At the Tallaght Stadium in Dublin, Carmine Nunziata's side pulled off another feat at the European Championship to come from behind and beat France 2-1 to book a place in the final which kicks off at 17:30 on Sunday. The Netherlands will be the opponents after they previously beat the Azzurrini on penalties a year.

Italy have been marching triumphantly in the competition with ten consecutive wins starting from qualifying. The Azzurrini reached the semi-final by beating Portugal to also qualify for the next World Cup in Brazil next October. 

Les Bleus made it so far after drawing their opener 1-1 with England before wins over Sweden (4-2) and the Netherlands (2-0). A massive 6-1 quarter-final win over the Czech Republic followed as Aouchiche moved up to be the tournament's top scorer on nine. 

Nunziata stuck with ten of the players who beat Portugal. Bonfanti wasn't there and Tongya took his place behind Esposito and Cudrig. Udogie moved up into a midfield three alongside Brentan and the captain Panada. The defence in front of Molla consisted of a back four with Moretti, Dalle Mura, Pirola and Lamanna.

France were dangerous from the start with a free kick from a dangerous position hitting the wall. The Azzurrini's first real attack came through Tongya who couldn't find a teammate in the 12th minute inside the box. The match was tight and hard-fought in midfield. Traorè went off injured for France in the 17th minute and Wa Saka replaced him. Italy struggled to create real chances while Pembelè having a couple of shots, Molla did well to save the first before he missed the target in the 32nd minute. 

The Azzurrini struggled to deal with the press and went down a goal in the 41st minute. Millot got to a Mbuku cross, the ball took a strange flight and caught out Molla to fire France ahead. 

Just as Italy were struggling, Sebastiano Esposito came up with a piece of magic from a free kick that left Zinga with no chance and it was a vital equaliser for the team. 

The goal gave Nunziata's side more confidence after the break while the pace from Wa Saka and Rutter meant that France always had to be respected. In the 70th minute, Rutter played an inviting ball for Mbuku after some great individual play and the Azzurrini somehow cleared for a corner. 

Both coaches made important double changes on 70 minutes. Nunziata brought Giovane and Sekulov on for Brentan and Cudrig. Giuntini brought Zidane on for Aouchiche and Lihadji on for Mbuku. The game then came to life. Italy had a penalty claim in the 77th minute for Altikulac's challenge on Sekulov but the referee wasn't interested. Italy scored the winner nine minutes from time. The substitute Giovane set up the oncoming Udogie who finished from the top of the box. Italy withstood France's late desperate attacks to set up a second consecutive final appearance at the Under-17 European Championship. The Dutch will once again be the opponents after Nunziata's side lost on penalties last year. 

 

FRANCE 1-2 ITALY 

Goals: 41’ Millot, 46’ Esposito, 81’ Udogie

FRANCE (4-3-3) : Zinga; Pembélé, Kouassi, Altikulac (84’ Soppy), Matsima; Millot, Aouchiche (71’ Zidane), Agoume (C); Mbuku (71’ Lihadji), Rutter, Traoré (17' Wa Saka) (84’ Bakwa).
Substitutes: Nazih (GK), Ntenda, Youte Kinkoue, Lepenant.
Coach: Giuntini.

ITALY (4-3-1-2) : Molla; Moretti, Dalle Mura, Pirola, Lamanna; Brentan (68’ Giovane), Panada (C), Udogie; Tongya; Esposito, Cudrig (68’ Sekulov).
Substitutes: Gasparini (GK), Colombo, Squizzato, Riccio, Bonfanti, Arlotti.
Coach: Nunziata.

Referee: Mykola Balakin (UCR), Assistants: Gylfi Mar Sigurdsson (ISL), Jan Hermansen (FRO). Fourth official: Rade Obrenovic (SLO).

Bookings: 62’ Panada

 

Squad

Goalkeepers: Manuel Gasparini (Udinese), Marco Molla (Bologna);

Defenders: Christian Dalle Mura (Fiorentina), Francesco Lamanna (Juventus), Lorenzo Moretti (Inter), Lorenzo Pirola (Inter), Alessandro Pio Riccio (Juventus), Matteo Ruggeri (Atalanta), Iyenoma Destiny Udogie (Hellas Verona);

Midfielders: Alessandro Arlotti (Monaco), Michael Brentan (Juventus), Samuel Giovane (Atalanta), Simone Panada (Atalanta), Niccolò Squizzato (Inter), Franco Heubang Tongya (Juventus), Nikola Sekulov (Juventus);

Forwards: Nicholas Bonfanti (Inter), Lorenzo Colombo (Milan), Nicolò Cudrig (Brugge KSV), Sebastiano Esposito (Inter).

Staff – Delegation Head: Gianfranco Serioli; National Youth Coordinator: Maurizio Viscidi; Coach: Carmine Nunziata; Assistant Coach: Emanuele Filippini; Secretary: Massimo Petracchini; Fitness Coach: Marco Montini; Goalkeeping Coach: Fabrizio Ferron; Match Analyst: Simone Contran; Doctors: Carmelo Papotto and Piergiorgio Drogo; Physiotherapist: Giuliano Gepponi; Nutritionist: Maria Luisa Cravana.