PHOTO
Another impressive performance from the Italy Under-15 national team, who followed up yesterday's 5-1 comeback win over Turkmenistan with a convincing 3-0 victory over Qatar on Pitch 5B at the Hovsan Competition Complex in Baku. The win came in their second Group L qualifier for the FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival, which is taking place in Azerbaijan until October 30.
Italy took the lead in the 7th minute through Roma attacking midfielder Rayan Reguig before sealing the win in the second half, with Milan striker Andrea Kostyuk doubling their advantage in the 24th minute and Napoli midfielder Mario Tambaro adding a third in the 32nd.
“We played well against a physical side who began going into challenges more aggressively as the game went on, probably because they were behind,” explained Italy coach Enrico Battisti. “We managed to keep them at bay and keep a clean sheet, but above all, we maintained an excellent standard of passing and dominated possession and the play throughout the 40 minutes.”
The Azzurrini, currently clear at the top of the group with a perfect six points, will return to action on Pitch 4B at 12:45 to face the Cook Islands, who suffered a 10-0 defeat to Benin in their first match of the day on Pitch 3B. Osias Assigbe scored a hat-trick, Benoît Dossou-Yovo and Noé Faton both netted twice, while Rivaldo Pérès Mevognon, Noukpo Nounagnon and Cheihana Baaba were also on target.
“Playing two matches in one day is something new for us, as are several other aspects of the tournament regulations,” Battisti continued. “We'll try to get as much rest as possible in the few hours we have before our next game so we're in the best possible shape.”
THE MATCH. Italy lined up with Galliera in goal, Carpi, Vian and D’Eletto in defence, Tambaro – wearing the captain's armband – and Koite in midfield, and Reguig and Kostyuk up front. Qatar started with captain Emem in goal, Yassein, Abusalem and Abdullah at the back, Mirad, Matalqeh and El-Sayed in midfield, and Alhajalkhlf leading the line as the lone striker.
The Azzurrini made the brighter start and nearly took the lead inside the opening minute when Vian headed over the bar from a Reguig cross from the right. Qatar responded quickly, however, and Galliera had to produce a fine save to deny El-Sayed's left-footed effort in the 2nd minute, keeping Ahmed Reda Madouni's side from taking the lead. Enrico Battisti's team grew in confidence as the game progressed and made the breakthrough in the 7th minute. Reguig brought down an excellent pass from Tambaro before beating the goalkeeper with a precise right-footed finish across goal. Italy continued to press forward and almost doubled their advantage less than a minute later when Tambaro exchanged passes with Reguig before sending a right-footed effort narrowly over the top corner. Qatar looked to respond, but it was the Azzurrini who continued to create the better chances before the break. Ferraro fired over in the 17th minute, and Musella followed suit a minute later, both sending right-footed efforts over the crossbar. Italy went into half-time with a 1-0 lead.
The second half began with Tambaro trying his luck from the halfway line, but Emem gathered comfortably. Qatar then threatened in the 22nd minute when substitute goalkeeper Brigante was called into action to deal with a dangerous free kick from the right by Katra. Two minutes later, Italy doubled their lead through Kostyuk, who reacted quickest in a crowded penalty area to fire a right-footed finish past the goalkeeper in the 24th minute.
Qatar responded to falling 2-0 behind and twice came close to pulling a goal back through Alhajalkhlf. The striker first fired over with his left foot when one-on-one with Brigante in the 27th minute, before shooting straight at the Italy goalkeeper with his right two minutes later. The Azzurrini weathered the pressure and put the result beyond doubt in the 32nd minute. Kostyuk picked out Tambaro, who beat Emem with a powerful, low right-footed strike to seal a 3-0 victory for Enrico Battisti's side.
ITALY 3-0 QATAR (1-0 HT)
Italy (3-2-2): Galliera; Carpi, Vian, D'Eletto; Tambaro (C), Koite; Reguig, Kostyuk | Brigante (GK), Criscito, Turrini, Musella, Ferraro, Chirico. Coach: Enrico Battisti.
Qatar (3-3-1): Emem (C); Yassein, Abusalem, Abdullah; Mirad, Matalqeh, El-Sayed; Alhajalkhlf | Fatehi, Della, Zaraket, El-Seiri (GK), Haddad, Sas. Coach: Ahmed Reda Madouni.
Goalscorers: 7' Reguig (ITA), 24' Kostyuk (ITA), 32' Tambaro (ITA).
