Not very effective in front of goal and with some flaws in defense. There is a lot to work for the former blue coach. The next engagement is Tuesday with South Korea
If five years ago Roberto Mancini made his debut with a smile on the bench of the Italian national team by beating Saudi Arabia 2-1, this time for the former blue coach it is a debut to forget. In an already tense climate, inside a deserted St James’ Park and stormed outside by activists of the Newcastle Fans Against Sportswashing association for the protection of civil rights against the Riyadh government, Costa Rica wins 3-1 the friendly. A success that the Costa Ricans, coached by ex Inter Nelson Vivas, found thanks to the greater cynicism of the goal sills. Mancini’s team dominates in ball possession, demonstrating the new identity given by the new coach, but at the same time fails in the last pass, as well as making water in defence. Costa Rica, for its part, is much more physical and lethal on dead balls. He demonstrates it in the first two goals, which arrived in just over half an hour, first in the 12th minute with Calvo, then in the 32nd minute with Ugalde. In the midst of a lot of smoke and little roast from the Arabs, who grind the game without finding the centre-forward, somewhat the same problem that the coach has always had in managing his blues.
the knockout blow
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In the second half the rhythms pick up, the Saudis crush their opponents and reopen it in the 68th minute from a corner with Al Bulayhi: perfect header towards the center of the goal and Navas beaten. From there almost another match begins, with Arabia pressing on the accelerator and Costa Rica defending themselves with their nails. Mancini doesn’t trust the bench and makes only two changes: in the end the equalizer does not arrive, on the contrary, Vivas’ national team scores the knockout in the 89th minute with Leal. For Mancini, the defeat burns, also because his national team was given as favorite by the bookmakers. There are still many obstacles and Mancio knows that this is his most difficult mission in his career. In short, the fourth consecutive friendly knockout by the Saudis is not a good sign, both in view of November, when there will be qualifiers for the world cup, and in view of January with the Asian Cup. Saudi Arabia will be back on the field on Tuesday (18.30) against Klinsmann’s South Korea, again in Newcastle, the “home” of the Pif fund.
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