Corridor of honor for the exit of the historic captain, at the farewell match. Gravina: “It is a symbol of the movement, it remains a resource.” Goalless match for Soncin’s team
Sara Gama’s Italian adventure ends after almost 18 years, 140 appearances and three minutes of the second half: it is the moment in which her teammates – the other starters and those on the bench – arrange themselves to form the corridor of honor for the captain , replaced by Elisa Bartoli. In reality, the two rows took little time to dissolve into a single embrace, amidst the applause of the cold Viola Park audience. Italy-Ireland, first time for the Italians in the new home of Fiorentina, with its 0-0 it almost seems like it doesn’t want to steal the show from the real protagonist of the evening. Gama says goodbye after being rewarded at the start of the match with a celebratory shirt and the official FIGC tribute: “Sara is a symbol for the entire women’s football movement – declared president Gabriele Gravina –, today we don’t consider it a farewell, but just a way to honor her. She remains a resource for us that we will try to enhance in the best possible way, because she is still needed.” In the meantime, at least until the summer, she will continue as a player with Juventus. Then you’ll see yourself.
EQUILIBRIUM
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The 2024 of the Italian team – in the absence of two very regular players like Giugliano and Giacinti, who are injured – starts again from concepts already seen in the Nations League: the fluid and asymmetric 4-4-2 contains within it the ability to defend with a five-man when Glionna remains on the right low, just as the approach from behind can develop as a three to allow the wingers to release themselves (on the left, the good debut of Sampdoria’s Oliviero, who plays on his weak foot). Gama moves to the right of the central duo Salvai-Linari, in the middle of the field the dynamism of Greggi together with the export duo Galli (Everton) and Dragoni (Barcelona, increasingly confident also in their body language), in front of Piemonte and Girelli ( the two-man, aligned attack that Soncin likes so much). In the first 20 minutes Italy’s engine does not rev up, also thanks to the aggressiveness of the Irish, an athletic and vertical team, who won their group in League B of the Nations League with full points and fields players of international caliber such as McCabe (Arsenal) and Carusa (San Diego Wave). From the middle of the first half, however, the Italians gained ground and managed to offer something: Glionna had the clearest opportunity around the half hour mark with a left-footed shot just wide, with the mechanisms seeming more oiled when Greggi she is brought back to the middle of the field, leaving Dragoni with the duties of a false winger. Just before half-time – which rightly ended at 0-0 – a dirty shot from Piemonte threatened to end up in the goal after a deflection.
TOWARDS ENGLAND
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Dragoni’s right-footed shot from the edge of the box, just over, was instead the first jolt of a second half physiologically broken up by substitutions. Italy passes 4-2-3-1 with the Blaugrana star as a sub striker behind Piedmont, struggles for a few minutes to settle down and suffers a goal from Kiernan disallowed for offside which the VAR – absent, in these latitudes – would have vivisected. Not bad, also because the Italians would have deserved the advantage with Catena and then with Bonansea, both not very precise in the area. Going beyond the result, there remain several interesting working points for Soncin, with the prospect of a higher obstacle on Tuesday: the test against the English runners-up world champions and queens of Europe is scheduled in Algeciras (Spain). A friendly match only on paper, before (re)diving into the three-point climate: on March 5th there will be the draw for the qualifying group for next year’s European Championship in Switzerland. Being there is the real, great goal to achieve in 2024.
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