It was supposed to be just a friendly, albeit an important one. It was supposed to be a high-level test match for both Carmine Nunziata’s Italy Under-20s and their English counterparts. Instead, at the Riano Athletic Centre, in the stadium of the training ground on the outskirts of Rome, the match turned into a real spectacle, with the Azzurrini completing a comeback from 0-3 to 3-3, showcasing the talents of players such as Rao (Bari, on loan from Napoli), Lavelli (Inter) and Vavassori (Atalanta), who are set to make a name for themselves in our domestic leagues too.
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Italy got off to a good start with Rao looking dangerous, but it was England who took the lead: Ndala played in Watson, who beat Martinelli from the edge of the box into the far corner. The Azzurrini were reeling, but in the 37th minute they had a chance to get back into the game when Lavelli won a penalty, only to see it saved by Herrick. The mistake proves costly and, just before half-time, Italy concede again as Watson heads home from a Pinto cross. At the start of the second half, Italy come out with more energy, but within two minutes, between the 56th and 58th, first Proctor pulls off a miraculous save from Rao and then Heaven rises highest from a corner to head home and make it 3-0, seemingly sealing the match. It seemed, of course, because Italy never gives up and slowly fought their way back: in the 65th minute, Vavassori hit the post; in the 66th, Lavelli’s goal redeemed his penalty miss with a sharp dribble and a shot into the corner, breathing new life into a match that seemed lost. In the 72nd minute, another Inter-trained talent, Stabile, scores with a backheel in a scramble following a corner to make it 3-2, and in the closing stages, after England hit the woodwork, another backheel goal arrives, this time from Vavassori, sealing the Azzurrini’s sensational comeback.
MATCH REPORT
Italy U20 – England U20 3–3
Goalscorers: 15′ Watson (Eng), 45+1′ Watson (Eng), 58′ Heaven (Eng), 66′ Lavelli (Ita), 72′ Stabile (Ita), 89′ Vavassori (Ita)
Italy: Martinelli (46′ Siviero); Bakoune (67′ Aidoo), Corradi (59′ Postiglione), Stabile (81′ Mirra), Cama (81′ Romani); Di Maggio (59′ Di Nunzio), Rispoli, Nuamah (46′ Ciammaglichella); Vavassori, Rao (59′ Cassa); Lavelli.
Manager: Carmine Nunziata.
England: Herrick; Pinto, Meghoma, Morgan K., Heaven, Abbott, Young, Olusesi, Morgan J.J., Watson, Ndala.
Manager: Neil Ryan.
Referee: Bonacina (ITA)
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