Italy were near-perfect in the first half, yet risked fumbling a 3-0 lead and were very fortunate to avoid giving away a penalty in this 3-2 win over Switzerland, keeping their Under-21 European Championship hopes alive.
The Azzurrini badly needed a win after the scandalous 2-1 defeat to France, which due to the lack of VAR or goal-line technology saw the last-gasp equaliser not given, despite crossing the line. Coach Paolo Nicolato made a few changes, including Wilfried Gnonto, Fabiano Parisi and Edoardo Bove.
They started strong, as after Parma midfielder Simon Sohm risked an own goal on Raoul Bellanova’s cross, Italy scored from the resulting Tonali corner with a looping Lorenzo Pirola free header.
There was a second moments later, as Bellanova again burst down the right and put a ball into the box, Gnonto saw the header and the rebound parried, but bundled over the line at the third time of asking.
Gnonto cut inside from the right and saw his left-foot scorcher palmed out for a corner, while the goalkeeper also got down to fingertip away a deflected Tonali free kick.
Parisi flung himself in the way of a Fabian Rieder finish after the high Swiss press won it back and Marco Carnesecchi had to be alert to fingertip a strange looping Kastriot Imeri free kick out from under the crossbar.
Gnonto again tested the goalkeeper, this time with a right-foot curler, but Parisi added a third goal in first half stoppages when Lewin Blum failed to cut out a Bellanova cross to the back post.
Switzerland got one back within 60 seconds of the restart, as substitute Matteo Cancellieri slipped and Imeri took full advantage with a perfectly-placed finish from the D.
Incredibly, the 3-0 lead was sliced down to 3-2 already by Zeki Amdouni, who gathered the Rieder pass and sent two defenders the wrong way with a shimmy to blast in at the far post. There were some protests around a possible foul on Tonali in the build-up, but also moments later Swiss penalty appeals for an Edoardo Bove late tackle on Amdouni.
Italy were glad Amdouni slipped and fired wide after a strong run through the centre past two, then Amir Saipi made a splendid one-handed reaction save on Giorgio Scalvini’s header from a Tonali corner.
Bellanova really should’ve scored for 4-2 on 65 minutes when pouncing on a defensive error, but incredibly ballooned over the bar from 14 yards.
Bove was extremely fortunate on 70 minutes that there was no VAR to spot his foul on Imeri in the penalty area.
Lorenzo Colombo should’ve scored with his first touch, but the volley off the outside of the box from six yards went wide on a Tonali corner. Inter-owned Darian Males also missed a sitter when springing the offside trap only to fire off target one-on-one with Carnesecchi.
The Italian goalkeeper was right behind hopeful Amdouni and Ardon Jashari attempts, as the Azzurrini held on.
Switzerland 2-3 Italy
Pirola 6 (I), Gnonto 11 (I), Parisi 45 (I), Imeri 47 (S), Amdouni 52 (S)
Switzerland U21: Saipi; Blum (Males 46), Stergiou, Burch (Vouilloz 86), Omeragic; Imeri (Vonmoos 86), Sohm, Rieder, Jashari, Ndoye (Stojilkovic 92); Amdouni
Italy U21: Carnesecchi; Okoli, Pirola (Lovato 71), Scalvini; Bellanova, Tonali, Rovella (Ricci 71), Bove, Parisi; Gnonto (Colombo 71), Pellegri (Cancellieri 46) (Cambiaghi 92)
Ref: Al-Hakim (SWE)