellows: Nkounkou (F), Scalvini (I), Adli (F), Gnonto (I) - reds: Badé (F)

 

 

Fictures, results and standings of Group D

 

First matchday (22 June)

Norway 1-2 Switzerland

France 2-1 Italy

 

Standings:

Svizzera 3

Francia 3

Italia 0

Norvegia 0

 

Second matchday (25 June)

18:00 CEST: Switzerland v ITALY (Cluj Arena, Cluj-Napoca)

20.45 CEST: Norway v France (Constantin Radulescu Stadium, Cluj-Napoca)

 

Third matchday (28 June)

20.45 CEST: Switzerland v France (Constantin Radulescu Stadium, Cluj-Napoca)

20.45 CEST: ITALY v Norway (Cluj Arena, Cluj-Napoca)

 

Azzurrini shirt numbers for the Under-21 European Championships

Goalkeepers: 19 Elia Caprile (Bari), 1 Marco Carnesecchi (Cremonese), 22 Stefano Turati (Frosinone)
Defenders: 12 Raoul Bellanova (Inter), 20 Andrea Cambiaso (Bologna), 14 Giorgio Cittadini (Modena), 6 Matteo Lovato (Salernitana), 15 Caleb Okoli (Atalanta), 3 Fabiano Parisi (Empoli), 5 Lorenzo Pirola (Salernitana), 2 Giorgio Scalvini (Atalanta), 13 Destiny Iyenoma Udogie (Udinese);
Midfielders: 16 Edoardo Bove (Roma), 7 Salvatore Esposito (Spezia), 21 Fabio Miretti (Juventus), 4 Samuele Ricci (Torino), 10 Nicolò Rovella (Monza), 8 Sandro Tonali (Milan);
Forwards: 23 Nicolò Cambiaghi (Empoli), 18 Matteo Cancellieri (Lazio), 9 Lorenzo Colombo (Lecce), 17 Wilfried Gnonto (Leeds), 11 Pietro Pellegri (Torino).

 

The schedule

Friday 23 June

9 – Training (open to press)
12.45 – Player press conference (Zoom and in person)
16 – Training (closed)

Saturday 24 June

16.15 – Pre-match press conference with coach Nicolato and a player at the Cluj Arena
17 – Training at the UBB Training Center in Cluj Napoca ( open to press for the first 15')

Sunday 25 June

10 – Training (closed)
18 – Switzerland vs. ITALY (post match press conference)

Monday 26 June

9 – Training (open to press)
12.45 - Player press conference (Zoom and in person)
16 – Training (closed)

Tuesday 27 June

15.45 – Pre-match press conference with coach Nicolato and a player at the Cluj Arena
17.15 – Training at the UBB Training Center in Cluj Napoca ( open to press for the first 15')

Wednesday 28 June

10 – Training (closed)
20.45 – ITALY vs. Norway (post match press conference)