Nations League, France-Italy 1-3, after a lightning goal the Azzurri score a hat-trick
Luciano Spalletti’s Italy is reborn at the Parc des Princes against France and overcomes the transalpines after 16 years. After a shocking start and a lightning goal conceded, the Azzurri scored a hat-trick against the transalpines for 1-3, giving them their first post-European Championship success at the start of the new Nations League. Deshamps’ team had taken the lead after just 14 seconds thanks to Barcola after a sensational mistake by Di Lorenzo, but then the reaction was immediate with Frattesi hitting the crossbar and Dimarco’s masterpiece equaliser after half an hour. In the second half, Frattesi and Raspadori, who came on for Pellegrini at the start of the second half, closed the account.
Spalletti’s men have thus earned the first 3 points in Group 2 of League A of the Nations League. The next match is on Monday 9 September against Israel, who are also coming off a 3-1 defeat against Belgium.
The Bleus started off strong and took the lead with Barcola who steals the ball by running to the left and then converges and beats Donnarumma with power. It is the fastest goal ever conceded by the Azzurri in their history, just 14 seconds. The previous record, 23”, was just three months old: the first match of the European Championship in Germany against Albania, with a goal by Bajrami. There was a risk of a defeat but this Italy seems different, on a technical and tactical level. In the 6th minute, the Azzurri immediately have a chance to equalise: Pellegrini from the left three-quarter line looks for Cambiaso at the far post, who from the byline crosses for Frattesi who carries it all alone in front and hits the crossbar with his head, then Retegui tries to dive on the rebound of the woodwork, but he doesn’t find the right coordination and the ball ends up high. However, Italy increases the intensity and takes control and equalizes in the 30th minute: Cambiaso from the right finds Dimarco on the left, who exchanges with Tonali who from the edge returns the ball into the area to the Inter player with a nice backheel, but then Dimarco is very good with a great volley to beat Maignan finding the high corner at the far post, for 1-1.
At the break Spalletti decides to change something and insert Raspadori in place of Pellegrini, bringing the formation back to 3-5-2 and in the 51st minute Italy doubled their lead. Frattesi launches pressure on Fofana who loses the ball, Raspadori advances to the edge and serves Retegui alongside him, who in turn serves Frattesi perfectly, who slides the ball first time past Maignan for 1-2. France tries to recover and advances in a somewhat confused way, with Italy ready to attack. In the 59th minute the Azzurri come very close to making it 3-1 with Frattesi’s header but Maignan parries it, with the Azzurri complaining about a penalty on the rebound for contact suffered by Calafiori after a save by Koné. In the 64th minute France takes the lead with Griezmann who from the left finds Dembélé in the area on the right, who had just come on, but the striker misses from a good position.
The Bleus push forward but are exposed to the Italian counterattack which scores again in the 74th minute: Cambiaso changes the game for Udogie who advances on the left and enters the area, serving the insertion of Raspadori, who catches the French defense off guard and sends the ball quickly past Maignan for the 1-3 Azzurri. In the 77th minute Griezmann tries to react, attempting a curling shot from the edge, just wide of the crossbar. Deshamps changes again and after the entries of the Roma player Konè and Dembele, Marchus Thuram, Zaire Emery and Koundé also enter. In the 86th minute France is still dangerous: action on the right by Mbappé who aims for Udogie and puts the ball in the middle, but Donnarumma touches the ball and then frees Di Lorenzo who closes the door, redeems himself, and gives the Azzurri the victory.
Italy, Spalletti, ‘on the pitch as a team, doubly good after France’s goal’
“France’s lightning goal? It was a bit of a key to the match, everyone reacted immediately, they tried to give strength and continuity to the team, and then they played the match we had to play, so doubly good”. This was what the Italian coach Luciano Spalletti said to Rai after the 3-1 victory over France at the Parc des Princes. “A feat? It’s never too much, there’s always the possibility of doing something better. What was important was to be on the pitch as a team, there’s so much tension that any situation can drive you mad. but then mental strength is doubly importantbecause the things that happen to you always come from your head.”
What has changed since the European Championships? “We have chosen a group of players who are always on the pitch, their physical condition is not that of the end of the championship, they are fresher, they are all doing a job correctly, we were lucky to find young guys who are eager to show their level. Desire is always the key to any success”.
“Tonali? He played a magnificent match. We were afraid he wouldn’t be able to play 90 minutes, but he gave two bursts of energy towards the end and went in front of the goal alone, we have found a very strong player”, concluded the Italian coach.
Italy, Dimarco: “It wasn’t easy to start again”
Federico Dimarco also intervened at the end of the match won 3-1 by Italy over France, scoring the equaliser. “It wasn’t easy to start again after a European Championship like this. But we played a great match and we needed this victory to lift the team’s morale. We were low, then we conceded a few shots to France, but we are happy both for the goals and for the performance. This victory has a lot of weight, it’s never easy to beat France, we have to continue like this”.
Donnarumma: “Italy, the secret to winning it? After conceding a goal…”
“We were good at reacting. What did I think after conceding a goal? It was tough, as I said we were good at staying there and staying focused”, the words of Gianluigi Donnarumma at the end of the match at the Parc des Princes won by Italy 3-1 over France. “It was fundamental to stay in the game and win it. – the PSG goalkeeper told Rai microphones – . We are all a bit used to playing with this module. The coach told us what we did wrong during the European Championship. We were smart in understanding what to do and we played a great game. Everyone helped, including the forwards who came back to lend a hand. And seeing all this made me smile again. Was I expecting it? I saw a right and different attitude during the week, a compact environment with a smile and a desire to work. The old smiles returned and this was incredible. It was complicated to get it back on its feet but in the end we did it”, concluded Donnarumma.
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