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A winning start. Italy U16s began their season with an impressive 3-2 victory over England at the Federal Technical Centre in Coverciano. It was the perfect start for new head coach Giovanni Costantino, who marked his debut in the Azzurrini dugout with a win in the first of two friendlies against England in the space of three days.
After falling behind to a third-minute goal from Liverpool midfielder Luca Eden, the Azzurrini turned the game around through Leonard Maria Lima Ramalho (13') and Lorenzo Sassetti (34'), forwards for Bologna and Dundee United respectively. Arsenal striker Jaden Maghoma then brought England level in the 44th minute. However, Italy regained the lead for good after the break, with Roma attacking midfielder Mattia Pica striking the winner (76') five minutes after replacing Parma's Lorenzo Vitali.
“I want to thank the entire staff,” said the Italy head coach. “They’ve helped me enormously over these first few days and given me a better understanding of the environment I’ve come into. I needed their support and, from the very first moment, they’ve helped me and made me feel extremely welcome. I also want to thank the boys because they played an incredible game. We produced a first half of real quality despite conceding early, which could have made things difficult for us. Instead, we responded and managed to play the way we wanted. In the second half, with the changes and a slight drop-off physically, we showed character and proved that we can compete with anyone.”
The Azzurrini will be back in action at Coverciano on Thursday 27 August (11:00 CEST), when they face their English counterparts again in the second and final friendly. “We’ll make some changes for the next game because I want to give everyone an opportunity,” added Costantino. “What I’ve asked of the boys, and will continue to ask of them, is to make themselves available so that I can put them in the best possible position to perform. In two days’ time, I expect those who had fewer minutes today or didn’t play at all to do just as well.”
Also watching from the stands at pitch 2, named after Enzo Bearzot, was Gianfranco Zola, coordinator of youth development projects, alongside Daniele Zoratto, deputy coordinator of the youth national teams. The occasion at Coverciano also gave the pair the chance to reunite: Zola and Zoratto played together at Parma in the 1993/94 season, when they also won the European Super Cup.
For Zola, returning to the Federal Technical Centre in Coverciano brings back plenty of emotions. It is a place that played a significant part in his career with Italy, and one he now returns to in a different role, as coordinator of youth development projects, but with the same enthusiasm as ever.
The former attacking midfielder made 35 appearances and scored ten goals for the senior national team, including one against England, today’s opponents for Italy U16s. That goal came in the famous meeting at Wembley on 12 February 1997, which Italy won 1-0.
“Coming back to Coverciano is always emotional for me,” said Magic Box. “I experienced some important moments in my career here, and returning to this environment today from a different perspective has a special meaning for me.”
His connection with the national team set-up was renewed between 2006 and 2008, when Zola worked as an assistant coach with Italy U21s under Pierluigi Casiraghi.
“I was fortunate enough to experience the Federal Technical Centre first as a player and then as an assistant coach,” he added. “Coming back now to put my experience at the service of young players is something that makes me really happy.”
His focus now turns to the future and the work awaiting him in his new role. The initial phase will be one of observation and analysis, aimed at gaining an in-depth understanding of the structure, organisation and technical aspects of the youth set-up.
“At this stage, we’re gathering all the information we need while studying the structure, the organisation and, of course, the technical side,” explained the former Cagliari and Chelsea player. “Together with Gigi Milani (deputy coordinator of the youth development project and supervisor of the U14 project, ed.), once we’ve completed this analysis, we’ll put together a concrete plan that can have a real impact on the rules to be applied and, where necessary, introduce new ideas.”
The project has a clear direction: “The aim is to build something useful, modern and, above all, capable of giving Italian football fresh impetus.”
THE MATCH. The Azzurrini lined up in a 4-3-1-2 for their first game of the season, a system that has become a hallmark of Italy’s youth teams. Both players based in the UK started: Leicester defender Nebatumbu, who made seven appearances for England last season, and Dundee United forward Sassetti, who followed a similar path, scoring three goals in six appearances for Scotland U15s. England opted for a 4-2-3-1, with Maghoma leading the line and Mahoney-Smith, Muñoz and Dore operating behind him.
