Italy recovered from a nightmare begin to beat Montenegro 2-1 within the first European Below-21 Championship qualifier below , with Luca Lipani and Luca Koleosho heading in the right direction.
together with Montenegro, Sweden, Poland, North Macedonia and Armenia.
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The event will probably be co-hosted by Albania and Serbia in the summertime of 2027.
Francesco Camarda and Pietro Comuzzo have been among the many gamers pressured to withdraw via harm, whereas and Liverpool defender Giovanni Leoni have been promoted to the senior squad.
It was a disastrous begin, as within the third minute Luca Lipani slipped when attempting to get on the tip of a misplaced Riyad Idrissi go, permitting Andrej Kostic to pounce inside the realm and instantly hearth in an angled drive.
Viktor Dukanovic threatened a second with a ferocious strike from distance, which Diego Mascardi needed to push over the bar, with Knezevic coming so near nodding within the ensuing nook.
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Dragan Miranovic’s angled drive skimmed the far put up, as Marco Palestra’s cross-shot was the primary actual Italian try heading in the right direction after 34 minutes.
The Azzurrini’s urgent recreation appeared disjointed and sluggish, struggling to create scoring alternatives in opposition to an organised Montenegro.
PRATO, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 07: Luca Lipani of Italy U19 through the Worldwide Pleasant match between Italy U19 and Northern Eire U19 at Stadio Lungobisenzio on September 07, 2023 in Prato, Italy. (Photograph by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Photographs)
Italy lastly bought an equaliser with Lipani making up for his earlier error, as his highly effective strike from the sting of the realm bent again the unsure goalkeeper’s gloves to fly into the close to high nook on a Seydou Fini lay-off.
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This all of the sudden sprung Baldini’s group into life and Antonio Raimondo fired over from 10 yards on the half-volley after good work from Niccolò Pisilli, then Raimondo additionally stung the goalkeeper’s gloves moments later.
There isn’t any VAR at this degree, in any other case Balsa Mrvaljevic would’ve seen purple for his very excessive deal with on Brando Moruzzi on the 71st minute, fairly than simply the yellow.
Sassuolo midfielder Lipani had one other shot charged down, then Raimondo robbed Perovic and had his heels clipped within the field for a penalty. Burnley midfielder Koleosho stepped as much as convert and put Italy in entrance together with his first purpose at Below-21 degree.
Italy 2-1 Montenegro
A Kostic 3 (M), Lipani 52 (I), Koleosho pen 79 (I)
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Italy U21: Mascardi; Palestra, Marianucci, Chiarodia, Idrissi (Moruzzi 62); Pisilli (Dagasso 80), Lipani, Ndour; Fini (Pafundi 62), Raimondo (Ekhator 80), Koleosho (Cherubini 86)
Montenegro U21: Domazetovic; Vukovic, Malentijevic, Dakic, M Perovic; Vukanic (Jukovic 83), Miranovic; Knezevic (Mrvaljevic 52), Perisic, Dukanovic (Maras 83); A Kostic (Cetkovic 57)
Ref: Wolfensberger (SUI)