Great success of the Italy Under-17 team, reigning European champions, who overcame the Norwegian players in Montecchio with a clear 7-0, closing Group 9 of the first round of the European qualifications with full points, with 16 goals scored and 0 conceded. The Azzurrini took the lead in the 12th minute with Thomas Campaniello (Empoli), and then doubled it in the 16th minute thanks to Oliver Blini (Empoli). Before the interval, Massimiliano Favo's boys scored three more goals, with the usual Azzurrini number 9 finding the net in the 24th and 45'+2 minutes, getting his personal hat-trick, and with Samuele Inácio (Borussia Dortmund), who earned and scored a penalty kick in the 41st minute. In the second half, Italy secured the game definitively thanks to substitutes Samuel Wiafe (Modena) and Antonio Pirrò (Udinese), scoring in the 62nd and 69th minutes.

‘The boys were really good', underlines the Italian coach, 'because they brilliantly overcame the opponents of a good level. Probably, having had them available for several events (Telki Cup, Torneo ‘Città di Trieste’ and Torneo dei Gironi, ed.) before the qualifications allowed us to arrive here with more certainty. It is no coincidence that the team has grown so much from the first outing until today.

MATCH. The Azzurrini started with the tried and tested 4-3-1-2, making three substitutions compared to the eleven that, three days ago, won 4-0 over Wales, also in Montecchio (Perrotti, Luongo and Inácio in place of Giani, Prisco and Damiano). The Norwegians responded by fielding Renshusløkken in defence and Slørdal in midfield from the first minute, in place of Ademola and Dahlstrøm, and changing their formation from 3-4-3 to 4-3-2-1, compared to their 3-0 victory over San Marino on Friday.

The match opened with a chance for Norway, but Tveit's left-footer from a Holseter-Karlsen corner finished high over the crossbar. A few minutes elapsed and, on the 12th minute, Italy took the lead: Luongo served Campaniello deep into the box, and, with a beautiful left-footed attempt, he slotted the ball past the opponent's defender into the low corner. Favo's team continued to attack and, in the 16th minute, found the doubling goal, this time with Blini, who, inserted at the far post, finished with a close header after a cross from the right by Inácio. The Azzurrini made no sign of slowing down and, in the 24th minute, found the 3-0 goal, once again with Campaniello, who slipped in Inácio's left-field cross, anticipating Fauskanger at close range. Before half-time, there was time for two more Azzurri goals, scored by Inácio, who earned and executed a penalty kick in the 41st minute, and by Campaniello, who swiftly reacted to the Norwegian number 1's short clearance and sealed his hat-trick in the added time (45'+2').

In the second half, where both teams replaced the goalkeeper at the interval, the script of the match did not change and, in the 62nd minute, Italy scored the sixth goal thanks to substitutes Rodella and Wiafe, with the former drawing a cross for the latter, who beat Eide with his right-footed shot from inside the box. A few minutes passed and, in the 69th minute, Favo's boys further increased the result: Comotto launched a ball for Pirrò who, from the opponent's penalty area, devised a lob that went past the Norwegian number 12 at the second post. Shortly before the final whistle, the Azzurrini came close to scoring the eighth goal with Rodella, but his right-footed shot from distance hit the crossbar.

Italy, qualified for League A in the second round of the European qualifications scheduled for the spring, will know the name of their next opponents on 5 December in Nyon, during the draw. At the moment, while waiting for Group 5 (Portugal, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Finland and Liechtenstein) and Group 6 (Hungary, Greece, Romania and Azerbaijan) to be played from 13 to 19 November, the teams that have gained access to League A are Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Croatia, Denmark, France, Germany, England, Northern Ireland, Iceland, Israel, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and Ukraine.

NORWAY 0-7 ITALY
Goals: 12' Campaniello, 16' Blini, 24' Campaniello, 41' rig. Inácio, 45'+2 Campaniello, 62' Wiafe, 69' Pirrò.

Norway (4-3-2-1) : Fauskanger © (46' Eide); Nakken, Renshusløkken, Haraldsen (65' Cole), Tveit; Holseter-Karlsen, Slørdal (59' Opsahl), Solberg J. (84' Wik); Woxen, Krosa (59' Mengshoel); Solberg E. Unused subs: Valenza, Dahlstrøm, Ademola, Berg. Coach: Igor Rojkov Aase.

Italy (4-3-1-2) : Nava (46' Maran); Iddrisa, Borasio, Reggiani ©, Perrotti; Luongo, Comotto (79' Insignito), Steffanoni (61' Rodella); Blini (57' Pirrò); Inácio, Campaniello (57' Wiafe). Unused subs: Giani, Bovio, Damiano. Coach: Massimiliano Favo.

Referee Jovan Kachevski (MKD). Assistants: Branko Putilin (MKD) and Laura Cordani (SMR), Fourth Official: Francesco Mineo (SMR).

Booked: Renshusløkken (N) 39', Woxen (N) 40', Solberg E. (N) 68', Perrotti (I) 71'.