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The first week of work is now in the books. Italy Under-21s’ preparations for their final two European Championship qualifiers are continuing smoothly, with Armenia vs. Italy scheduled for 1 October at 18:30 before the Azzurrini host Poland in Pescara on Monday 5 October at 18:15. The squad completed their first seven days of training with two friendlies against the Primavera sides of Empoli and Spezia. After beating the Tuscan side 15-0, Baldini saw his team produce another emphatic display today, running out 10-0 winners against Spezia. The coach started with his usual 4-3-3, with Mascardi in goal, Comuzzo and Chiarodia at centre-back and Cisse leading the line, flanked by Liberali and Koleosho. The match gave Baldini the opportunity to hand minutes to every member of the squad in an important final test before the team departs for Armenia on Wednesday.
THE MATCH. Koleosho opened the scoring after just four minutes, finding the far corner with a well-placed effort. Faticanti doubled Italy’s lead in the ninth minute with a superb first-time strike from 25 metres that flew into the top corner. Two minutes later, Ndour made it 3-0 after the Azzurrini won the ball back with a high press on the edge of the box. Liberali then took centre stage, scoring twice in the space of nine minutes. His first, in the 26th minute, came after a brilliant weaving run through the Spezia defence, before he added a fifth in the 35th minute with an excellent curling finish into the far corner. Baldini made wholesale changes at the break, introducing the players who had started on the bench. Bartesaghi added a sixth in the 52nd minute with a shot that caught the goalkeeper out at the near post. After a spell of sustained pressure, the goals began to flow again late on, with Lipani (70’), Fini (71’), Cherubini (75’) and Moruzzi (87’) completing the scoring in a 10-0 victory.