Late heartbreak in the final: Uruguay win World Cup
12 June 2023
Sunday, May 28, 2023
Italy's opponents in the Under-20 World Cup Round of 16 will be England. The Three Lions drew 0-0 with Iraq to top Group E on seven points, which has given them a matchup with the runners-up from Group D, who won their final group game 3-0 against Dominican Republic. It's a position earned on goal difference for the Azzurrini, as three teams – Brazil, Nigeria and Italy – all ended on the same points (six). By beating Nigeria 2-0, Brazil finished top with a +7 goal difference, while Italy had +2; the Africans, with their defeat, went down to +1, but qualified nonetheless as one the best third-placed teams in the competition.
Tomorrow (29 May), the entire Azzurri team will have to pack their bags and take a flight to Buenos Aires, where they will have a day to acclimatise (the English are already there) before the game on Wednesday 31 May in La Plata at 18:00 local time. “It will be a chance to get some payback," – a smiling Carmine Nunziata said, "given that it's practically the same squad we have here. Last year, we were beaten 2-1 in the semi-finals of the European Under 19s in Slovakia by them. It's going to be a great game."
The game will be shown live on Rai, starting from 22.50 CEST.
Group D fixtures and table
Sunday 21 May
Nigeria 2-1 Dominican Republic
ITALY 3-2 Brazil
Wednesday 24 May
ITALY 0-2 Nigeria
Brazil 6-0 Dominican Republic
Saturday 27 May
Brazil 2-0 Nigeria
Dominican Republic 0-3 ITALY
Tables: Brazil (g.d. +7), ITALY (g.d. +2), Nigeria (g.d. +1) 6 points, Dominican Republic 0 points
Qualified: Brazil, Italy, Nigeria (one of best third-placed teams)
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Squad
Goalkeepers: Sebastiano Desplanches (Trento); Jacopo Sassi (Giugliano Calcio), Gioele Zacchi (Sassuolo);
Defenders: Filippo Fiumanò (Aquila Montevarchi); Alessandro Fontanarosa (Inter), Daniele Ghilardi (Mantova), Samuel Giovane (Ascoli), Gabriele Guarino (Empoli), Riccardo Turicchia (Juventus), Mattia Zanotti (Inter);
Midfielders: Tommaso Baldanzi (Empoli), Cesare Casadei (Reading F.C.), Duccio Degli Innocenti (Empoli), Giacomo Faticanti (Roma), Luca Lipani (Genoa), Niccolò Pisilli (Roma), Matteo Prati (SPAL);
Attackers: Giuseppe Ambrosino Di Bruttopilo (Cittadella), Francesco Pio Esposito (Inter), Daniele Montevago (Sampdoria), Simone Pafundi (Udinese).
Staff - Head of Delegation, Marcello Nicchi; Manager: Gianfranco Serioli ; Assistant Head Coach, Emanuele Filippini; Fitness Coach, Vito Azzone; Goalkeeping Coach, Fabrizio Ferron; Match Analyst, Marco Mannucci; Observer, Claudio Coppi; Doctors, Carmelo Papotto and Lorenzo Ticca; Physiotherapist, Giuseppe Galli and Tommaso Cannata; Nutritionist, Alessio Colli; Secretary, Aldo Blessich; Press Officer, Giuseppe Ingrati; Administration, Francesco Casella; Club Italia, Matteo Galdelli; Logistics, Carlo Fanano.
Groups and Cities
Group A: Argentina, Uzbekistan, Guatemala, New Zealand (Santiago del Estero);
Group B: USA, Ecuador, Fiji, Slovakia (San Juan);
Group C: Senegal, Japan, Israel, Colombia (La Plata);
Group D: ITALY, Brazil, Nigeria, Dominican Republic (Mendoza);
Group E: Uruguay, Iraq, England, Tunisia (La Plata);
Group F: France, South Korea, Gambia, Honduras (Mendoza).
History
(number of Under-20 World Cups won)
Argentina (six), Brazil (five), Portugal (two), Serbia (two), Ghana (one) Spain (one), Russia (one), Germany (one), England (one), France (one), Ukraine (one, current champions).