Additional time: 0 minutes in the first half, 0 minutes in the second half.
Qualifying phase (October 24–26)
Group A: Anguilla, Estonia, France, Kosovo, Maldives, South Africa;
Group B: Algeria, Argentina, Chinese Taipei, Malawi, Oman, Suriname;
Group C: Cambodia, England, Montenegro, Nicaragua, Republic of Ireland, Zimbabwe;
Group D: Brazil, Democratic Republic of the Congo, El Salvador, Guinea-Bissau, Nepal, Tunisia;
Group E: Barbados, Chile, Congo, Kuwait, Spain, Tajikistan;
Group F: Belize, Costa Rica, Curaçao, Liberia, Morocco, Philippines;
Group G: Bangladesh, Burundi, Fiji, Indonesia, Portugal, Wales;
Group H: Dominica, Ethiopia, Hungary, Malaysia, Mexico, Syria;
Group I: Bulgaria, Gabon, Latvia, Lesotho, Scotland;
Group J: Angola, Central African Republic, China, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Solomon Islands;
Group K: Bahrain, Cameroon, Grenada, India, Laos, Senegal;
Group L: Benin, Cook Islands, Hong Kong, ITALY, Qatar, Turkmenistan;
Group M: Colombia, Dominican Republic, Eswatini, Samoa, Slovakia, Thailand;
Group N: Aruba, Croatia, Greece, Palestine, Saint Lucia, Yemen;
Group O: Belarus, Botswana, Mali, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea, Peru;
Group P: American Samoa, Canada, Guatemala, Guinea, Honduras, Singapore;
Group Q: Bhutan, South Korea, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, United Arab Emirates;
Group R: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei, Guyana, Iran, Mauritius, Vietnam;
Group S: Cayman Islands, Egypt, Iraq, Macau, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Trinidad and Tobago;
Group T: Madagascar, Mozambique, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Somalia, Venezuela;
Group U: Cape Verde, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Kyrgyzstan, Tonga, Uganda;
Group V: Bolivia, Gibraltar, Libya, Paraguay, Seychelles, Tahiti;
Group W: Bahamas, Ghana, Guam, Kazakhstan, Myanmar, Uzbekistan;
Group X: Comoros, Moldova, Montserrat, Tanzania, Uruguay, Zambia;
Group Y: Albania, Ivory Coast, Mauritania, Rwanda, Turks and Caicos Islands, Vanuatu;
Group Z: Chad, Kenya, Malta, Niger, North Macedonia, Panama;
Group AA: Antigua and Barbuda, Burkina Faso, Eritrea, Lebanon, New Caledonia, Northern Ireland;
Group AB: Cuba, Czechia, Jamaica, Sri Lanka, Togo, US Virgin Islands;
Group AC: Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Georgia, Namibia, Poland, São Tomé and Príncipe;
Group AD: Cyprus, Gambia, Jordan, Nigeria, Pakistan, South Sudan;
Group AE: Afghanistan, Djibouti, Russia, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Türkiye;
Group AF: Andorra, Australia, Azerbaijan, Haiti, Israel, Timor-Leste.
Group L Schedule
Matchday 1 (Saturday, October 24)
Hong Kong 3-0 Cook Islands
ITALY 5-1 Turkmenistan
Benin 2-3 Qatar
Matchday 2 (Sunday, October 25)
Turkmenistan 2-1 Hong Kong
Cook Islands 0-10 Benin
ITALY 3-0 Qatar
Standings: ITALY 6, Hong Kong 3 (+2), Turkmenistan 3 (-3), Benin 3 (+9), Qatar 3 (-2), Cook Islands 0.
Matchday 3 (Sunday, October 25)
12:45: Hong Kong vs. Benin, Pitch 3B
12:45: ITALY vs. Cook Islands, Pitch 4B
12:45: Qatar vs. Turkmenistan, Pitch 5B
Matchday 4 (Monday, October 26)
9:45: Benin vs. ITALY, Pitch 1B
9:45: Turkmenistan vs. Cook Islands, Pitch 2B
9:45: Qatar vs. Hong Kong, Pitch 10A
Matchday 5 (Monday, October 26)
16:30: Cook Islands vs. Qatar, Pitch 1B
16:30: Benin vs. Turkmenistan, Pitch 2B
16:30: Hong Kong vs. ITALY, Pitch 10A
Tournament phase (October 28–30)
Finals (Friday, October 30)
Note: All times are in CET (Central European Time).