Italy’s Under-21 side earned a confident 2-1 friendly victory away to the European Championship hosts Poland, even though Alberto Cerri missed a penalty.
Gigi Di Biagio performed some experiments ahead of June’s European Under-21 Championships in Poland, including the debut at this level for Fiorentina talent Federico Chiesa in a 4-3-3 formation. He almost scored in the opening 120 seconds, just failing to connect with a Davide Calabria cross at the back post.
Italy’s Under-21 side earned a confident 2-1 friendly victory away to the European Championship hosts Poland, even though Alberto Cerri missed a penalty.
Gigi Di Biagio performed some experiments ahead of June’s European Under-21 Championships in Poland, including the debut at this level for Fiorentina talent Federico Chiesa in a 4-3-3 formation. He almost scored in the opening 120 seconds, just failing to connect with a Davide Calabria cross at the back post.
Lipski tested Pierluigi Gollini, while Domenico Berardi and Antonio Barreca efforts were charged down before Italy broke the deadlock.
Chiesa knocked down Berardi’s cross from the right for a spectacular left-footed Lorenzo Pellegrini volley, as two Sassuolo players combined with the aid of their Fiorentina friend.
Berardi is yet to score for club or country since a four-month lay-off with a knee injury, but he looked to be gaining in confidence with a double give-and-go before firing over the bar.
Poland equalised just before half-time thanks to Kownaki exchanging passes with Kapustka on the edge of the box, curling in past Gollini.
Cerri thought he had restored the advantage in stoppages, but he had strayed offside when meeting Berardi’s parried strike.
It didn’t take long after the restart to put the Azzurrini back in front, as Torino midfielder Marco Benassi unleashed a scorcher from a good 25 metres out into the far bottom corner.
Benassi tried again, this time punched away by the goalkeeper, and Federico Di Francesco earned a penalty when he was brought down by Kedziora. However, Cerri fired his spot-kick on to the upright.
Wrabel beat away an Alberto Grassi shot and Di Francesco’s follow-up was too weak, as Italy comfortably saw out their victory in Krakow.
Poland 1-2 Italy
Pellegrini 30 (I), Kownaki 43 (P), Benassi 50 (I)
Poland U21: Wrabel; Kedziora, Bednarek, Dawidowicz, Jaroszynski; Kubicki (Frankowski 54), Murawski; Kownacki (Buksa 68), Lipski (Niezgoda 82), Kapustka; Stepinski (Piatek 81)
Italy U21: Gollini; Calabria (Locatelli 62), Ferrari, Biraschi, Barreca (Masina 73); Cataldi (Mandragora 61), Benassi, Pellegrini (Grassi 85); Berardi (Ricci 61), Cerri (Favilli 74), Chiesa (Di Francesco 46)
Missed penalty: Cerri 64 (I)