Italy beat Switzerland 3-2 and made up for the defeat in the opening match against France. In the match at the Cluj Arena, the Azzurrini started brilliantly and within 11 minutes they were up by two goals, scored by Pirola and Gnonto. After going two-nil up, the opponents grew into the game but Carnesecchi was alert and snuffed out any chances. At the end of the first half, Parisi scored the third goal, but at the beginning of the second half, Switzerland got it back to 2-3 through Imeri and Amdouni, causing Italy a lot of trouble. In the final 20 minutes, Males and Bellanova (awarded MVP) both missed very good chances for their respective nations, and Italy held on until the final whistle. Now Italy - on three points - have everything to play for in the final and decisive match against Norway, scheduled for Wednesday June 28 at 20:45 CEST.

In the match at the Cluj Arena, Italy got off to a great start and went ahead after just six minutes: Tonali's effort fell to Pirola, who beat Saipi at the back post. It was the first goal in this competition for the Salernitana centre-back, who had not scored for the Under 21s since September 2021 against Luxembourg - on that occasion, too, the assist came from Tonali. The last defender to score a goal for Italy in an Under 21s European Championship game before him was Giorgio Chiellini (17 June 2007, against the Czech Republic). The Azzurrini's fast start continued, and in the 11th minute they find the second: a quick run by Bellanova on the right side and a cross into the middle to Gnonto, who, after a first effort was saved by the Swiss goalkeeper, managed to bundle it home.

 

 

After the early double, however, Italy slowed down and Switzerland tried to take advantage first through Rieder and then through Imeri, but Carnesecchi was ready and stopped both efforts. At the end of the first half, the Italian offensive department became operative again, and after having come close to scoring the third goal through Gnonto's marvellous right-footed shot (a miraculous save from Saipi), Parisi took advantage of Blum's mistake and slotted home coolly..

 

 

At the beginning of the second half, the balance of the first half was turned around and Switzerland made it 2-3 within seven minutes: on the 47th minute, Imeri scored after Okoli's failed clearance and Cancellieri's unlucky slip (Pellegri came on after the interval), who collected the ball on the edge of the area and, with a right-footed shot into the top corner, found a way Carnesecchi. In the 52nd minute Amdouni was on target: a long ball from Rieder, the team-mate shrugged off Okoli and Parisi and beat a helpless Carnesecchi with his left-footed shot. The Azzurrini started to panic and in the following minutes almost conceded a penalty kick for a foul from Bove on Amdouni, which was not given by referee Al-Hakim. As in the first half, however, there was a reaction and in the 61st minute made a good stop from a powerful header from by Scalvini. Even better, on 64', was the chance missed by Bellanova: the Inter full-back carried the ball on the right, dribbled past the last Swiss defender and, shot over with just the keeper to beat, without noticing Cancellieri all alone to his left. In the 74th minute, Italy got away with one: a very fast counter-attack on the right, sent through Males, who put his left-footed effort wide of the far post while one-on-one. In the final minutes, in spite of the changes made by the two coaches, the pace slowed down and, as the final whistle went, there was a big sigh of relief for Italy who held on for the 3-2 win in their second match of Group D, replacing Rahmen's side at the top of the group with France (who face Norway in the evening). The Azzurrini overcome the Swiss thanks to the goals of Pirola, Gnonto and Parisi (the latter getting his first goal for the U21 national side).

 

 

MATCH DETAILS SWITZERLAND 2-3 ITALY

 

GOALSCORERS: 6’ Pirola (I), 11’ Gnonto (I), 45’+4’ Parisi (I), 47’ Imeri (S), 52’ Amdouni (S)

 

SWITZERLAND (4-1-4-1): Saipi; Blum (46’ Males), Stergiou, Burch (86’ Vouilloz), Omeragic; Sohm; Imeri (86’ Von Moos), Rieder, Jashari, Ndoye (92' Stojilkovic); Amdouni. Coach: Patrick Rahmen.

 

ITALY (3-5-2): Carnesecchi; Okoli, Pirola (72’ Lovato), Scalvini; Bellanova, Tonali, Rovella (71’ Ricci), Bove, Parisi; Pellegri (46’ Cancellieri, 92’ Cambiaghi), Gnonto (71’ Colombo). Coach: Paolo Nicolato.

 

 

REFEREE: Al-Hakim (SVE)

 

ASSISTANTS: Klyver (SVE), Wilde (SVE), IV Chivulete (ROM)

 

CARDS: Pellegri (I), Sohm (S), Blum (S) booked

 

Fixtures, results and standings of Group D

 

First matchday (22 June)

Norway 1-2 Switzerland

France 2-1 ITALY

 

Second matchday (25 June)

18:00 CEST: Switzerland 2-3 ITALY 

20:45 CEST: Norway v France (Constantin Radulescu Stadium, Cluj-Napoca)

Standings: Francia 3, Switzerland 3, Italy 3, Norway 0

 

Third matchday (28 June)

20:45 CEST: Switzerland v France (Constantin Radulescu Stadium, Cluj-Napoca)

20:45 CEST: ITALY v Norway (Cluj Arena, Cluj-Napoca)