The Azzurri advance with goals from Bergamaschi, Caruso and Bonansea. For direct qualification they will need to beat Sweden on the final day next Tuesday and hope for a misstep by Denmark against the Slavs
It’ll all be played out in Sweden next Tuesday. And always in Scandinavia we must hope for a misstep by Denmark against a grumpy Serbia like the one that Andrea Soncin’s Italy beat 3-0. Bergamaschi, Caruso and Bonansea, the three signatures on the Azzurre’s first victory in Italy in this World Cup qualifying group stage. In Pisa the national team, now in second place in the group, played two matches: one of resistance in the first half, a completely different one, overflowing and organised, in the second. Serbia, mindful of the 6 goals scored at home by Girelli and her teammates, entered the field aggressive and much more resolute than a month and a half ago. Time ten minutes, in fact, and Slovic immediately challenged Giuliani; in the 20th minute it was Matejic who tried to take advantage of a wrong back pass by Bergamaschi for his number one. Chills. The Serbians, who were always pressing, made it very (too) difficult for Italy to pass the ball around and were unable to build their game until after half an hour of play. Girelli, constantly put offside by the very high Serbian four-man line, touched few balls, and the danger of the whole team until the interval was practically not achieved.
The real Italy –
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In those fifteen minutes, however, everything changed. And in the second half Italy returned to being the compact, dangerous and methodical one seen in Serbia and beyond. Girelli began to evade marking and doubling the ball, lowering himself to recover balls, Caruso found himself freer to set up, Giugliano (celebrated yesterday for his 100th match with the national team) to dictate geometries. And then the push of Glionna and Greggi was useful fuel to hurt the opponents. It was the second that assisted Bergamaschi to break the deadlock with his header at the far post. Caruso doubled the lead in the 81st minute with a shot from the edge served by a capital Bonansea, who then – as a substitute – made it 3-0. “It was essential to believe in our qualities – said a satisfied Soncin at the end of the match -. In the first half we were too slow, but with patience and confidence we came out of it”. And now? “Let’s go and win in Sweden.”