Italy Under-21s have qualified for the Under-21 European Championships with a 3-0 win over Andorra.
Luigi Di Biagio’s side went into tonight’s match in La Spezia knowing that three points would guarantee tham a place in next year’s tournament in Poland.
Valerio Verre thought he had opened the scoring after just two minutes, but the goal was disallowed for what looked like a tight offside decision.
The Andorrans held firm for the whole of the first half, but the deadlock was broken shortly after the break.
Italy Under-21s have qualified for the Under-21 European Championships with a 3-0 win over Andorra.
Luigi Di Biagio’s side went into tonight’s match in La Spezia knowing that three points would guarantee tham a place in next year’s tournament in Poland.
Valerio Verre thought he had opened the scoring after just two minutes, but the goal was disallowed for what looked like a tight offside decision.
The Andorrans held firm for the whole of the first half, but the deadlock was broken shortly after the break.
Andrea Conti’s cross found Genoa’s Federico Di Francesco in the box, and the 22-year-old volleyed the Azzurrini in front.
Di Francesco then doubled Italy’s lead with 15 minutes to play, backheeling home after another Conti cross.
Subsitute Lorenzo Pellegrini completed the scoring on 88 minutes, after a fantastic assist from Federico Ricci.
While that scoreline may have been closer than expected, Italy did have over 60 per cent possession and more than 20 shots.
Italy 3-0 Andorra
Di Francesco 48 73 (I) Pellegrini 88 (I)
Italy: Cragno; Conti, Caldara, Romagnoli, Murru; Benassi, Cataldi, Verre (Pellegrini, 74); Ricci, Cerri (Rossetti, 65); Di Francesco (Garritano)
Andorra: Silverio; De Pablos Sola (Sanchez, 72), Viladot, Garcia, Cervos; Reyes (Grau Semper, 90), Ferre, Calvino, Nazzaro (Fernandes, 61); Martinez, Matos