Sandro Tonali’s first ever purpose for Italy proved sufficient to beat Belgium in Brussels and assure their place within the Nations League quarter-final.
The Azzurri have been main comfortably 2-0 when these sides met final month, however Lorenzo Pellegrini’s crimson card . Pellegrini was suspended, with Samuele Ricci and Riccardo Calafiori injured, however Nicolò Rovella made his debut with Nicolò Barella returning for the primary time since EURO 2024 in a brand new, extra superior function. Charles De Ketelaere, Kevin De Bruyne, Jeremy Doku, Malick Fofana and Joaquin Seys, however Napoli striker Lukaku was again in motion and so they shifted to a 3-5-2 formation.
Italy dominated possession from the beginning and virtually walked the ball into the web for the opening purpose. Giovanni Di Lorenzo accomplished a give and go along with Barella’s dinked move excessive, pulling again from the best for Tonali to faucet in undisturbed from 5 yards. Not solely was it his first purpose for Italy on the twentieth cap, however he hadn’t discovered the web since August 2023 for Newcastle United.
Timothy Castagne intercepted the harmful David Frattesi roll throughout for Federico Dimarco, whereas Tonali was crowded out after one other well-worked crew transfer down the best between Frattesi and Di Lorenzo.
After the restart, Engels and Leandro Trossard blasted over from the sting of the field, whereas Gianluigi Donnarumma plucked a long-range Zeno Debast strike out of the air.
Mateo Retegui was despatched clear by a Frattesi by means of ball, denied by the determined Casteels one-handed save on the close to publish. On the ensuing nook, Di Lorenzo, Retegui and Frattesi all had makes an attempt charged down in a mad scramble within the six-yard field.
Moments later, Donnarumma was additionally known as into motion on Trossard’s volley from the sting of the world, getting right down to push it around the upright.
Lois Openda pounced on a poor Frattesi back-pass to pressure Donnarumma right into a save together with his legs at Italy’s close to publish.
Donnarumma punched an in-swinging Maxim De Cuyper nook out from beneath the bar, however Andrea Cambiaso and substitute Moise Kean each went for a similar Di Lorenzo pull-back and bought in one another’s manner.
Lukaku had an enormous alternative on 79 minutes with a glancing header simply broad on the deflected cross from the best.
Di Lorenzo additionally threw himself in the way in which of a Lukaku end and on the ensuing nook, the Wout Faes backwards header was flicked onto the upright on 83 minutes.
Belgium 0-1 Italy
Tonali 11 (I)
