Elite League: Azzurrini Foiled in Frosinone! The Azzurrini suffered a late setback as England claimed a 2-1 victory.

In front of around 1,000 spectators, Italy took the lead in the first half with a goal from Ebone. However, they succumbed to a second-half comeback from England, with Gyabi and Dean turning the match around for a 2-1 victory.

Thursday, October 10, 2024

Elite League: Azzurrini Foiled in Frosinone! The Azzurrini suffered a late setback as England claimed a 2-1 victory.

A second defeat in the Elite League for the Under-20 National Team, who lost 2-1 against England at the Benito Stirpe on Matchday 3. In front of approximately 1,000 spectators who gathered in Frosinone to watch the match, the Azzurrini took the lead in the 39th minute with Bologna forward, Tommaso Ebone, before succumbing to the English comeback in the second half, thanks to Darko Boateng Gyabi, a midfielder from Plymouth Argyle, and Max Dean, a forward from Gent, who found the net in the 58th minute and the 92nd minutes, respectively.

"In the first half, we played a good match", stated coach Bernardo Corradi, "because we built up well from the back, and they hardly managed to press us. We were very disciplined in our positioning and made few mistakes. In the second half, although we struggled, partly due to having a younger squad compared to theirs, we played well. We made one error, and we were punished for it, but that happens, and we will analyse it"

MATCH REPORT. Italy lined up in the classic 4-3-1-2 formation, with Anghelé supporting the striking duo of Ebone and Pafundi. England countered with a 4-3-3 formation, featuring Lankshear as the sole striker, flanked by Esse on the right and Earthy on the left.

Following a fairly even start, the Azzurrini created the first opportunity of the match but Ebone, receiving a low cross from Bakoune near the penalty spot, sent his shot soaring over the bar with his right foot. Minutes later, around the 15-minute mark, England responded with Lankshear who gathered a cross from Esse on the right but sent his left-footed attempt high over the bar. Corradi's side looked more organised on the pitch and after Di Maggio's effort from 25 yards, they took the lead with a well-deserved goal. Pafundi delivered a perfectly weighted left-footed cross for Ebone who made a run into the centre of the box and headed the ball past the English goalkeeper Simkin into the bottom corner in the 39th minute. Just before half-time, in added time, the Esse-Lankshear combination re-emerged but the running header from the number 9 was comfortably saved by a vigilant Torriani.

La Nazionale Under 20 al " Benito Stirpe"

In the second half, England equalised almost immediately. Gyabi took aim from 25 yards and launched a curling shot that beat the Azzurri’s goalkeeper into the bottom corner in the 58th minute. Just a few minutes later, in the 62nd minute, Italy came very close to scoring to make it 2-1. However, Zeroli's close-range effort, following a cross from the left by Konate, was miraculously cleared off the line by an English defender after he had already beaten Simkin.

As the match neared its end, both sides had a shot from distance, with Pafundi’s left-footed attempt and Earthy’s right-footed strike failing to produce any results. The Azzurrini nearly regained the lead again, this time with Comuzzo from a corner on the right taken by Cichella. However, in the 92nd minute, the English side took the lead. Ballard capitalised on a clearance error by Kofler and, from the left side of the opposition’s penalty area, delivered a precise low pass to Dean, who struck from the penalty spot, beating Torriani with his right foot. This goal secured three points and the top of the table for Nevin's team.

Italy return to action for Matchday 4 of the Elite League on Monday, 14 October at 17:00 local time (18:00 CEST) against Portugal at the Estádio Cidade de Coimbra, with live coverage on Vivo Azzurro TV.

LA LISTA GARA

Italy 1-2 England
Goalscorers: 39' Ebone (It), 58' Gyabi (En), 90'+2 Dean (En).

ITALY (4-3-1-2) : Torriani; Bakoune, Comuzzo, Chiarodia, Bartesaghi (82' Idrissi); Zeroli (69' Berenbruch), Harder (69' Cichella), Di Maggio © (82' Manzoni); Anghelé (69' Kofler); Ebone (52' Konate), Pafundi (69' Vavassori). Unused Subs: Magro (Gk), Corradi C., Menegazzo.
Coach: Bernardo Corradi.

ENGLAND (4-3-3) : Simkin ©; Fisher (80' Acheampong), Phillips (64' Alleyne), Casey (80' Hills), Chrisene (80' Campbell); Nelson, Gyabi, Collyer; Esse (69' Ballard), Lankshear (64' Dean), Earthy (69' Gordon).
Unused Subs: Merrick (Gk), Cisse (Gk).
Coach: Paul Richard Nevin.

Referee: Alberto Ruben Arena (ITA)
Assistants 1: Vittorio Di Gioia (ITA), Mattia Pascarella (ITA)
Fourth official: Valerio Crezzini (ITA)

NB: Bookings: 35' Gyabi (In), 90'+1 Chiarodia (It), 90'+4 Gordon (En)