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Italy’s Under-15s showed great character to beat a Peru side a year their senior 4-3 on penalties in the Tier A round of 32 of the tournament phase at the FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival. The teams had finished level at 1-1 after two 20-minute halves on Pitch 3A at the Hovsan Competition Complex in Baku. The tournament runs until 30 October in Azerbaijan.
Italy fell behind in the sixth minute to a goal from Universitario winger Jean Franco Trujillo, before Parma striker Manuel Ferraro won and converted a penalty to equalise in the 11th. In the second half, Torino goalkeeper Leonardo Brigante saved a penalty from Sporting Cristal defender Dayro Sebastián Maldonado Ramírez in the 38th minute, after Roma defender Cristian D’Eletto had fouled Alianza Lima midfielder Dyland Yair Valiente Rivera. Peru were then reduced to seven players when Universitario full-back Flavio Alessandro Collantes Hurtado was sent off in second-half stoppage time (40+2’).
In the shootout, Brigante denied Austin Vilela before Maldonado hit the post. Despite a miss from Mario Tambaro, Enrico Battisti’s side prevailed when Parma midfielder Thomas Musella converted the decisive penalty.
“It was a tough, physical game against physically stronger opponents,” said the Italy coach. “We played well in the first half and controlled the game, but then we lost our balance after the break. Leo [Brigante, Ed.] was decisive late on, saving the penalty and then playing a key role in the shootout. I was also impressed by how calmly the players stepped up to take their penalties, despite this being their first experience in an Italy shirt.”
The Azzurrini will return to Pitch 3A this afternoon at 17:45 CET for their round of 16 meeting with Czechia, who comfortably beat Angola 5-1 on Pitch 7A this morning. Battisti concluded: “We now face an extremely difficult game against a side with quality and physical strength, who we already know from last year. We need to reset quickly and recover our energy so we’re ready. The standard is higher than in the first phase, with stronger opponents in terms of technique and athleticism. For us, playing up an age group, this is an important opportunity to develop and test ourselves in international football.”
THE MATCH. Italy lined up with Galliera in goal and D’Eletto, Carpi and Criscito in defence. Criscito wore the captain’s armband again, having led the side in the opening 5-1 win over Turkmenistan on 24 October. Koite and Tambaro started in midfield, with Kostyuk and Ferraro up front. Peru responded with captain Ccoñas in goal; Chávez, Maldonado and Collantes in defence; Tejada, Edinson and Vilela in midfield; and Trujillo as the lone striker.
Peru started brightly and tested Galliera through Trujillo’s right-footed effort in the fourth minute. Two minutes later, the No. 11 finished off a lightning counter-attack, beating the Italy goalkeeper with an angled shot from the right. The Azzurrini responded and won a penalty in the tenth minute when Valiente fouled Ferraro. Italy’s No. 11 made no mistake from the spot a minute later, sending Ccoñas the wrong way. Battisti’s side increased the pressure towards the end of the opening 20 minutes and almost took the lead when Ccoñas produced a superb save to keep out Musella’s free-kick, which was heading for the top corner (17’). The teams went into the break level at 1-1.
Italy pushed harder for a goal in the second half, with Ferraro again leading the way and testing the Peru goalkeeper three times (32’, 34’ and 37’). Peru threatened through Oliva in the 36th minute, but the Italy goalkeeper denied him one-on-one. They then had a chance to retake the lead with two minutes remaining, when the referee awarded a penalty for D’Eletto’s foul on Vilela. Maldonado aimed his right-footed spot-kick towards the corner at mid-height, but Brigante produced a fantastic save. In the second of three added minutes, Peru were reduced to seven when Collantes was sent off for bringing down Musella as he raced through on goal. The scores remained level at the final whistle, sending the tie to a penalty shootout.
With Tambaro the only Italy player to miss, the Azzurrini won the shootout 4-3, capitalising on Brigante’s save from Vilela and Maldonado’s effort against the post. The result secured their place in the round of 16, scheduled for this afternoon at 17:45 CET.
ITALY 1-1 PERU (ITALY WIN 4-3 ON PENALTIES; HT 1-1)
Italy (3-2-2): Galliera; D’Eletto, Carpi, Criscito (c); Koite, Tambaro; Kostyuk, Ferraro | Brigante (GK), Turrini, Vian, Musella, Reguig, Chirico. Coach: Enrico Battisti.
Peru (3-3-1): Ccoñas (c); Chávez, Maldonado, Collantes; Tejada, Edinson, Vilela; Trujillo | De Paz, Cherres, Valiente, Hidalgo, Oliva, Montes (GK). Coach: Diego Ortiz.
Scorers: Trujillo 6’ (PER), Ferraro 11’ pen. (ITA).
Penalty shootout: Tejada (PER): scored; Ferraro (ITA): scored; Vilela (PER): saved; Kostyuk (ITA): scored; Maldonado (PER): hit the post; Tambaro (ITA): saved; Valiente (PER): scored; Vian (ITA): scored; Trujillo (PER): scored; Musella (ITA): scored.
Notes: Tambaro (ITA) booked at 40+1’; Collantes (PER) sent off at 40+2’. Added time: 0 minutes in the first half, 3 in the second.
