Italy take off like a rocket. The Under 17 National Team get the better of their peers from Israel 3-0 in the opening match of the Four Nations Tournament currently being played in Duisburg (GER). Alessandro Bolzan, the Roma forward, after having scored his last goal in the first friendly against Switzerland on 11 August, repeated the feat by scoring a hat-trick between the first and second half.

Italy lined up in a 4-3-1-2 formation and in the early parts of the game they showed the best of themselves, thanks to a good flowing performance, the result of a disciplined tactical set-up, which gave little space to the Swiss. On 17 minutes Alessandro Bolzan opened the scoring: He himself won the penalty after some insistent action in the opponent's box that culminated with him being fouled. From twelve yards, the Roma striker left the goalkeeper no chance and gave the Azzurri the advantage. The second goal came in the 26th minute, set up by Aaron Ciammaglichella, the Torino midfielder, who sent in a low cross in the centre of the Swiss area to find Bolzan who slotted it away with his right foot.

The teams went into the dressing rooms with the score at 2-0, and Bolzan returned still hungry: After just another 15 minutes of play (60'), set up by Bruno Kevin, he delivered the third and definitive blow that closed the game. The Azzurrini arrived at the end of the match with five alternating substitutions, controlling the game without conceding any major chances.

Massimiliano Favo, in the dugout today due to the unavailability of Bernardo Corradi, was left satisfied with the performance. Corradi's assistant and coach of the Under 15 national team said at the end of the game: “I’m very satisfied because we have seen the results of the work done in previous meetings. It’s a new group with good technical and tactical skills. In the next two games with Germany and Belgium, we’ll have the chance to evaluate the status and value of these guys with two very convincing tests, given the value of the opponents. An important experience given how close it is to the first phase of qualifying in Northern Ireland on 27 October”.

In the other match between Germany and Belgium, the Germans dominated the game, winning by five (5-0).

Four Nations Tournament Results

Italy 3-0 Israel

Germany 5-0 Belgium

Standings. Germany and Italy 3 points, Israel and Belgium 0

Squad List

Goalkeepers: Alessandro Calligaris (Inter), Paolo Raimondi (Inter);

Defenders: Mike Aidoo (Inter), Luigi  D’Avino (Napoli), Fabio Chiarodia (Werder Bremen), Mattia  Malaspina (AC Milan), Filippo Calixte  Mane (Sampdoria), Alessio Piantedosi (AC Milan), Alessandro Milani (Lazio), Nicolò Serra (Torino);

Midfielders: Luca  Di Maggio (Inter), Luca  Lipani (Genoa), Vincenzo Onofrietti (Borussia Dortmund), Tommaso  Ricordi (Inter), Aaron Ciammaglichella (Torino), Paolo De Angelis (Roma);

Forwards: Simone Pafundi (Udinese), Kevin Bruno (Sassuolo), Alessandro Bolzan (Roma), Valentin Carboni (Inter), Enoch Owusu (Inter), Giacomo Marconi (Parma).