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Italy v Serbia - UEFA European Under-19 Championship 2026 Group BGetty Images Sport
Emanuele Tramacere
Translated by

Italy Under-21 are a spectacle! 6-2 against Poland and they qualify for the final stage of the European Championship

Italy U21
Italy
Italy U21 vs Poland U21
Poland U21
EURO U21 Qualification

Italy win the decisive clash with Poland and book their place in the final stage of the Under-21 European Championship.

Italy Under-21 needed to win by at least two goals, and they did far more than that against Poland in the head-to-head decider that brought Group E qualifying for the next European Championship to a close . They dominated, ran riot and saw Silvio Baldini seal a place in the final stage of the tournament, which will guarantee three places for the next Olympics.


The Azzurrini won 6-2, avenging the 2-1 away defeat from the first meeting and finishing above their Polish counterparts not just on the night but at the top of the group. Baldini left out Camarda and trusted Cisse as a false nine, and it worked because Liberali, Koleosho and above all Ndour attacked the spaces left by the AC Milan playmaker brilliantly. The first supplied assists, the second opened the scoring in the 16th minute and the third grabbed a brace, the first with a header and the second with a right-footed effort from over 70 metres!

Ndour's double settled an Italy side who had no interest in stopping, and there was still time for changes and more goals such as Lipani’s, after Koleosho’s excellent high regain, and Fini’s, which came straight after Mikolajevski’s 4-1. Late on, the pattern repeated itself. Baldini told his players not to stop and not to manage the game, so after Zewlakov made it 5-2 for the time being, Cherubini wrapped up the final 6-2 a minute later.


That result sends Italy above Poland into first place in the group and straight through to the final stage of the Under-21 European Championship, which will be played in Serbia and Albania in the summer of 2027. Poland, meanwhile, must wait for the other results to find out whether they will go into the play-offs.


ITALY U21 - POLAND U21 6-2

SCORERS: 16' Koleosho (I), 27' Ndour (I), 55' Ndour (I), 59' Lipani (I) 65' Mikolajewski (P), 67' Fini (I), 85' Zewlakow (P), 87' Cherubini (I)


  • Goals and key incidents

    94' CHANCE - Pisilli wins the ball and drives into the box, but instead of squaring it to the completely unmarked Camarda, he goes for goal. His effort takes a deflection and goes behind for a corner.


    87' GOAL - Is it all over? No, because Cherubini wants his name on the scoresheet too in this wild match. The former Roma player cuts in from the left on to his right and unleashes a fierce curling shot that flies in at the far post.


    85' GOAL -Italy fail to manage the game and try to strike again, but Poland keep coming and pull another one back. This time Zewlakov produces a brilliant piece of play, smashing a superb long-range strike into the top corner.


    67' GOAL - Italy barely have time to think about a possible comeback before restoring their four-goal lead. Fini bursts forward, cuts back on to his left, feints to shoot twice to send the Polish defenders to ground and then beats Lubik at the near post for 5-1.


    65' GOAL - A defensive misread from the Azzurrini leaves them exposed to a Polish counter for the first time. Mikolajevski meets Drachal's cross in the box and beats Palmisani.


    59' GOAL - Koleosho does well to win the ball high up the pitch as Poland try to build from the back, then plays a vertical pass for Lipani, who beats Lubik from two yards out.


    55' GOAL - Stupendous Cher Ndour! The Fiorentina midfielder wins the ball back in front of his own defence and, from Italy's defensive third, spots the Polish goalkeeper well off his line and tries to catch him out. A powerful right-footed shot from over 70 metres beats Lubik and ends up in the goal.


    37' POST - Liberali is causing havoc again down the right. He cuts inside on to his left after getting past Ede, then sees his low left-footed shot towards the far post fortuitously deflected by Gurgul on to the post.


    27' GOAL - Italy take the corner short and play Liberali in by the byline on the right. He clips a floated cross into the middle of the box and this time Ndour makes no mistake, powering a header into the corner for 2-0.


    16' GOAL - Liberali sparks the move down the right, cutting inside on to his left, exchanging a quick pass with Ahanor and then hitting a powerful left-footed strike. The defence clear without getting the ball out of the area and it drops to Koleosho, who sets himself well and fires under the bar for 1-0.


    8' CHANCE - Another headed chance, another superb save from Lubik. Bartesaghi swings in a deep cross from the left and picks out Pisilli's run into the box. The Rome midfielder places his header well, but the Polish goalkeeper flies across to keep it out.


    1' CHANCE - Italy create the first big chance of the match straight away. Liberali breaks free down the right and crosses into the middle, where Cher Ndour arrives with perfect timing. He rises and heads at goal, but it stays too central and makes Lubik's instinctive save easier. From the rebound, Bartesaghi hits a powerful left-footed shot, but it goes over.


    0' Kick-off at 18:15 at the Adriatico stadium in Pescara


    HERE STATS, INFO AND MINUTE-BY-MINUTE COMMENTARY

  • Under-21, Italy-Poland: probable line-ups and the match sheet

    Italy Under-21s 6-2 Poland Under-21s


    Scorers: 16' Koleosho (I), 27' Ndour (I), 54' Ndour (I), 59' Lipani (I), 65' Mikolajewski (P), 66' Fini (I), 85' Zewlakow (P), 86' Cherubini (I)


    ITALY (4-3-3): Palmisani; Ahanor, Comuzzo, Chiarodia, Barteasaghi: Pisilli, Faticanti (56' Lipani), Ndour; Liberali (56' Fini), Cisse (62' Camarda), Koleosho (79' Cherubini). 

    Subs not used: Daffara, Calvani, Berti, Moruzzi, Lulli.

    Manager: Baldini.


    POLAND (4-2-3-1): Lubik; Krajewski, Monka, Ede, Gurgul; Kowalczyk (72' Duda), Kocaba (65' Oyedele); Urbanski (56' Zewlakow), Mazurek, Pienko (56' Drachal), Bak (46' Mikolajewski). 

    Subs not used: Zych, Drapinski, Matysik.

    Manager: Brzeczek.


    Referee: Badstubner (GER)

    Booked: Palmisani

    Sent off: -

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