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Liveblog: Venezuela vs. Italy

ByLorenzo Bettoni

Mar 21, 2024 20:00

Football Italia Live Blog
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01:00 That’s all folks!

This is it for tonight’s live coverage. We’ll be back in the morning – just a six-hour break – for more reactions and analysis and Serie A news. Have a good night!

01:00 Jorginho quotes

00:46 Gigio’s quotes

00:29 Retegui quotes

00:18 Spalletti’s post-match quotes

00:00 Match report

23:52 Full time!

Italy beat Venezuela 2-1. Retegui brace. Stay tuned for all the reactions from Fort Lauderdale.

23:50 Raspadori chance!

Great Barella move, but Raspa sends it over the bar from inside the box.

23:49 Added time

Three minutes.

23:46 Italy substitution

Raspadori for Retegui. Venezuela not giving up. They keep pressing the Azzurri.

23:39 Retegui again!

Jorginho wins the ball at the edge of the box: Perfect dribbling and perfect pass for Retegui. One touch, shot on target. Goal.

23:35 Zaniolo chance

The ex-Roma striker wins the ball, tries to score from distance and earns a corner kick. Good impact.

23:32 Zaniolo in

Cambiaso out, so it’s plain 4-3-3 now.

23:30 More problems with the build-up

This time, it’s a poor Zaccagni pass. Donnarumma clears the ball. Attacking throw-in for Venezuela. So many problems for Italy in the build-up today.

23:24 Three Italy subs

In: Pellegrini, Zaccagni, Jorginho
Out: Frattesi, Chiesa, Locatelli

23:22 Great Donnarumma save!

Cadiz goes one-on-one thanks to a long ball. Gigio doesn’t go down until the Venezuela striker shoots. Excellent save.

23:21 Double Venezuela substitution

Pereira for Savarino, Cadiz for Machis.

23:20 Great Barella impact

The Inter midfielder has already recovered the ball possession many times, and he is often running forward to help strikers. We missed him in the first half.

23:18 Chance for Buongiorno

Minute 59. Towering header from the Torino defender, but he sends the ball over the crossbar.

23:13 Tension on the pitch

It happened after a corner kick for Venezuela. Rondon and Gigio argued as the Venezuela striker tried to take the ball from Donnarumma’s hands. He then pushed Udogie away, upsetting the Azzurri. The players cleared the air after a few seconds.

23:04 Second half begins

Barella for Bonaventura confirmed. Italy seem to play with a 4-3-3 system.

23:00 Pics from Venezuela’s equaliser

And by the way, Nico Barella is warming up. Could take Bonaventura’s spot.

22:56 Some pics from the first half

22:47 End of the first half

HT Verdicts: The defence looks weak, especially on the right. We press better than we build up from the back. Retegui is moving well. One shot on target one goal. Chiesa must do more. Bonaventura played well but gifted the goal. Spalletti looked pretty disappointed.

22:44 Machis equaliser

You won’t believe it! Donnarumma dribbles Rondon inside the box, passes the ball to Bonaventura who gives it away quickly to avoid pressing from an opponent. Machis gets the ball and puts it inside an empty net. Unbelievable.

22:41 RETEGUI!

First shot on target, first goal. Italy win the ball high, Cambiaso’s pass for Retegui inside the box. Easy job. Minute 41

22:39 No shots on target yet.

Min. 38. Still no shots on target for the Azzurri.

22:36 Bonaventura earns free kick

Wide free kick from the left, a Venezuela defender deflects the ball with a header. Corner for Italy now.

22:33 Italy exposed on the right

Cambiaso and Di Lorenzo clearly struggling. Venezuela have just produced another cross from that side. Gigio has caught the ball.

22:27 Retegui wins another corner for Italy

Chance for the Azzurri from the corner. Possible handball from a Venezuela defender, but there’s no VAR. Waiting for a replay.

22:23 Spalletti unhappy

The Azzurri CT is shaking his head on the touchline. He isn’t happy with the defence, especially on the right flank.

22:20 What a chance for Venezuela

Too much space for the South Americans down the left flank. Machís pass for Rondon who slides to get the ball inside the box but doesn’t find the net.

22:18 Buongiorno’s foul and Gigio’s save

Throwback to minute 3

22:15 Chiesa close!

The best chance for the Azzurri so far. Curler from outside the box, the ball is inches wide.

22:13 Good moves in CM for Italy

More pace and intensity now, Italy keep the ball and press high when they lose possession.

22:11 Attacking foul, Venezuela free kick.

A quick reminder that there are no VAR and goal-line technology tonight.

22:10 Another corner for the Azzurri

22:09 Chiesa earns first corner kick for Italy

Udogie wins the ball in midfield, finds Fede inside the box, but his shot is deflected. Corner kick for the Azzurri.

22:08 Slow Azzurri

Build-up from the back is quite slow so far.

22:05 DONNARUMMA SAVES

Rondon error from the spot. Gigio saves on his left and Savarino sends the ball over the bar on the rebound.

22:03 Penalty for Venezuela!

Venezuela press high and win possession close to Italy’s box. Buongiorno foul. Clear penalty.

22:02 Kick-off!

22:00 Minute’s silence for Joe Barone

Fiorentina director Barone died on Tuesday, two days after suffering cardiac arrest.

21:57 National Anthems played now

21:42 Warm-up is over

21:33 Italy fans in

 

21:31 Let’s goo

21:17 Warm-up begins

21:16 The coach!

21:11 From the dressing room

Join us for all the build-up and action as it happens from Italy’s first international friendly in the USA against Venezuela.

It kicks off at 21:00 GMT at the Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.

Italy coach Luciano Spalletti has picked a three-man defence with Alessandro Buongiorno, Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Giorgio Scalvini, while Mateo Retegui starts as a centre-forward against the South Americans. Click here for confirmed line-ups.

Spalletti was appointed as Italy’s coach in September 2023 and has won three matches, drawn two and lost one, against England at Wembley Stadium.

It is Italy’s first game in the USA in 19 years. The last time was June 2005, when Marcello Lippi was in charge.

The Azzurri will play a second game in the US later this week, meeting Ecuador at the Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey, on Sunday, March 24.

Italy have qualified for Euro 2024 and will make their debut in the competition on June 15 against Albania.

ByLorenzo Bettoni

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