Ciro Immobile’s penalty was not enough, as Spain snatched a late 2-1 victory with Joselu, so Italy will play the Netherlands for the Nations League bronze medal.
The winners would face Croatia in Sunday’s Final, while the losing team fight for third place with hosts the Netherlands earlier that afternoon.
Both teams made big changes, as Alessandro Bastoni had flu, joining injured Domenico Berardi, Gianluca Scamacca and Under-21 players Sandro Tonali and Giorgio Scalvini, Roberto Mancini shifting to a 3-5-2 formation. This was only the third game for Luis De La Fuente, who missed Pedri, Nico Williams, Alejandro Balde and Juan Bernat, while Dani Olmo wasn’t fully fit, but gave Robin Le Normand his debut just days after gaining Spanish citizenship.
It was the worst possible start, as within three minutes Leonardo Bonucci was caught out by a Gavi high press on the edge of his own penalty area and gifted the goal to Yeremy Pino.
The Azzurri reacted and earned a penalty with the Nicolò Zaniolo volley charged down by a wayward Le Normand arm, converted calmly by Ciro Immobile.
Davide Frattesi thought he had put Italy in front on 21 minutes when nutmegging Unai Simon, but was narrowly offside on the Jorginho through ball.
Gavi just failed to get to a Jesus Navas cross and Gianluigi Donnarumma got down to parry an Alvaro Morata counter-attack, while Le Normand off balance just about managed to stop Zaniolo reaching the Nicolò Barella assist to go clear on goal and Immobile over-hit the pass for Barella.
Rafael Toloi blasted just over the bar before half-time. Federico Dimarco and Matteo Darmian came on for the restart, but Donnarumma had to make a fantastic reaction save on the cushioned Merino volley from point-blank range, scooping it out from the near top corner, with Morata firing the rebound wide.
Moments later, Donnarumma punched a free kick and was fortunate Rodri’s overhead kick was off target, while Darmian got back to block Morata’s effort.
Italy forced a huge save too, Simon flying to deny Frattesi on the Zaniolo cross from the left, while there was a crucial defensive interception to stop Giovanni Di Lorenzo meeting the Dimarco cross at the back post.
Jordi Alba pulled back from the by-line for Morata, with Acerbi ready to block the tap-in, but Spain restored a late lead with substitute Joselu. Rodri’s shot from outside the box was deflected into the path of Joselu, who was kept onside by Acerbi.
Spain 2-1 Italy
Yeremy Pino 3 (S), Immobile pen 11 (I), Joselu 88 (S)
Player statistic
| Yéremy Pino |  |
3' | ||
| 11' |  |
Ciro Immobile | ||
| 38' |  |
Ciro Immobile | ||
| Jordi Alba | |
45+1' |
| Gavi | |
57' | ||
| Álvaro Morata | |
83' | ||
| Joselu | |
88' | ||
| 90+3' | |
Nicolò Zaniolo |
Match statistic
LOL! With Zaniolo, you expect Italy to win?