Italy Under-21s suffered their heaviest defeat in the Gigi Di Biagio era, falling 3-0 to Slovakia in a friendly with an experimental system.
Coach Di Biagio tested out a new 4-4-2 formation with centre-forwards Patrick Cutrone and Federico Bonazzoli leading the way rather than the usual 4-3-3.
The hosts took the lead somewhat against the run of play, as a Christian Herc slide-rule pass found Lukas Haraslin totally unmarked and his angled drive nutmegged Emil Audero at the near post.
Italy Under-21s suffered their heaviest defeat in the Gigi Di Biagio era, falling 3-0 to Slovakia in a friendly with an experimental system.
Coach Di Biagio tested out a new 4-4-2 formation with centre-forwards Patrick Cutrone and Federico Bonazzoli leading the way rather than the usual 4-3-3.
The hosts took the lead somewhat against the run of play, as a Christian Herc slide-rule pass found Lukas Haraslin totally unmarked and his angled drive nutmegged Emil Audero at the near post.
The Azzurrini fought back, Luca Valzania’s glancing header on a corner skimming the back stick, while Patrick Cutrone’s first touch let him down on a Manuel Locatelli assist.
Slovakia doubled their lead after the restart with a wonderful solo effort, as this time Haraslin ran on to a long ball down the left flank, cut back past a defender and smashed into the far bottom corner with his right foot.
Italy lost confidence rapidly and Empoli striker Samuel Mraz added a third, springing the offside trap on a through ball and again beating Sampdoria goalkeeper Audero under relatively little pressure.
Substitute Riccardo Orsolini was unlucky not to pull one back, as his ferocious angled drive cannoned off the inside of the far post, then Cutrone was unable to get on the end of a Luca Vido assist.
This was the third defeat of the Di Biagio era, the heaviest one, and a very bad way to start the campaign, even if it was a friendly. The tension showed for Udinese midfielder Rolando Mandragora, who was booked for clattering an opponent from behind and in a competitive fixture that would probably have been a straight red.
Slovakia 3-0 Italy
Haraslin 9, 49 (S), Mraz 56 (S)
Slovakia U21: Grief (Jakubech 46); Kadlec (Sulek 46), Vavro (Krizan 86), Hancko, Sipľak; Herc (Lesniak 79), Dimun (Kacer 46), Fábry (Benes 62); Jirka, Mráz (Vestenicky 62), Haraslín (Kostal 62)
Italy U21: Audero; Calabria (Adjapong 69), Mancini, Romagna, Pezzella (Dimarco 79); Parigini (Orsolini 58), Mandragora, Locatelli (Murgia 69), Valzania (Cassata 46); Cutrone (Cerri 79), Bonazzoli (Vido 58)
Ref: Karakó (HUN)