Euro 2024, Italy immediately knocked out: England go 2-1 to Maradona. Mancini: "We deserved an equal"

Euro 2024, Italy immediately knocked out: England go 2-1 to Maradona.  Mancini: "We deserved an equal"


The qualifying path for the 2024 European Championships begins uphill for Italy, defeated in the opening match of Group C by England. At the Diego Armando Maradona stadium in Naples it ended 2-1 for the selection of coach Gareth Southgate (in ten players since the 80th minute for Shaw's expulsion), who prevailed thanks to goals from Rice and Kane in the first half of the game, while Roberto Mancini's men need little help from the Italian-Argentinian Retegui's debut goal.

The Azzurri are therefore immediately called to react starting from Sunday evening, when the second match against Malta will be scheduled. The start of the Azzurri is intense and made up of a lot of aggression, but it is only a small flash in the pan. In fact, the English take control of the operations and in the 13th minute unlock the match: the signature is that of Rice who, in the fray following the development of a corner, makes the visitors 1-0 from a few paces away.

Southgate's team continues to dominate, Mancini's team fails to react and is forced to double up just before the break. From another corner, Di Lorenzo touches his arm in the area, the referee is recalled by the Var to the on-field review and assigns the penalty to England: Kane goes from 11 meters, displaces Donnarumma and signs the 2-0.

The second half
Upon returning from the changing rooms, Italy took the field with a different attitude and in the 56th minute got back on track with a goal from Retegui, who received from Pellegrini and struck Pickford with his right foot, rekindling the Maradona crowd. Mancini's team continues to press in search of an equaliser, but the Azzurri do not create other great scoring chances. In the final Shaw was sent off for a second yellow card in the English ranks, but the Three Lions national team defended itself tooth and nail putting a heavy result in their pocket.

Mancini: "We deserved a draw"
«We knew it was a difficult game, we conceded two goals from set pieces in the first half then dominated in the second and deserved to draw. We are sorry to start like this, but the road is long», says the blue coach Roberto Mancini. "In the second half we pressed better, we were taller and I must say that I saw a great Italy again," he adds. «They were always dangerous on set-pieces, the first goal was an inattention. The second on penalty. now we roll up our sleeves. It starts uphill but maybe we'll end up going downhill », he continues.

On Retegui's debut: «He spent three days with us, he needs to get to know his teammates and Italian football. It takes time. He had difficulties in the first half, the English defenders limited him. In the second half he moved better, but being so young he just needs time ».



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