Super Italy in Albania: five star performance from Zoratto’s side. Goals from Liberali, Garofalo, Maiorana, Gariani, and an own goal
In the first of the two friendlies, played in Tirana in the stadium where the senior national team had won in November, the Azzurrini went a goal down but reacted brilliantly, ending the first half 3-1 and finding two more goals in the second half. On Thursday they are back on the pitch, in ElbasanTuesday, February 21, 2023
At the Air Albania Stadium in Tirana, where the senior national team beat Albania 3-1 in a friendly match in November (and where Roma won the Conference League in May in the final against Feyenoord), the Under 16 national team won (5-1) the first of two friendlies against a team that included 10 players playing in the Italian youth leagues. Azzurri goals were scored by Mattia Liberali (AC Milan) from a penalty, Christian Garofalo (Napoli), Stefano Maiorana (Fiorentina), Niccolò Gariani (Atalanta), plus an own goal by Südtirol player Renato Halili.
"We dominated the game, the result says it all," explained coach Daniele Zoratto. "We conceded the goal in unfortunate fashion, but the lads were very good at getting the game back under our control, managing it well and always trying to build play. From this match we were also looking for performances and answers from the new players, who will play on Thursday in the second match (in Elbasan, kick-off at 12:00 CET). In addition to the result, the objective is to evaluate all the improvements of the boys. The stadium? Playing in such a facility at 16 years old, I think it was a fabulous experience for the boys.
It was Albania who took the lead after 19 minutes with Oresti Rifa: having started from their own half of the pitch, the home number 11 beat Vannucchi with a left-footed shot into the corner. Italy reacted promptly, finding the equaliser on the half-hour mark with a penalty kick converted by Liberali: Taho, the Albania and Inter goalkeeper, guessed the AC Milan player's left-footed shot but did not managed to keep it out. From the boot of another Rossoneri player, Ernesto Perin, in the 39th minute, came the corner kick from which the 2-1 goal was born: in the box, Garofalo beat Taho again, giving Italy the lead. Before the interval, the Azzurri's went to press the Albanian goalkeeper: Taho's deflection hit Maiorana, the Fiorentina striker, with the ball ending up in the net.
In the second half came Italy's other two goals: captain Gariani scored the fourth with another touch in the box from a free kick from the right taken by Orlandi, while it was an own goal by Halili that finished off the 5-1win.
