Tonali a gladiator, Cambiaso-Dimarco tricolor arrows: this is how Spalletti’s Italy returns to flying after Euro 2024
Italy passes the litmus test: after the good victory in France in September (followed by the one against Israel), the Azzurri play an excellent match against Belgium: ends 2-2 after going 2-0 ahead, running, fighting, entertaining the crowd and dominating against the Red Devils until the game was 11 against 11 (Lorenzo Pellegrini’s expulsion in the 40th minute of the first half). Luciano Spalletti and his boys have definitively left behind the disappointment of Euro 2024 (with the harsh elimination of Switzerland in the round of 16) and are looking to the future with confidence and enthusiasm.
The midfield works well, despite the absence of a big player of the caliber of Barella: Sandro Tonali is a leader who fights in every area of the pitch, Frattesi gives dynamism and insertions, Ricci play with your head held high with quality.
Italy flies for a long time on the flanks with Cambiaso on the right (apart from the goal he is brilliant in the first half when we are equal in numbers) and Dimarco on the left (assist to the kiss on the net by the Juventus winger, great play that opens the field for the doubling).
Without forgetting a Retegui in a state of grace up front (cool in front of goal and precious in his play on the bank). Excellent signs in view of the second round of the Nations League (we must beat Israel on Monday to secure passage to the round) and above all with the World Cup groups that will start in 2025: no mistakes are allowed, Italy wants to be present and protagonist in the 2026 World Cup which will be played in the USA, Mexico and Canada.
Italy-Belgium 2-2, Spalletti, ‘episodes change the matches but the team has confirmed itself’
“There are some episodes that change the games. Sometimes there are matches that are decided not by the football played and the tactics. However, we saw the team doing well on the pitch, as in the previous two matches. We had to confirm ourselves and we did it.” Thus the Italian coach Luciano Spalletti, speaking on Rai Sport, after the 2-2 draw with Belgium in the Nations League. “They have quality in wide spaces and have top-level players top in one-on-ones – adds the coach -. You have to do doubles which force the team to lower itself. From the point of view of the game we didn’t suffer much, but only on the set piece incidents.”
Italy-Belgium 2-2, Cambiaso: “We deserved something more”
“We have done many good things, we always look at the glass half full – explained the blue winger -. I’m very happy with the goal, at first I didn’t even believe it because I immediately turned to see if it was offside or not”, the words of Andrea Cambiaso to the Rai microphones. “It’s a shame about the point, perhaps we deserved something more because also ten of us sacrificed ourselves – underlines the Juventus winger who scored the first Italian goal -. But let’s move on.”
Italy-Belgium 2-2, Dimarco: “Great match even after the sending off”
“Football is like that, you live by episodes. We were unlucky on that episode, defending 60 minutes against Belgium it wasn’t easy and we’re keeping the draw which is an important result – explained the Italy and Inter winger -. We played a great game, up until the sending off but also after. I saw availability from everyone, this is the spirit that must carry us forward”
Italy-Belgium 2-2, Tonali: “In the first 40 minutes we had fun, then suffering but we finished the match with our heads held high”
“It was a positive match, red is part of football and we have to accept everything – the words of Sandro Tonali after the 2-2 draw between Italy and Belgium -. We showed that we knew how to play, it was difficult to reconfirm ourselves because it was what everyone expected and we proved that we are a team in the first 40 minutes. We accept that after a red card the match could change, also because they immediately scored, but for an hour we held firm against a really tough opponent”, explains the Newcastle midfielder to Rai microphones. “In the first 40 minutes there was also fun on the pitch and that’s what we’ve been missing in the last year. It’s what we like most – concluded Tonali -. Then this fun became suffering, but we remained united and compact and managed to finish the race with our heads held high.”
Cambiaso and Retegui launch Italy, then red to Pellegrini and Belgium reach it at 2-2
Draw with regrets for Italy in the Nations League. After two victories in Group 2 of League A, the Azzurri slowed down against Belgium by drawing 2-2 at the Olympic stadium in Rome. An overwhelming start for the hosts who found the double advantage with Cambiaso in the 1st minute and Retegui in the 24th minute, then Pellegrini was sent off in the 40th minute for a foul on Theate and the game changed. De Cuyper shortens in the 42nd minute and Trossard equalizes in the 62nd minute. In the other match of the group, France defeated Israel 4-1 on a neutral pitch in Budapest. In the standings, Spalletti’s boys still remain first at 7, followed by the Transalpines at 6, the Red Devils at 4 and Israel at zero. Italy hosts Israel in Udine on Monday, while France visits Belgium in Brussels.
Ready to go and at the first lunge Italy takes the lead with a nice move put together by Tonali with Dimarco who goes away on the left and puts in a tense cross to the far post where Cambiaso arrives and puts it in in two halves: 1- 0. First goal in a blue shirt for the Juventus winger. In the 6th minute, the hosts were once again dangerous: Frattesi introduced, Casteels late on the exit, cross from the midfielder, with the visiting defense clearing in the corner. In the 7th minute another good vertical move by the Azzurri, Frattesi and Tonali both on the ball on the edge of the area, the first kicks but the conclusion ends up high.
In the 17th minute Pellegrini works a good ball into the midfield then tries to put Dimarco on goal but the ball is slightly long. In the 19th minute we see the Belgians for the first time with Doku coming back on the left and shooting, the ball deflected into a corner. In the 24th minute they doubled their lead with a beautiful move: the Azzurri set up from the left, Dimarco switched sides on first intention for Cambiaso who centralized and kicked, Casteels didn’t hold back, Retegui arrived and scored the goal to make it 2-0. In the 31st minute, Italy is overwhelming on the sidelines, yet another cross from Dimarco, Frattesi tries to dive with his head with the ball going wide. In the 40th minute, a red card for Pellegrini for a late foul on Theate. The red devils took advantage immediately and closed the gap in the 42nd minute. Free kick scheme with the ball placed for De Cuyper who finds the bottom corner and beats Donnarumma.
After the break we start again without changes. In the 3rd minute, Italy is still in transition with Frattesi taking a shot from Bastoni, finishing from the edge and putting the ball over the crossbar. In the 8th minute, Belgium was dangerous with a shot by Mangala from the edge of the area: Bastoni was providential and managed to deflect the shot. In the 16th minute Belgium equalized with Trossard. From the development of a corner Faes puts it in the middle for the Arsenal striker who beats Donnarumma.
In the 18th minute the guests were again on the attack with Bastoni decisive to close on Openda. At 23′ triple change for Tedesco: Castagne, Lukebakio and Wranckx come on, Mangala, De Ketelaere and Theate come out. In the 25th minute Spalletti responds by introducing Fagioli and Udogie for Ricci and Dimarco. In the 27th minute, Belgium was close to overtaking, a shot by De Cuyper, Openda put his foot there, effectively wrong-footing Donnarumma but the ball went just wide.
In the 33rd minute there was a thrill for the 40,000 at the Olimpico. Italy loses a dangerous ball in midfield, Belgium restarts with Lukebakio who tries a curling shot, the ball goes over the crossbar. At 35′ another double change for the Azzurri: Raspadori and Pisilli come on, Retegui and Tonali come out. In the 42nd minute Tedesco runs out of substitutions, bringing on Ngonge and Fofana for Openda and Doku. Two minutes after the last substitution with Bellanova for Frattesi. In the six minutes of injury time, only the warning to Donnarumma for wasting time should be noted.
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