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The Italian orchestra returns. And they played the Netherlands at home, dominating for almost an hour, then activating the counterattack and finally suffering for the last ten minutes, when energies failed and the Azzurri couldn’t hold a ball. A victory that is worth a lot (first place in Group A with four points, ahead of the Netherlands and Poland with three) and that – I’m afraid – costs a lot: Nicolò Zaniolo has injured himself again, again in the knee, this time in the left. For him, he fears the worst, which would mean another problem with the cruciate ligament and, therefore, a new operation. Italy wins, therefore, but both the boy and Roma run the risk of paying off when Serie A is less than two weeks away. If it hadn’t been for this it would have been a beautiful evening with Barella’s goal, headed, he so small, but so skillful in insertions, he arrived too late (46 ‘of the first half) in front of the opportunities built and the excellence of the game expressed.
Just to understand, and to be clearer, the azzurri suffered only one shot in the first half (31 ‘, Wijnaldum, saved in two times by Donnarumma) and one in the second half (54’ van de Beek with a safe shot, miracle of the Milan goalkeeper). For the rest, that is, from the second half, the Netherlands pushed harder and Italy fell back too much, but the restarts were bread for our teeth. Of course, we should have bit better, at least once with Insigne (good part of it) and on both occasions with Kean, Zaniolo’s substitute, but nothing can be blamed on a team that played with humility and courage, security and serenity . , losing himself only at the end, when he no longer had any.
However, the opponents had no chances, just a frenzied scrum, a couple of high balls and a series of side fences. In all fairness, the draw could have come without anyone having to shout a fuss, but with the same honesty Italy had scored more and another goal, like the one Kean missed in the recovery, would have been legitimate. In short, until the 80s, Holland was us because of the ease in dribbling, the systematic aggressiveness of the pressure and the specific changes of the game that opened the left lane where Spinazzola and Insigne ridiculed Hateboer and produced an ‘infinity of situations favorable. Another characteristic was Immobile’s position that not only occupied the area centrally, but very often went to receive the ball from the side. And in fact, Barella’s goal, in its preparation, contained all that. The pressure with recovery of the ball from Spinazzola and Jorginho, the unmarking of Insigne, the support for Immobile who first escaped from the mark and then crossed with his right hand for Barella alone and, therefore, free to hit his head.
But Italy could have gone first if Barella himself, instead of shooting, had served Immobile at the first favorable opportunity or if Zaniolo had guessed the aerial kick from a Spinazzola cross. Or even before Immobile and then Insigne hadn’t extended their rights much. Manuel Locatelli, the twenty-fifth rookie in Mancini’s management and the fifty-fifth player hired by the coach, played very well, maintaining the same tactical and quality line as Jorginho, extremely positive in all his initiatives. Good defense on the outside (also D’Ambrosio, as well as Spinazzola) and very good the two centrals (veteran Chiellini and his alter ego Bonucci), which is also comforting for the respective club teams. Insigne was also at high levels (his was the conclusion at the beginning of the second half for Cillesen’s toughest save), while Immobile did not score, but sacrificed a lot in serving his teammates (one also for Kean) . Zaniolo was doing what was expected of him, right from a three-man attack, but bad luck drove him out of the way, hopefully not for long.
So Italy canceled Florence’s poor performance with Bosnia (beaten at home by Poland), flies to the top of the group and he is a candidate as an authorized contender for the final four to which the best four enter. The light is back and promises to stay on until the end. If it is about the Nations League, if we are thinking about the Eurocup. The word victory is certainly not taboo.
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