The Under 17 National team drew 2-2 against Switzerland on Matchday 2 in the Citta Di Trieste International Tournament, a result which leaves a bitter taste. The Azzurini went 1-0 down after a goal Saint-Gilloise striker, Nevio Scherrer, in the 33rd minute, but managed to turn it around thanks to goals from Milanista Cristian Comotto in the 75th minute, a penalty won by Thomas Campaniello, and by the Borussia Dortmund talent, Samuele Inácio, in the 80th minute, before conceding in the 93rd minute to a goal from midfielder Leonit Ibraimov, who also plays for Saint-Gilloise.

“We needed to test all of the players at our disposal in the qualifying matches”, Head Coach Massimiliano Favo pointed out. “We could’ve played better in the first half, we lacked a bit of personality in parts, but I can’t fault the effort from the team. However, in the second half we played better. These tournaments help us to see who we can count on, and there are a lot of players who we can rely on.”

MATCH REPORT. Italy lined up with a 4-3-1-2 formation, making ten changes from the team that played three days earlier, Cristian Comotto retained his place taking on the playmaker role. Switzerland lined up with a 4-2-2-2, with only four players keeping their place after their 6-1 loss against Spain in Monfalcone (Zufferey, Morisoli, Sekulic and Scherrer).

After an initial phase of observation, the Azzurrini were the first to get a shot on goal, but the attempt from Acatullo resulted in a corner after it deflected off of a Swiss defender in the first ten minutes. A few minutes passed and Damiano’s strike from 20 metres out flew over the bar, the Azzurri number 14 had another attempt but this time it deflected off a Swiss defender leading to a corner. Right when it seemed that Favo’s squad were in complete control of the game, Switzerland went 1-0 up: Mambwa’s ball from the left was controlled by Scherrer between two Azzurri defenders before he slotted it past Farronato in the 33rd minute. Before the break, Italy tried to get themselves level, but a low shot from a Busiello free kick was saved by Pizarro.

In the second half, the Azzurrini were back on the pitch with a different attitude. After Busiello’s right-footed shot almost secured the equaliser, the crossbar came to Pizarro’s rescue saving the Swiss from a right-footed attempt from 25 metres out by Comotto. The Azzurrini could sense the equaliser and it came right on the 75th minute mark, thanks to the Number 8 who put away a penalty won by Campaniello a few moments before. Favo’s team continued to push for a second, with a spring in their step after the equaliser, getting a corner after a solid strike from Comotto from 20 metres out. The Azzurrini took the lead in the 80th minute from a goal by Inácio, who brilliantly capitalised on a mistake by the opposing defence, slotting it past the Swiss number 12. The sucker punch for Italy came right in the 93rd minute after a corner from the right which was delivered by Fetaj found itself at Ibraimov’s feet who scored, gifting Switzerland with their first point of the tournament.

The Azzurrini will be back in action at the Nereo Rocco on Monday 9 September (at 20:00 CEST, live on Vivo Azzurro TV), against Spain, who beat Portugal 1-0 in the afternoon, thanks to a goal from Real Madrid forward, Adrián Pérez, in the 48th minute.

Italy 2-2 Switzerland
Goalscorers: 33' Scherrer (S), 75' pen. Comotto (I), 85' Inácio (I), 90'+3 Ibraimov (S).

ITALY (4-3-1-2) : Farronato; Cretì (61' Insignito), Lissi (77' Bovio), Isoa (46' Iddrisa), Carlaccini (46' Marello); Acatullo (61' Steffanoni), Comotto © (88' Tiozzo Pagio), Oliveira Papaccioli (61' Prisco ©); Damiano (88' Lontani); Busiello (61' Inácio), Moressa (46' Campaniello).
Unused subs: Nava (P).
Coach: Massimiliano Favo.

 

SWITZERLAND (4-2-2-2) : Pizarro; Morisoli (62' Brocard), Sekulic (74' Sinani), Zufferey ©, Mambwa (80' Koch); Ibraimov, Lazri (80' Fetaj); Ilic (46' Agboton), Mijailovic (62' Bruchez); Scherrer (46' Lhakpa), Bralic (74' Koloto).
Unused subs: Ndiaye (P), Sabotic.
Coach: Luigi Pisino.

Referee: Giorgio Bozzetto (ITA).
Assistants: Ionuţ Eusebiu Nechita (ITA) and Bruno Galigani (ITA).
Fourth official: Marco Maccorin (ITA).

Notes: booked 21' Comotto (I), 37' Morisoli (S), 56' Ibraimov (S), 90'+1 Insignito (I). Injury time: 4' and 6'

INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT UNDER 17 ‘CITTÀ DI TRIESTE’ 

Group stage: ITALY, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland 

Matchday 1 (Tuesday 3 September) 

Spain 6-1 Switzerland

ITALY 2-0 Portugal

Matchday 2 (Friday 6 September)

Portugal 0-1 Spain

Italy 2-2 Switzerland

Standings: Spain 6 pts, Italy 4, Switzerland 1, Portugal 0. 

Matchday 3 (Monday 9 September) 

16:30 CEST: Switzerland vs. Portugal, Stadio Comunale di Monfalcone (GO) 

20:00 CEST: ITALY vs. Spain, Stadio Nereo Rocco in Trieste (Live on Vivo Azzurro TV)