45
21:35
Mid-term conclusion:
At the break, the prestige duel between the U21s of France and Italy is 1-1, in line with performance. Both teams started powerfully, but always lacked precision in the final pass or finish. Shortly after Chevalier then sensationally parried a Scalvini header from five meters (21′), Kalimuendo then scored the opening goal with a hoe (22′). However, the Azzurrini didn’t bury their heads in the sand, they just kept at it. Although France increasingly had chances to counterattack, the Italian U21s were able to avoid further big chances and then equalized with a Pellegri header after a perfectly executed Tonali free-kick (36′).
45
21:33
End of 1st half
45
21:32
Official stoppage time (minutes): 1
45
21:32
Manu Koné just keeps right on it from 22 meters and Marco Carnesecchi doesn’t cut the best figure with this tight shot. Nevertheless, the keeper can clear the ball to a corner, which then brings nothing further.
43
21:31
Raoul Bellanova needs a brief treatment on the sidelines. But the moment of shock remains. It quickly becomes clear that Inter Milan’s winger can continue playing.
41
21:28
Kalulu stops Ricci with a body check just before the edge of the penalty area. That earns the Azzurrini another dangerous free-kick, which Rovella is allowed to take. However, his direct attempt is not overly dangerous and flies a good two meters over the French goal.
38
21:25
The Bleuets put pressure on the left and Niels Nkounkou brings the cross flat into the penalty area. Lorenzo Pirola wants to clarify, but sharpens the leather on the short corner. However, Marco Carnesecchi is good and can defuse the ball and fix it in the follow-up.
36
21:22
Tooor for Italy, 1-1 by Pietro Pellegri
With a standard situation, Italy now equalizes to 1:1. Koné knocks Tonali down, earning the Squadra Azzurra youth team another free-kick. This stationary ball is also a matter for the boss: Tonali brings the ball very precisely to the second post from 26 meters, where Pellegri does everything right this time. After a strong run he is completely free and heaves the ball past the hopeless Chevalier into the left corner with a powerful header.
33
21:21
Gouiri initially loses the ball after a strong pass, but then cleverly follows up, regains the ball and puts it through for Thuram. But then he puts the leather on a nuance too far, so that Carnesecchi is the first to get to the ball. Because Thuram only withdraws half-heartedly, the referee whistles the promising scene as an offensive foul.
30
21:17
Once again, Pietro Pellegri starts far too early and is offside when a pass is made. It has not been a good performance from the Torino FC youngster so far.
28
21:15
France is almost following suit. After a deep pass, Gouiri can pull away from a half-right position from 15 meters. However, the ball slips a little over his instep so that Carnesecchi does not have to intervene. Kick off Italy.
25
21:13
The Azzurrini don’t bury their heads in the sand but are now challenged with the deficit. France are giving the ball to the Italians at the moment, but with high pressure they ensure that the U21 record European champions don’t know what to do with possession.
22
21:09
Tooor for France, 1-0 through Arnaud Kalimuendo
Just as Italy is getting stronger, the Bleuets strike and score the goal to make it 1-0. Kalulu has space on the right wing and then sends a low cross into the penalty area, where Kalimuendo is already a step too far. Without further ado, however, he unpacks the heel with his right leg. The ball is not overly powerful, but it is extremely precise. Slowly the leather trundles unsustainably for Carnesecchi over the inside post into the far corner.
21
21:08
After a counterattack, a Udogie shot to the corner is blocked. Tonali grabs the ball and puts the ball dangerously into the box from the left, where Scalvini frees a header from five yards. With a spectacular brilliant save, however, Chevalier steers the leather over the crossbar. The subsequent corner then fizzles out.
18
21:06
Amine Gouiri tries to flick the ball from the left corner of the box to the top right corner. The art shot failed and missed the Italian goal.
17
21:04
Tonali takes the free kick again, which he chips into the box from 32 meters to the left. The filing inside can then be clarified.
16
21:03
Yellow card for Giorgio Scalvini (Italy)
15
21:02
Yellow card for Niels Nkounkou (France)
Nkounkou is clearly too rustic in the tackle against Pellegri and catches the first yellow card of the game.
14
21:01
Caqueret clears Udogie. That earns the Azzurrini a promising free-kick from 20 yards out. Tonali tries it directly and puts the tight right-footed shot just half a meter to the right of the French goal. Close affair.
13.
21:00
Bradley Barcola wants to bang his head against the wall and dribbles against three Italians. Ultimately, however, he puts the ball too far in front of himself, which lands in the goal. Kick off for Italy.
11.
20:58
Tonali sends Bellanova forward with an opening pass down the right wing. However, the flank that follows is far too imprecise and ends up silting up on the unoccupied opposite wing.
8th.
20:56
This time Maxence Caqueret takes the corner directly into the centre, where Castello Lukeba commits an offensive foul in a challenge with Giorgio Scalvini. The referee whistles the scene.
5.
20:52
Italy don’t really come from behind and Rovella plays it safe with a cross and clears for the next corner. The variant, which was also briefly executed, does not bring anything further at first, but then Koné comes to the end from a good 22 meters. However, the shot clearly misses the Azzurrini box to the right.
4.
20:51
Kalulu throws Kalimuendo in from the right to the baseline, but Rovella blocks the cross for the corner. However, the short version does not pose any danger in the Italian penalty area.
1.
20:47
Kick-off in the Cluj Arena. The Bleuets compete in blue jerseys over white shorts. The Azzurrini wear white jerseys over blue shorts. Here we go!
1.
20:47
game start
20:17
France Under-21s have met Italy six times in the past, with the Azzurrini leading the head-to-head with three wins (two draws, one loss). Among other things, the young Italians eliminated the Bleuets in the semi-finals of the U21 European Championships in 1994 and 1996.
20:09
The Italians said goodbye to 2022 with three winless international matches in a row (one draw, two defeats), but reported back strongly in 2023. Both friendlies in March ended in victory. Overall, the team coached by Paolo Nicolato has lost just two of their last 24 international matches (15 wins, seven draws).
20:03
With five overall victories at U21 European Championships, Italy is the shared record winner of this competition together with Spain. The Azzurrini have failed to qualify for a U21 European Championship twice (1998 and 2011). However, the last European title goes back to the event in 2004. Since then, the youth department of the Squadra Azzurra has only made it to the final again in 2013, but was beaten by Spain there. Two years ago it was over against Portugal in the quarter-finals.
19:57
In the last four friendlies leading up to the U21 European Championship, France remained completely without a win (three draws, one defeat). In the international matches in March 2023, the Bleuets failed to score either when they lost to England (0-4) or to Spain (0-0). The question of how the Espoirs will present themselves in the opening game tonight is correspondingly exciting.
19:51
Despite numerous excellent vintages, the Bleuets were only able to win the U21 European Championship in 1988. Between 2007 and 2017, the junior section of the Équipe Tricolore, also known as “Les Espoirs” (in English: the hopes), even missed qualifying for the European Championships five times in a row. In 2019 in Italy and San Marino, the journey went back to the semi-finals for the first time, before the quarter-finals ended in 2021. This is exactly what the Bleuets want to build on in Romania and Georgia under coach Sylvain Ripoll.
19:45
Good evening and welcome from the Cluj Arena. This is where the game between France and Italy will take place tonight as part of Group D of the U21 European Championship 2023.