The visitors made a strong start and took the lead after just three minutes, Eden beating Minicucci with a fine curling effort from the left. The Azzurrini responded, first through Allara (8’), whose header went wide, and then Sassetti (12’), who was denied by Woolford when through one-on-one. The equaliser was coming and duly arrived a minute later, as Lima Ramalho met Vitali's corner with a header to beat the England goalkeeper and make it 1-1.
Costantino's side continued to push forward and Sassetti twice went close to putting Italy ahead, only to fire straight at Woolford on both occasions, first after a quarter of an hour and then on the half-hour mark. The Azzurrini number nine made amends in the 34th minute, meeting captain Danza’s low cross from the right first time with his right foot and sending a superb effort in off the inside of the post.
Buoyed by taking the lead, Italy almost added a third a minute later, but Woolford reacted sharply to keep out Lima Ramalho’s left-footed strike across goal. Just before the break, however, England found an equaliser. Eden delivered an inviting ball from the left and Maghoma converted from close range in the 44th minute.
England grew in confidence and, in the third and final minute of added time, it took an outstanding double save from Minicucci to keep the scores level. The Italy goalkeeper first tipped Derekafa’s 25-yard effort away from the corner before quickly recovering to deny Maghoma from the rebound. The sides therefore went into the break level at 2-2.
Italy made a bright start to the second half, with Nebatumbu heading narrowly wide from Vitali’s corner (47’). Three minutes later, the lively Sassetti tested Woolford with an angled effort from a tight position. The decisive moment came in the 76th minute, when Pica, who had replaced Vitali a few minutes earlier, intercepted a risky pass from substitute goalkeeper Armytage and fired home an unstoppable right-footed shot from the edge of the box.
England looked to respond through Robinson, who fired narrowly wide (81’), but Italy held firm. Pica then had another opportunity (87’), although his tame header from Diofebo’s cross from the left caused Armytage no problems. After five minutes of added time, Italy could celebrate an excellent victory, giving new head coach Costantino a winning start.
SQUAD LIST
Goalkeepers: Lorenzo Minicucci (Fiorentina), Samuele Spanò (Inter);
Defenders: Lorenzo Allara (Juventus), Giulio Cacucciolo (Torino), Niccolò Chieffallo (Roma), Mirko Danza (Atalanta), Alessandro Gennaro Esposito (Juventus)*, Saverio Mesecorto (Sassuolo), Rubens Nebatumbu (Leicester), Fabrizio Pasotti (Cremonese);
Midfielders: Francesco Buondonno (Napoli), Sean Luis Ebagua (Venezia), Mattia Mirabella (Roma)**, Mattia Pica (Roma), Gabriel Tedesco (Inter), Davide Tilli (Genoa), Marco Vaccarella (Juventus), Lorenzo Vitali (Parma);
Forwards: Mark Chidozie Cordopatri (Parma), Enzo Diofebo (Roma), Leonardo Maria Lima Ramalho (Bologna), Lorenzo Sassetti (Dundee United).
*called up on 23 August to replace the unavailable Bruno Savarese (Roma).
**called up on 24 August to replace the unavailable Christian Vigil Hidalgo (Milan).
Staff – Head Coach: Giovanni Costantino; National Youth Team Deputy Coordinator: Daniele Zoratto; Assistant Coaches: Enrico Battisti and Mirco Gasparetto; Goalkeeping Coach: Davide Quironi; Fitness Coach: Francesco Cosentino; Match Analyst: Andrea Loiacono; Doctor: Antonio Pizzino; Physiotherapist: Mattia Mollo; Nutritionist: Filippo Maria Perricelli; Press Officer: Alessandro Paoli; Secretary: Aldo Blessich.