Mateo Retegui found the net for the second time in as many games, with Matteo Pessina also making history in Italy’s largely comfortable 2-0 victory in Malta.
The Azzurri suffered a 2-1 home defeat to England, their first defeat in European Championship qualifiers since 2006, so the pressure was on to get a result at the National Stadium in Ta’Qali. Roberto Mancini made eight changes, losing Nicolò Barella, Leonardo Bonucci and Lorenzo Pellegrini, bringing in the likes of Matteo Politano, Wilfried Gnonto, Sandro Tonali and Alessio Romagnoli. Malta, coached by former Chievo midfielder Michele Marcolini, started their campaign with a 2-1 loss in North Macedonia, but lost star man Teddy Teuma to injury.
Captain Gianluigi Donnarumma had to make a great save in the opening five minutes, fingertipping over the line from Alexander Satariano’s half-volley after an inspired Joseph Mbong pass.
Alessio Romagnoli saw his snapshot pushed over the bar after a period of pressure and Italy scored on the resulting corner, Sandro Tonali finding Retegui for a powerful header from six yards. It was the Argentina-born striker’s second goal in as many caps.
Pessina also saw a back-heel flick charged down, but there was bad news when Wilfried Gnonto limped off with a sprained ankle.
The Azzurri doubled their lead when Emerson Palmieri pulled a ball across the six-yard box from the left, it took deflections off Tonali and a Malta player before Pessina got the tap-in. It was the first ever senior Italy goal scored by a Monza player.
Moments later, there was a save on Vincenzo Grifo, who then couldn’t fire in the rebound under pressure from Mbong, but not considered enough for a penalty.
Politano had penalty appeals waved away in first half stoppages for a nudge from Juan Corbolan, as the referee seemed to be waiting for VAR to make any tough decisions.
Inter’s Matteo Darmian came on for the second half, his first Italy appearance since the doomed World Cup play-off with Sweden in November 2017.
Retegui threatened another goal within seconds of the restart, firing over after an awkwardly-bouncing Emerson assist, then nodded over from a corner.
Emerson had to make an almost accidental clearance on a chaotic Malta corner and Bryan Cristante tested the goalkeeper from distance, but Henry Bonello needed a tough save on the acrobatic Gianluca Scamacca overhead kick from a corner.
Emerson made a decisive block on Mbong after a smart Yannick Yankam pass freed him up for the shot from eight yards and Scamacca fired over from a promising position.
Malta 0-2 Italy
Retegui 15 (I), Pessina 27 (I)
Player statistic
| 15' |  |
Mateo Retegui (Assist: Sandro Tonali) | ||
| 27' | |
Matteo Pessina (Assist: Sandro Tonali) | ||
| 36' |  |
Giovanni Di Lorenzo |
| 54' | |
Giorgio Scalvini |
Match statistic
