Under 21, Italy-Norway 2-0: goals from Baldanzi and Esposito

Victory and overtaking. Signed Tommaso Baldanzi. The Under 21s took their second success in these qualifiers for the 2025 European Championship after the one in Turkey and are showing signs of growth. The Empoli talent decides with a goal – the first with the Under – and an assist, for Pio Esposito, also his first goal with the Azzurri. The defense was shielded: Norway had scored 14 goals in the first two matches (with San Marino and Latvia), in Bolzano they almost struggled to get a shot on target, and when they did Desplanches said no.

FIRST HALF

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Nunziata focuses on 4-3-1-2, the attacking midfielder is Casadei behind Baldanzi and Pio Esposito: the “sacrificed” is Miretti, because the midfield is made up of Bove, Prati and Ndour. Italy would like to take the match, but Norway has the same idea and their structure escapes the Azzurri’s radar: Hansen-Aaroen fluctuates between the front line and the midfield, lowering himself to build, and Schjelderup, the theoretical central striker, also moves back, then the attackers “real” are actually the two wingers Mugisha and Gulliksen. In the 8th minute Haansen-Aaroen goes for a strike and is stopped, Mugisha collects and tries a left-footed shot which goes wide. In the 12th minute Norway starts in the open field three against two, until Pirola manages to contain Gulliksen’s shot. The Scandinavian game switches unbalanced our players, forced to “slide” from one side to the other without being able to intercept effectively. Casadei with a sudden right from outside on which Sjolden opens his glove tries to wake up Italy. Nunziata does the same from the bench, demanding intensity and pressing from his forwards. And in the 25th minute here is the wonderful goal, the result of Baldanzi’s magic: the 11th fouls a clearance by Hansen-Aaroen and receives from Bove, skips Opsahl, then also Hjelde and crosses with his left foot under the goalkeeper’s legs. Applause and Italy in the lead. Norway loses certainties in the low build-up and the Italians have three chances to double the lead: in the 35th minute Pio Esposito arrives slightly late on a low cross from Baldanzi which crosses the entire small area, immediately after a first touch from the Empoli talent frees Ndour faces the goal, but the PSG midfielder lingers with his left and then closes wide with his right. In the 38th minute Arnstad makes a mistake and serves Pio who aims and frees his left foot, lifted for a corner by a deflection from Opsahl. Only at the end of the first half did Norway find the goal for the first time, an unpretentious right-footed shot from Schjelderup blocked by Desplanches.

SECOND HALF

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The recovery begins as best it could. And thanks again to Baldanzi, who after 26 seconds runs to the right and passes (right-footed) to Pio Esposito who promptly strikes Sjoeng in the center of the area. Two nil, so good. Also because shortly after Tommaso, hit hard already in the first half, had to give way to Oristanio, who called the Norwegian goalkeeper into intervention on a free kick. But Italy takes a breather, and Norway takes the field: Hansen-Aaroen tries to put them back in the game with a very poisonous diagonal, Desplanches extends and keeps the 2-0 nailed down. Other changes: Miretti for Casadei and Fabbian for Bove, then in the final Kayode for Zanotti and Calafiori for Esposito, to close ranks even further. Norway dribbles and attacks, but Pirola is a wall in the penalty area and no one passes. The last thrill is a left-footed shot from Moller Wolfe that flies over the crossbar. Instead, Italy came close to making it 3-0 in the 96th minute: Fabbian-Miretti-Oristanio counterattack, with a left-footed shot deflected for a corner by Sjoeng.