Nunziata’s Azzurrini fly to 4 points in the standings. Among the hosts, only Juventus Yildiz shines
– KOCAELI (Türkiye)
The first victory for the Under 21s arrives in the qualifying group for the 2025 European Championship. Against Turkey, Nunziata’s team scores at the end of the first half with Miretti and doubles the score in the second half with Nasti. The match was conducted in an orderly manner, conceding little and managing the pace. Italy, however, could have created more: just three shots on target.
first half
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Nunziata had announced a change in the department compared to the match against Latvia and instead there are four changes: in defense Ghilardi out and Coppola in, in midfield Bove out and Ndour in, in forward Nasti and Oristanio out and Baldanzi and Esposito in. The formation also changes because Miretti gets up in line with the Empoli attacking midfielder to compose a 4-3-2-1 instead of the classic diamond. At the start Italy was a little soft and left the initiative to their opponents, led by an excellent Kenan Yildiz. The Juventus player acts, as expected, as a left midfielder but has very offensive tasks, he often targets the man and tries to shoot. The first scoring opportunity is for Turkey in the 13th minute: cross by Kaan Yildiz and header wide from a few meters by Yardimci. After a lackluster quarter of an hour, Italy entered the game and in the 18th minute Casadei shot high from the center of the area following Ruggeri’s cross. Kenan Yildiz leaps past Casadei and from the edge hits the outside of the net with a very violent right-footed shot. At the end of the first half the Italians grew and within three minutes they created three good opportunities: Ndour shot badly after a good run by Zanotti, Miretti didn’t find the time to kick after receiving from Baldanzi and Casadei sent a left-footed shot. And a few seconds before the end of three minutes of injury time, Italy’s goal arrives: Esposito makes a good move on the left, crosses low and Miretti scores with a flat right.
second half
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In the second half Turkey struggled to build play. Kenan Yildiz is the only one to create some danger: in the 16th minute he volleys from outside and the shot is blocked and five minutes later he finds a nice corridor for Yardimci, closed well by Pirola. Nunziata inserts Bove and Nasti in place of Miretti and Esposito. The Azzurrini seem to control the sterile opposition pressure without any major difficulty and in the 34th minute they close the match: Bove’s pass to Nasti, who defends himself from Serdar Saatci’s shoulder, sees the goalkeeper in an advanced position and from afar goes over him with a powerful conclusion and precise. Shortly afterwards Desplanches risks reopening the match by leaving a ball which Tiknaz however throws at him. It is the last gasp of the Turks, who cannot avoid defeat against Italy.
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