Lazio teammates Danilo Cataldi and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic scored in an impressive 1-1 European Under-21 Championship qualifier.
This was a top of the table clash in Group 2 between the only sides with a 100 per cent record after three games. Serbia included many starlets who won the Under-20 World Cup, including Lazio midfielder Milinkovic-Savic, while Federico Bernardeschi was ruled out by suspension.
Lazio teammates Danilo Cataldi and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic scored in an impressive 1-1 European Under-21 Championship qualifier.
This was a top of the table clash in Group 2 between the only sides with a 100 per cent record after three games. Serbia included many starlets who won the Under-20 World Cup, including Lazio midfielder Milinkovic-Savic, while Federico Bernardeschi was ruled out by suspension.
Domenico Berardi returned to Under-21 duty after having to miss out on the senior squad due to injury and missed a golden opportunity after eight minutes, firing wide when springing the offside trap.
Rolando Mandragora had another great chance charged down in the box by Vukasin Jovanovic and Kingsley Boateng drilled wide from a disguised Berardi assist.
Serbia’s first genuine attempt was an acrobatic Ognjen Ozegovic overhead kick well over after 31 minutes, then Daniele Rugani proved the entire campaign on the Juventus bench hasn’t rusted his reflexes, as he charged down another Ozegovic strike. Jovanovic was booked for what could only be described as a rugby tackle to stop Alberto Cerri’s counter-attack.
The first Serbian shot on target came on 37 minutes, as Aleksandar Cavric was found unmarked at the back post, forcing a splendid save from Alessio Cragno. On the resulting corner, the Cagliari goalkeeper was again decisive, but Berardi then failed to make the most of a Boris Radunovic error at the other end.
Italy were made to pay for all those wasted opportunities, as straight after the restart Serbia took the lead. Lazio wide man Milinkovic-Savic scored with what was either a genius shot from the right flank or a completely misplaced cross that surprised Cragno into the far top corner. That was the first goal the Azzurrini had conceded in this group.
Antonio Barreca missed an absolute sitter, but the all-Lazio affair was completed by Cataldi smashing in the equaliser when a corner fell to him on the edge of the box.
Cragno flapped at a cross and Alessio Romagnoli performed practically a goal-line clearance on Milan Gajic, but the final stages were very even, albeit ill-tempered.
Serbia 1-1 Italy
Scorers: Milinkovic-Savic 47 (S), Cataldi 56 (I)
Serbia U21: Radunovic; Gajic, V Jovanovic, Veljkovic, Antonov; Grujic, Zdjelar, Maksimovic (Lukovic 62), S Milinkovic-Savic; Cavric (Saponjic 89), Ozegovic (Jovic 75)
Italy U21: Cragno; Conti, Romagnoli, Rugani, Barreca; Cataldi, Mandragora, Benassi, Berardi; Boateng (Garritano 62), Cerri (Piu 74)
Ref: Avram (ROU)