After their narrow friendly win against Albania at Coverciano on 13 August, the Under-19 National Team suffered a 2-0 defeat to England this afternoon at St. George’s Park, the English Football Federation’s national football centre. After taking the lead through Scarlett’s tenth-minute penalty, the hosts doubled their advantage on the 34-minute mark, when Soonsup-Bell found the net. The Azzurrini went on the attack during the closing stages of the first half: first, they had an effort cleared off the line; then, immediately after, Juventus midfielder Fabio Miretti hit the bar.

After the restart, Italy tried to turn things around, with Giovanni Fabbian, Baldanzi and Egharevba failing to get the better of the goalkeeper in one-on-one situations.

Despite the result, it was a useful test ahead of the first phase of Euro qualifying, which will see the Azzurrini face Slovenia, Iceland and Lithuania in Slovenia from 6 to 12 October.

The team’s next match will be a friendly fixture against the Netherlands in Katwijk at 15:30 CEST on 6 September.

Squad list

Goalkeepers: Sebastiano Desplanches (Milan), Jacopo Sassi (Atalanta), Gioele Zacchi (Sassuolo);
Defenders: Diego Coppola (Hellas Verona), Alessandro Fontanarosa (Inter), Daniele Ghilardi (Fiorentina), Gabriele Mulazzi (Juventus), Thomas Sandon (Vicenza), Giorgio Scalvini (Atalanta), Riccardo Turicchia (Juventus), Mattia Zanotti (Inter);
Midfielders: Cesare Casadei (Inter), Nicolò Cavuoti (Cagliari), Giovanni Fabbian (Inter), Giacomo Faticanti (Roma), Jacopo Fazzini (Empoli), Samuel Giovane (Atalanta), Fabio Miretti (Juventus), Federico Zuccon (Atalanta);
Forwards: Tommaso Baldanzi (Empoli), Destiny Efosa Egharevba (Fiorentina), Degnand Wilfred Gnonto (Zurigo), Tommaso Mancini (Vicenza), Stephane Henoc N’Gbesso (Milan).

Staff – Head Coach: Carmine Nunziata; Assistant Coach: Emanuele Filippini; Delegation Head: Gianfranco Serioli; National Youth Team Coordinator: Maurizio Viscidi; Fitness Coach: Vito Azzone; Goalkeeping Coach: Fabrizio Ferron; Match analyst: Marco Mannucci; Doctors: Carmelo Papotto, Lorenzo Ticca and Raffaele Iorio; Physiotherapists: Giuseppe Galli and Riccardo Torquati; Nutritionist: Alessio Colli; Secretary: Aldo Blessich.