Berardi, Bonaventura and Frattesi: Italy scores 4 in Malta and returns second

Four goals is what was needed, in case the overall goal difference against Ukraine had to be used. Italy has restarted. Berardi scored two, the first beautiful, removing doubts about his answers in blue. Bonaventura opened the ball with a marvel in the latest Fiorentina style. And he closed out Frattesi with the 4-0: he had only recently joined, but when he plays in blue the Inter player always puts her in. The game is not yet Pallottian, on the other hand Malta locked in its bunker did not allow embroidery. However, as the minutes went by we saw a more defined identity, thanks also to the ongoing change between Raspadori (moved to the left) and Kean (centre forward). We are second on equal points with Ukraine, we are heading towards a “play-off”, but in the meantime we are thinking of England with a few fewer ghosts.

feats

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The first two goals, however, are more individual. There isn’t much maneuver in the first, there is the courage of Kean who goes to press, forcing Malta to lose the ball: but then Bonaventura’s shot is one of those rare masterpieces, the sign of his special moment. In Berardi’s 2-0, at the end of the first half, we see the collaboration of Barella who finally enters and exchanges with the Sassuolo winger: the shot, a very insidious left-footed shot, is an intuition of those that Berardi does not lack. Plus, a Mancini header from a corner after a handful of minutes.

no maneuver

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What’s missing in the first fifteen minutes is a maneuver that puts the Azzurri in a position to score a clean goal. It’s true that Malta sets up the barricades, the system is 5-3-2, and the area is as crowded as Times Square at rush hour, but the solutions we look for are poorly thought out: high crosses for a small and quick center forward, through passes again for Raspa forced to play with his back to the goal to dictate a difficult triangle, or blocked shots. Bonaventura doesn’t deserve criticism, but he should be more involved in the maneuver. Kean was better, running, pressing and entering from the left, and the two central defenders Mancini-Bastoni did well, interrupting any aspiration of a Maltese counterattack. But the first half cannot leave Spalletti happy. There is no fury, there are no mechanisms in the manoeuvre.

woke up shoulder pads

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It is clear that during the interval the coach’s scolding must have hurt the Azzurri’s ears. Oh well, it depends. Another run, another movement, no one is waiting for the ball anymore but everyone crosses paths, widens, presses. Bonello continues with his nonsense in goal, trying to give balls to the attackers, but naturally the 3-0 comes on a counterattack, in the only situation in which Malta broke away. From the left Raspadori gives it to the center: everyone misses it except Berardi who arrives at an empty net and makes it 3-0, his second personal best. Raspa and not Kean because, given the problems in the centre, the coach reverses the two and it is a move that gives breathing space to the manoeuvre.

towards Wembley

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At the end the changes are with a view to Wembley. Berardi goes to rest, then Udogie makes his debut who comes from the Premier League and could be useful against the English even as a midfielder, finally here is Scamacca looking for condition for the English. Bonaventura is also seen in low setting. Malta understands that there is no point in venturing further in front, the level is modest, and defends the 0-3. In vain, because Frattesi, with the great complicity of Udogie, scores the fourth. Udogie comes in with the personality and running of a veteran: do you want to see that with England…