European Under 17: Israel-Italy 0-1

Francesco Pio, the youngest of the Esposito brothers, solved it. The dynasty continues: after Salvatore in 2000 and Sebastiano in 2002, here is the Inter Milan striker in 2005 who, having entered a few minutes ago, gave the Under-17 national team a good slice of qualification for the quarter-finals of the European Championship. The match against the hosts of Israel was not a good match, and also very complicated: Italy won it 1-0 and on Sunday at 19 with another success against Luxembourg (two defeats in two games, on paper the most affordable team in the group) will have the opportunity to remove the ticket for the quarter-finals.

Two poles

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Italy, lined up by Corradi again with the 4-3-1-2 with Bruno behind Bolzan and Vacca, hit two poles in the first half: the first with a powerful left by Bolzan deflected by goalkeeper Melika on the pole, the second with a conclusion from the limit of Parravicini. Less dangerous, at the end of the first half, the chance still for the Roman player Bolzan, with the ball blocked in two halves by Melika.

Esposito decides

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The Israeli goalkeeper, after 5 minutes of recovery, was also good on Bruno, repeating himself in the 58th minute on Vacca. Four minutes later, Corradi started adding fresh forces: Di Maggio and Parravicini in place of Onofrietti and Ciammaglichella. Just Di Maggio called Melika to the umpteenth save of his match. At 70 ‘the decisive change: out of Vacca, into Esposito. Two newcomers, in the half hour of the second half, created the action that directed the match: sprint on the right of Parravicini and the ball placed in the center, where Esposito took advantage of a favorable rebound to hit the net, before venting all his joy with companions. Delle Monache and Quieto also entered the final for Bolzan and Bruno, but it took a great intervention by Magro on Zoabi’s header to save Italy’s goal. After the final thrill, the joy of an almost achieved goal.