After the 4-3 win over Japan, it was a step back for the Under 21 national team, who on matchday 2 in Group B of the Tournoi Maurice Revello were defeated 4-0 by Ukraine, a team that will be involved in the Olympics in Paris in July. "We are too far behind at this point of the season in fitness terms," said coach Carmine Nunziata. "Ukraine were going at three times our speed. We struggled to do everything, with and without the ball. We have issues from a physical point of view. It's not about attacking and defending; if the opponents are ahead, it becomes difficult for us to get to the ball late, press or develop our play."

THE GAME. Nunziata made ten changes from the lineup that started the match against Japan. The only player to keep his place was Giovanni Fabbian, who for personal reasons left the camp after the game to return back to Italy. In Aubagne, it was Ukraine that took the lead in the 31st minute with a splendid goal by Khlan who, starting from the left, went on a great solo run that ended with a right-footed shot into the top corner, giving Zacchi no chance. Italy's best opportunity came through Daniele Ghilardi: the Sampdoria defender, who scored in the last Euro 2025 qualifying match (in March, in Ferrara, against Turkey), chested the ball just wide from just a few yards out following his clubmate Sebastiano Esposito's free kick.

Nunziata made three substitutions at half-time, with Zuccon, Tongya and Raimondo coming on for Faticanti, Fabbian and Cerri. Ukraine, however, scored their second in the 53rd minute through Martyniuk, striking into the top corner with his left to give Zacchi no chance. The third for Rotan's team came in the 64th minute, when Sikan received the ball in the center of the area from Khlan and put it past Zacchi again. In the 71st minute, Ukraine's fourth arrived from Voloshyn, who had only been on the pitch for a few seconds, following Yarmoliuk's assist, also a second-half substitute. The Azzurrini have no game on matchday 3 of the Tournoi Maurice Revello, with Panama next up in Aubagne on Monday 10.

UKRAINE 4-0 ITALY (HT 1-0)
UKRAINE (4-3-3): Fesiun; Krupskyi, Saliuk (85' Pavliuk), Batahov, Martykiuk; Shostak (77' Siheiev), Rubchynkskyi, Fedor (70' Yarmoliuk); Veleten (70ì Voloshyn), Sikan (70' Krasnopir), Khlan. Unused subs: Neshcheret, Yermakov, Synchuk, Drambaiev, Mykhailenko, Mykhavko, Braharu, Kucheriavyi. Coach: Rotan

ITALY (4-3-1-2): Zacchi, Zanotti, Ghilardi, Bonfanti, Veroli; Fabbian (46' Tongya), Faticanti (46' Zuccon), Ndour; Volpato (58' Fini); Cerri (46' Raimondo, Esposito (75' Pisilli). Unused subs: Rinaldi, Sassi, Turicchia, Bianco, Dalle Mura, Hasa, Fontanarosa, Bertola, Kouda, Pieragnolo. Coach: Nunziata

REFEREE: Antsino (Namibia). Assistants: Victoire (Mauritius), Chedad (Mauritania). Fourth official: Makalima (South Africa)

Scorers: 31' Khlan, 54' Martyniuk, 64' Sikan, 71' Voloshyn

Bookings: Zanotti (I), Veleten (U), Fini (I), Zuccon (I)

MAURICE REVELLO TOURNAMENT - THE SCHEDULE
Group A: Saudi Arabia, Ivory Coast, France, Mexico, South Korea
Group B: Ukraine, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Panama

GROUP B CALENDAR
Matchday 1 - Tuesday 4 June (Vitrolles)
ITALY 4-3 Japan (press conference to follow)
18:00 CEST Indonesia vs. Ukraine
No game for Panama

Matchday 2 - Thursday 6 June (Aubagne)
15:00 CEST - Ukraine 4-0 ITALY
18:00 CEST Indonesia vs. Panama
No game for Japan

Table (games played in brackets): Ukraine (2) 6, Italy (2) 3, Panama (0), Indonesia (1), Japan (1) 0

Matchday 3 - Saturday 8 June (Fos)
14:00 CEST - Japan vs. Indonesia
17:30 CEST: Ukraine vs. Panama
No game for ITALY

Matchday 4 - Monday 10 June (Aubagne)
14:30 CEST - Ukraine vs. Japan
18:15 CEST - ITALY vs. Panama (press conference to follow)
No game for Indonesia

Matchday 5 - Wednesday 12 June (Salon)
14:30 CEST - Japan vs. Panama
18:15 CEST - ITALY vs. Indonesia (press conference to follow)

Finals

Friday 14 June
14:00 CEST - 9th-10th place (Arles)
18:00 CEST - 7th-8th place (Arles)
17:00 CEST - 5th-6th place (Mallemort)

Sunday 16 June
14:30 CEST - 3rd-4th place (Salon)
18:15 CEST - 1st-2nd place (Salon)