Italy are out of the European Under-21 Championship after a dismal 1-0 defeat to Norway, as Switzerland scrape through on goal difference in the head-to-head record.
France topped the group, leaving the other three all on three points and Switzerland leading that mini-league on goal difference.
The Azzurrini lost the opener to France in controversial circumstances and beat Switzerland 3-2, so the group was wide open going into the final games. Samuele Ricci and Matteo Lovato stepped into the starting XI, keeping Wilfried Gnonto upfront. Norway included Salernitana striker Erik Botheim and Sassuolo winger Emil Ceide.
Pietro Pellegri got it all wrong with a header on Nicolò Rovella’s cross after good work from Gnonto, but the Leeds winger nodded wide and then wasted a good opportunity trying to get it onto his right boot.
Rovella got back and made a decisive interception with Ceide ready to sweep in relatively undisturbed from eight yards.
Samuele Ricci’s volley was deflected for a corner when the goalkeeper seemed to be beaten, while Pellegri and Hove had efforts well wide.
Sandro Tonali got a glancing header to another Bellanova cross, forcing a fingertip save with Gnonto diving in behind him for the rebound.
Raoul Bellanova and Rovella blasted over from promising positions, but Evjen was closer, forcing Marco Carnesecchi into the first real save of the game on 55 minutes, at full stretch to fingertip it round the far post.
Gnonto hit the side-netting after a strong run from midfield and Caleb Okoli got in the way of a Nusa strike, but Italy had been again losing intensity in the second half, as they did in all their games in this group.
Norway made the most of it, as Nusa got past Ricci down the right and pulled it back, a lucky ricochet fell to Salernitana striker Botheim, who was ready to scuff the finish from eight yards.
With France leading Switzerland, this would eliminate Italy on goal difference in the head-to-head records with three teams all on three points. Nicolò Cambiaghi had a finish charged down and blasted another over the bar on the counter-attack.
Italy somehow failed to score an extraordinary chance on 81 minutes, as Matteo Cancellieri flicked on the Tonali corner and Cambiaghi came sliding in at the back post, deflecting it onto the crossbar with his stomach.
Hove then threatened moments later to double Norway’s lead on the counter, while Carnesecchi made a tough save on Nusa’s powerful strike at the near top corner from eight yards.
Italy still created the chances, but there was nobody ready to meet Tonali’s pull-back across the face of goal and Carnesecchi kept the scoreline down on a Zafeiris free kick in stoppages.
Italy 0-1 Norway
Botheim 65 (N)
Italy: Carnesecchi; Okoli, Lovato, Scalvini (Cancellieri 76); Bellanova (Cambiaso 71), Rovella (Miretti 71), Tonali, Ricci, Parisi; Pellegri (Colombo 62), Gnonto (Cambiaghi 62)
Norway: Klaesson; Sebulonsen, Heggheim, Daland, Wolfe (Kamanzi 81); Evjen (Nusa 58), Kitolano (Zafeiris 81), Hove, Ceide (Sahraoui 70); Botheim, Jatta (Bobb 58)
Ref: Lambrechts (BEL)
Stupid coach Gnonto was his best player on the pitch but still replaced him
This coach never learnt his lessons and yet did not take full responsibility for the failure. The 3 man defense is always looked very shaky and the midfielder could not provide protection support to the defence.He is a very medicore coach. Italy paid the price of squandered a 3-0 lead against Switzerland. Poor Italy despite having quite a number of Seria A players. Glad he will leave.Italy needs a better coach for U21.