Under 19 European Championship Italy-Poland 1-1. Azzurrini in the semifinals

A draw was enough, it has arrived: the 1-1 draw with Poland at the National Stadium in Ta’ Qali meant that Italy reached the semi-final as runners-up of group A (behind Portugal). With equal points and goal difference after three days, the Azzurrini have the better of the Poles for the 6 goals scored (against 3) and are now waiting to meet the opponent on Thursday 13 July between Spain and Norway (who tomorrow will play from the other group). Immediately after 8′ due to an uncertainty by goalkeeper Mastrantonio on Strzalek’s shot, Alberto Bollini’s boys put it back on its feet shortly after the half hour with a beautiful goal built by Vignato for the benefit of Hasa (for him not only the joy personal, but a game of great substance). In a not exactly lively second half, the score didn’t change and Italy thus found itself again in the top four: a year ago, in Slovakia, they were stopped in the semifinals by England, then European champions.

Revolution

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Bollini completely redesigned the structure, to give new stimuli to his team after the defeat against Portugal and remove references to the opponents: they make their debut in the Chiarodia European Championship in central defense and captain Faticanti in midfield, the 4-3-3 of the first two games ends up in the archive for a 3-4-2-1 in which the fast Hasa and Vignato move behind Esposito. Above all, it is the reversal of the wingers that immediately bears fruit: Missori returns to the right on his strong foot and it is he, the new signing of Sassuolo, who serves up a great assist for Esposito who exalts goalkeeper Zych (owned by Aston Villa). After a couple of minutes, on the ball worked by Esposito himself, it was Kayode who kicked from the edge, hitting the silhouette of a Polish defender. It seems like a one-way plot, but the joke arrives: Strzalek’s non-irresistible shot from 20 meters, Mastrantonio is uncertain about the close rebound and gets through (second consecutive goal for the Legia Warsaw midfielder). The match seems to get bogged down because Poland closes the spaces well, to rekindle it you need an invention. And he arrives, shortly after the half hour mark: Vignato starts very fast in the lead from his own half, burns a couple of opponents who can only see his plate and sends Hasa on goal inside the small area. The Juventus player thanks and makes it 1-1, scoring the first Azzurri goal of this European Championship with the ball in motion (after 3 penalties, a free-kick and a corner development). The axis between the little guys, a couple of minutes later, still works in reverse but Vignato’s right-footed volley misses the target. We put it back on its feet with desire and quality, but the draw must be defended immediately: on a defensive half-sleep, Majchrzak (seen in the Roma Primavera side) triggers Nsangou and finds Mastrantonio to say no to him. The blue number one thus makes it up to the mistake on the first goal.

in control

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From half-time Poland – forced to win – returns with two novelties and tries to be more offensive: Urbanski in the middle of the pitch (another familiar face, he hopes to stay at Bologna but his contract has expired) and Pienko up front. Italy adapts, defends a little lower and tries without much conviction to start again centrally. The opportunity to close the accounts still fell on Esposito’s foot, who fired at the good Zych from close range after a favorable rebound from Missori’s shot. With Poland adding offensive players, Bollini asks his players to follow them man on man and doesn’t make substitutions until the last quarter of an hour (when Amatucci and Koleosho enter for the exhausted Faticanti and Vignato). It’s the moment in which Poland pushes but without hurting, forcing us to guard the area anyway and asking for a penalty for Kayode’s arm clearly attached to his body. On the other hand, in lightening, it’s Hasa and Ndour who try from a distance. Just the new signing of Paris Saint Germain gets an avoidable yellow, as a caution. If his European he continues, he will mean that Italy will have come to fight for the title.