After their 1-0 victory three days ago, the U16s lost 2-1 in the second match of their friendly double-header against Belgium at the Proximus Basecamp in Tubize. The Azzurrini took a 26th-minute lead through Pescara attacker Antonio Arena, but the hosts equalised through a penalty from Genk playmaker Jelle Driessen on the stroke of half-time. In the 78th minute, David Penneman’s side completed the turnaround with a goal from Antwerp midfielder Xander Dierckx.

“We played well in the first half against a technical side with pace,” said Head Coach Marco Scarpa. “As opposed to the first friendly, they managed to get back into the game through a penalty. In the second half, we were a bit naïve in the closing stages and got punished, but, as I always say, these matches are needed to grow and mature. On the whole, we’re satisfied because we were able to assess the lads, especially those who had stood out at the Torneo dei Gironi. They showed they can be useful to us in the future.”