Italy too strong for Luxembourg as the Azzurrini race into the quarter-finals. The Netherlands up next this Wednesday in Netanya
Di Maggio scored what proved to be the winning goal on 23 minutes. He found the net from the penalty spot after Quieto was adjudged to be brought down in the opposition penalty area. The three points seal second place for the Azzurrini in Group A, with Germany topping the groupSunday, May 22, 2022
At the Stadio Municipal in Ramat Gan, Italy had too much for Luxembourg as they ran out 1-0 winners, securing passage to the quarter-finals. Luca di Maggio’s first half penalty was enough to secure victory for the young Italian side, with the three points proving to be enough to grant Bernardo Corradi's lads a second-place finish, behind Germany (who beat Israel (3-0) in the other match of the group). On Wednesday, at 19:00 CEST at the Netanya stadium, the Netherlands will be the Azzurrini’s next opponents, who today outclassed a French side to win 3-1 in superb comeback fashion, after the French had led the game up to the 76th minute.
With the quarter-finals just on the horizon, as an old enemy returns for the Azzurrini; a challenge with the reigning European champions that dates back three years, before the pandemic took the world by storm: in the two previous finals, in 2018 and in 2019, Carmine Nunziata’s Italy lost in back to back finals against the Dutch.
The match. Bernardo Corradi set up with a 4-3-1-2 formation. In the 23rd minute of the game, Luxembourg defender, Irigoyen, rought down the Azzurrini’s Quieto in his own box: a penalty and yellow card were awarded. Inter midfielder Luca Di Maggio took on the responsibility, firing his shot into the top-right corner, just under the crossbar, leaving the opposition goalkeeper helpless. Very little else happened as the first half drew to a close with Italy in the lead (1-0).
At the end of the match, the Azzurrini, accompanied by the head of the delegation Filippo Corti, celebrated the victory with the boys of the Club Roma football school in Jerusalem, an association that prides itself on inclusion: children from all different ethnicities and religious beliefs are made to feel welcome and partake in the club’s activities.
Luxembourg 0-1 Italy
Goalscorers: 24’ Di Maggio (R)
LUXEMBOURG (4-4-2) : Margato; Irigoyen, Agostinelli, Ikene, Lohei; Lima, Afonso (C), Flick, Souchard; Machado, Videira. Unused substitutes. Pereira (GK), Barbalinardo, Civovic, Sabotic, Bartoletti, Moreira, Moutschen.
Coach: Mutsch.
ITALY (4-3-1-2) : Magro; Serra, Mane, Chiarodia, Malaspina (73' Saiani); Parravicini (62' Ciammaglichella), Lipani (C), Di Maggio; Quieto (73' Bruno); Esposito, Vacca (62' Bolzan). Unused substitutes: Borriello (GK), Delle Monache, D'Aprile, Onofrietti, Domanico. Coach. Corradi.
Referee: Tom Owen (WAL). Linesmen: Johnathon Bryant (WAL) and Sander Saga (EST). Fourth Official: David Fuxman (ISR)
Bookings: 24' Irigoyen, 54' Malaspina, 56' Ikene.
Group A results and standings
Monday 16 May
ITALY 2-3 Germany
Israel 3-0 Luxembourg
Thursday 19 May
Germany 3-0 Luxembourg
Israel 0-1 ITALY
Sunday 22 May
Luxembourg 0-1 ITALY
Germany 3-0 Israel
Standings. Germany 9 pts, Italy 6, Israel 3, Luxembourg 0
Quarter-finals
Wednesday 25 May 2022
Germany v France, Haberfeld Stadium di Rishon Lezion, at 16:30 CEST
Holland v ITALY, Netanya Municipal Stadium di Netanya, at 19:00 CEST
Squad list
Goalkeepers: Federico Magro (Lazio), Francesco Borriello (Parma);
Defenders: Fabio Christian Chiarodia (Werder Bremen), Giovanni D’Aprile (Torino), Saverio Domanico (Juventus), Mattia Malaspina (AC Milan), Filippo Mane (Dortmund), Filippo Saiani (SPAL), Nicolò Serra (Torino);
Midfielders: Kevin Bruno (Sassuolo), Aaron Ciammaglichella (Torino), Luca Di Maggio (Inter), Luca Lipani (Genoa), Vincenzo Onofrietti (Dortmund), Fabio Parravicini (SPAL), Daniele Quieto (Inter);
Forwards: Alessandro Bolzan (Roma), Marco Delle Monache (Pescara), Alessio Vacca (Juventus), Francesco Pio Esposito (Inter).