BRUSSELS (BELGIUM) (ITALPRESS) – Mission accomplished for Italy, which beats Belgium 1-0 in Brussels to win a pass to the Nations League quarterfinals. Coach Spalletti reintroduces the 3-5-1-1 with Retegui up front and especially with the debut of Rovella in the box; Di Lorenzo-Buongiorno-Bastoni the defensive line, with Cambiaso and Dimarco outside midfield. The Azzurri got off to a storming start, with Frattesi finding the first shot after a few minutes that engaged Casteels. The Inter midfielder is the protagonist in the 11th minute with a recovered ball in the opponent’s three-quarter that allows Di Lorenzo and Barella to complete the triangulation that then paves the way for Tonali’s tap-in on an empty goal from a few steps for 0-1. Italy is compact at the back, leaving no space for Belgium, which was absolutely annihilated in the first half, and proactive going close to doubling the score at the end of the half with an action similar to the one that led to the goal: this time, however, Tonali is closed down by Debast. The hosts re-entered the field better in the second half, finding several times the shot from the middle distance with Engels, Debast and Trossard, but the clearest chance was at the feet of Retegui, who sprinted deep but was stopped by an excellent save by Casteels. The moment was favorable for the Azzurri, who again came close to doubling the score first with a scramble on Buongiorno’s tower, and then on a close-range header by Di Lorenzo that ended high. In the last quarter of an hour, after a chance slipped through due to a misunderstanding between Cambiaso and Kean, Belgium came close to equalizing on three occasions: twice with Lukaku, first with a header on a cross from Castagne slightly deflected by Bastoni, and then with a left-footed shot deflected by Buongiorno; Faes also came close to scoring, hitting the post with a spizzata on a free kick, one of the few situations in which Italy continued to suffer a bit. But Spalletti’s men managed excellently in the final, preserving the invaluable result. On Sunday the last match of this first phase at San Siro against France, which puts the first place in the group up for grabs.
– photo Ipa Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
Italy wins in Belgium and clinches Nations League quarterfinals
