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The Italy Under-20 national team secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Portugal at the Euganeo Stadium in Padua in the first of two November friendlies included in the Elite League schedule. The decisive goal came in the 22nd minute from Emanuele Rao, the Pisa forward on loan from Napoli.
"We played a great game in the first half," said head coach Carmine Nunziata. "We performed well, played good football and got our goal. We had a few more difficulties in the second half, partly because of the pitch and because some players were making their international debuts. Our main aim, though, is to give these young players valuable experience to help them develop. Overall, I think we deserved the win."
The Azzurrini, currently third in the standings with six points, level with Germany, will return to action on Monday 16 November (3:00 PM CET) against Switzerland at the Stadio delle Terme di Monteortone in Abano Terme (PD).
THE MATCH. Italy lined up in a 4-3-2-1 formation, with Siviero in goal, Nardin, Amey, Reggiani and Cocchi in defence, Coletta, Sala and Comotto in midfield, and Mosconi and Rao supporting Lavelli in attack. Portugal opted for a 4-3-3, with Gonçalo Ribeiro in goal and a back four of Duarte Soares, Afonso Sousa, João Fonseca and Martim Cunha, with Diogo Sousa, Gonçalo Moreira and Mateus Mané in midfield and Gil Martins, Gabriel Silva and Flávio Gonçalves up front.
Portugal started strongly, with Gonçalo Moreira testing the Italian defence inside the opening minute. Carmine Nunziata's side responded in the seventh minute through Coletta, whose right-footed effort from the edge of the box sailed over the bar. The Azzurrini grew into the game and nearly took the lead in the 11th minute when Rao's clever backheel found Lavelli, but his right-footed shot was blocked by Gonçalo Ribeiro. A minute later, Italy's number nine delivered an excellent cross from the right for Mosconi, who had made a run through the middle but fired narrowly wide. Portugal responded in the 20th minute when Gonçalo Moreira collected a rebound from Siviero and lifted a right-footed effort towards goal, only for Reggiani to make a crucial headed clearance off the line. From the resulting passage of play, Martim Cunha headed just wide of Italy's right-hand post. Having survived that scare, Italy struck back. Following a corner from the right that was cleared by the Portuguese goalkeeper, the ball fell to Rao. He controlled it, cut inside from the left edge of the penalty area, nutmegged Martim Cunha and fired a stunning right-footed shot into the top corner in the 22nd minute. Buoyed by the goal, the Azzurrini pushed for a second, with Lavelli going close in the 25th minute and Mosconi in the 36th. However, the number nine's right-footed effort and the number 11's left-footed strike both missed the target by inches. Italy went into the break leading 1-0.
Portugal threatened in the 52nd minute when Mateus Mané met Gil Martins' cross from the right but could only find the side netting. Nunziata's side responded two minutes later through Comotto, whose effort from 20 metres out missed the target. Siviero then produced an excellent save in the 56th minute to deny Gabriel Silva's close-range left-footed strike. Portugal tried again in the 60th minute, this time through Flávio Gonçalves, but the number 11's right-footed free-kick struck the defensive wall. Italy remained organised at the back, giving their opponents little space. In the first of four minutes of stoppage time awarded by referee Mattia Drigo, the Azzurrini nearly doubled their lead through Cocchi, who was playing at his home ground as an Inter player on loan at Padova. However, the Italian number 13's left-footed effort across goal went wide. The final whistle confirmed a deserved 1-0 victory for the Azzurrini, their second consecutive win in the Under-20 Elite League.
ITALY 1-0 PORTUGAL (HT: 1-0)
Italy (4-3-2-1): Siviero; Nardin, Amey (c), Reggiani, Cocchi; Coletta (58' Mout), Sala, Comotto (58' Di Nunzio); Mosconi (46' Cardinali), Rao (70' Ladisa); Lavelli (86' Pugno). Subs.: Vannucchi (GK), Idele, Reale, Verde, Riccio, Plaia, Conzato. Coach: Carmine Nunziata.
Portugal (4-3-3): Gonçalo Ribeiro (c); Duarte Soares (65' Salvador Blopa), Afonso Sousa, João Fonseca, Martim Cunha (65' João Capucho); Diogo Sousa (76' Santos Daiber), Gonçalo Moreira (86' Luisinho), Mateus Mané (86' Miguel Patrício); Gil Martins (65' Rodrigo Rodrigues), Gabriel Silva (65' Francisco Silva), Flávio Gonçalves (76' Leo Cardoso). Subs.: Gui Cardoso (GK), Rika, Rafael Mota. Coach: Vasco Faísca.
Referee: Mattia Drigo (ITA). Assistant referees: Giovanni Boato (ITA) and Simone Della Mea (ITA). Fourth official: Daniele Chiffi (ITA).
Goalscorer: 22' Rao (ITA).
Notes: Yellow cards: Mosconi (ITA) 39', Coletta (ITA) 49', Lavelli (ITA) 69', Gonçalo Moreira (POR) 79', Di Nunzio (ITA) 88' and Leo Cardoso (POR) 90+4'. Added time: 1 minute (first half), 4 minutes (second half).
Under 20 Elite League 2026/2027
Single group: Czechia, France, Germany, England, ITALY, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Switzerland
Fixtures and results
Friday 25 September
ITALY 1-3 England
Germany 1-0 France
Saturday 26 September
Czechia 5-2 Switzerland
Portugal 1-3 Poland
Tuesday 29 September
France 1-2 England
Portugal 1-2 Switzerland
Germany 3-0 ITALY
Poland 2-0 Czechia
Friday 2 October
Portugal 5-0 Czechia
Saturday 3 October
France 0-3 ITALY
England 2-1 Germany
Thursday 12 November
ITALY 1-0 Portugal
8:30 PM CET: England vs. Czechia
Friday 13 November
2:00 PM CET: Poland vs. Germany
4:00 PM CET: Switzerland vs. Romania
Monday 16 November
3:00 PM CET: Czechia vs. Germany
3:00 PM CET: ITALY vs. Switzerland
9:00 PM CET: Portugal vs. England
Tuesday 17 November
Time TBC: Romania vs. Poland
Standings: England 9 PTS, Poland 6 PTS (GD +4), Germany 6 PTS (+3), ITALY 6 PTS (-1), Portugal 3 PTS (+1), Switzerland 3 PTS (-2), Czechia 3 PTS (-4), Romania 0 PTS (0), France 0 PTS (-5).