ROME (ITALPRESS) – Down to 10 men, Italy suffers a comeback by Belgium from 2-0 to 2-2 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on the third day of the Nations League, but still manages to retain the lone first place in the A2 group with a point ahead of France and three over Domenico Tedesco’s men, who came back into the game at the end of the first half with Pellegrini’s expulsion, after the Azzurri had found the double advantage with goals by Cambiaso and Retegui. Spalletti’s national team thus confirmed only for 40 minutes the excellent signs shown against France and Israel, but also managed to leave behind the problem of the approach to the match, manifested at the European Championships and in the past month. Against Albania and France the Azzurri conceded goals after one minute, but this time it is Spalletti’s men who end up after a few seconds on the scoreboard. The action of the lead is textbook and starts from a Retegui bank and develops on the feet of Pellegrini. Dimarco does the rest with a low cross for Cambiaso’s touch into the net. The fifth-to-fifth axis works, and at 24′ it is a change of play by the usual Dimarco for the author of the first goal that inspires the 2-0: Cambiaso arrives at the conclusion with his left, Casteels clears on the dive but can do nothing about Retegui’s winning tap-in. The game changed at 41′. An intervention by Pellegrini on Theate’s Achilles tendon was at first punished with yellow by referee Eskas, but Var analysis prompted the Norwegian match director to draw red for the Roma player. Within a minute Italy was down to 10 and conceding goals. Tielemans’ free kick scheme involved Trossard, who was good at cushioning the ball for De Cuyper’s powerful conclusion, which left Donnarumma no chance. In 62′, Belgium equalized again on a loose ball: on the development of a corner kick, Faes headed the ball into the back of the net for Trossard, who volleyed the ball past the Italian goalkeeper from two steps. In the last half hour there is room for a moviola episode (contact between Bastoni and Openda in the Azzurri area) and Pisilli’s Azzurri debut. The draw in the end leaves both teams with regrets. Italy will return to the field on Oct. 14 against Israel at the Friuli Stadium in Udine.- Photo Ipa Agency -(ITALPRESS).
