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The season has begun successfully for the Under 17's, the reigning European champions, as they secured victory in the 43rd edition of the Telki Cup, held in Hungary from 13 to 17 August. The Azzurrini started with a 4-3 win over Iceland, followed by a 2-0 victory against South Korea, before drawing 2-2 with the Hungarian hosts.
"We won a tournament," said a satisfied coach Massimiliano Favo, "but more importantly, we maintained continuity with our idea of proactive football. At this stage of the season, with many teams involved in tournaments or about to start their league campaigns, a competition like this was very meaningful. It allowed us to experiment with a new team made up of many talents, which we were able to evaluate and that could potentially be added to those we already have a clear idea about for the future".
ITALY 4-3 ICELAND. In the opening match, Italy took the lead in the second minute with Empoli midfielder Oliver Blini, before scoring two more goals, thanks to Atalanta players Vincenzo Damiano and Andrea Michieletto, the latter being the younger brother of Italvolley champion Alessandro, in the tenth and 32nd minutes respectively. Just before half-time, Iceland reduced the deficit with a goal from Tómas Óli Kristjánsson in the 41st minute. Lúðvík Gunnarsson’s team then equalised with goals from Guðmar Gauti Sævarsson in the 47th minute and Karan Gurung in the 60th minute, before conceding a penalty, converted by Danilo Busiello, an Empoli forward, a minute before the end, which secured the first 3 points for the Azzurrini.
SOUTH KOREA 0-2 ITALY. Two days after their opening victory against Iceland, Massimiliano Favo’s team took the lead in the thirteenth minute with the usual Busiello, and then doubled their advantage in the nineteenth minute with a goal from Como midfielder, Matteo Oliveira Papaccioli. Thanks to this win and Hungary’s 1-0 defeat to Iceland (with Helgi Hafsteinn Jóhansson scoring the decisive goal early on), Italy clinched the tournament title with a game to spare.
HUNGARY 2-2 ITALY. In the final match, the Azzurrini fell behind 2-0, with goals from Hungarian captain János Galambos in the tenth minute and Gergely Csóka in the 21st minute, before equalising with strikes from Damiano and Oliveira Papaccioli, who scored in the 24th and 75th minutes respectively.
Italy will return to action from 3 to 9 September in Friuli Venezia Giulia to compete in the 1st edition of the International 'City of Trieste' Tournament, where they will face their counterparts from Portugal, Spain, and Switzerland.
International Under-17 Telki Cup 2024
Group: South Korea, Iceland, ITALY, and Hungary.
Matchday 1 (Tuesday, 13 August)
- Hungary 0-2 South Korea (45' Ji-sung, 90'+1 Hyeon-bin)
- ITALY 4-3 Iceland (2' Blini, 10' Damiano, 32' Michieletto; 41' Kristjánsson, 47' Sævarsson, 60' Gurung; 89' pen. Busiello)
Matchday 2 (Thursday, 15 August)
- Iceland 1-0 Hungary (2' Jóhansson)
- South Korea 0-2 ITALY (13' Busiello, 19' Oliveira Papaccioli)
Matchday 3 (Saturday 17 August)
Hungary 2-2 ITALY (10' Galambos, 21' Csóka; 24' Damiano, 75' Oliveira Papaccioli)
South Korea 0-1 Iceland (78' pen. Kristjánsson)
Standings: ITALY 7, Iceland 6, South Korea 3, Hungary 1.