FIFA U-15 WORLD CUP & FESTIVAL AZERBAIJAN 2026
Qualifying phase (24–26 October)
Standings
Group A: Estonia 11, South Africa 10 (+20), France 10 (+14), Kosovo 9, Maldives 1 (-19), Anguilla 1 (-28).
Group B: Algeria 13, Argentina 12, Malawi 9, Oman 7, Chinese Taipei 3, Suriname 0.
Group C: Republic of Ireland 13, England 12, Nicaragua 7, Zimbabwe 6 (-1), Montenegro 6 (-4), Cambodia 0.
Group D: Brazil 15, El Salvador 9 (-6), Tunisia 9 (+4), DR Congo 6, Guinea-Bissau 3 (-8), Nepal 3 (-12).
Group E: Spain 15, Congo 12, Chile 7 (+7), Tajikistan 7 (+4), Kuwait 3, Barbados 0.
Group F: Morocco 15, Costa Rica 12, Liberia 7, Philippines 6, Belize 4, Curaçao 0.
Group G: Wales 13, Portugal 12, Indonesia 7, Burundi 6, Bangladesh 5, Fiji 0.
Group H: Mexico 15, Malaysia 10, Hungary 7, Syria 6 (-4), Dominica 6 (-7), Ethiopia 0.
Group I: Bulgaria 12, Latvia 7 (+8), Scotland 7 (+6), Lesotho 3, Gabon 0.
Group J: Angola 15, China 10 (+11), Japan 10 (+4), Saudi Arabia 6, Central African Republic 3, Solomon Islands 0.
Group K: Cameroon 12 (+12), Senegal 12 (+23), India 10, Bahrain 4 (-5), Laos 4 (-9), Grenada 1.
Group L: ITALY 15, Qatar 10, Benin 7, Turkmenistan 6, Hong Kong 5, Cook Islands 0.
Group M: Colombia 13, Slovakia 12, Thailand 9, Dominican Republic 7, Eswatini 3, Samoa 0.
Group N: Greece 15, Croatia 10, Yemen 9, Aruba 5, Palestine 4, Saint Lucia 0.
Group O: Peru 13, Mali 12, Belarus 10, Botswana 6, Mongolia 3, Papua New Guinea 0.
Group P: Guinea 13, Guatemala 10 (+11), Honduras 10 (+20), Canada 7, Singapore 3, American Samoa 0.
Group Q: South Korea 12 (+15), United Arab Emirates 12 (+10), Luxembourg 12 (+12), Lithuania 6, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, Bhutan 0.
Group R: Bosnia and Herzegovina 15, Iran 12, Vietnam 9, Mauritius 4 (-2), Guyana 4 (-6), Brunei 0.
Group S: Egypt 15, Iraq 12, Trinidad and Tobago 9, Macau 6, Saint Kitts and Nevis 0.
Group T: Venezuela 13, Madagascar 12, Mozambique 10, Somalia 3 (-5), Puerto Rico 3 (-6), New Zealand 3 (-8).
Group U: Ecuador 13, Kyrgyzstan 10 (+11), Uganda 10 (+21), Cabo Verde 7, Equatorial Guinea 3, Tonga 0.
Group V: Paraguay 12, Bolivia 9, Gibraltar 4, Tahiti 3, Seychelles 1.
Group W: Ghana 15, Uzbekistan 12, Kazakhstan 7 (+6), Myanmar 7 (-6), Guam 3, Bahamas 0.
Group X: Uruguay 12 (+16), Zambia 12 (+15), Moldova 8, Tanzania 7, Comoros 4, Montserrat 0.
Group Y: Albania 15, Côte d’Ivoire 12, Rwanda 9, Mauritania 4 (-8), Turks and Caicos Islands 4 (-12), Vanuatu 0.
Group Z: Kenya 11, Niger 10, Panama 9, North Macedonia 7, Chad 4, Malta 1.
Group AA: Northern Ireland 12, Lebanon 9, New Caledonia 4, Burkina Faso 3, Antigua and Barbuda 0.
Group AB: Czechia 15, Jamaica 12, Cuba 9, Togo 6, Sri Lanka 3, US Virgin Islands 0.
Group AC: Poland 15, Georgia 12, Namibia 9, Bermuda 6, British Virgin Islands 3, São Tomé and Príncipe 0.
Group AD: Cyprus 10 (+8), South Sudan 10 (-1), Nigeria 7, Jordan 5 (-1), Gambia 5 (0), Pakistan 2.
Group AE: Russia 15, Türkiye 9 (+12), Afghanistan 9 (-5), Sierra Leone 7, Sudan 4, Djibouti 0.
Group AF: Australia 15, Haiti 12, Azerbaijan 9, Andorra 4 (-1), Israel 4 (-7), Timor-Leste 0.
Tournament phase (28–30 October)
Tier A | Round of 32 (Wednesday 28 October)
Brazil 7-2 Republic of Ireland
Venezuela 1-1 Northern Ireland (5-4 on penalties)
ITALY 1-1 Peru (4-3 on penalties)
Czechia 5-1 Angola
Morocco 4-1 Cameroon
Paraguay 4-0 Cyprus
South Korea 1-2 Ghana
Mexico 3-2 Russia
Spain 1-1 Wales (4-3 on penalties)
Ecuador 1-1 Bulgaria (3-2 on penalties)
Colombia 2-1 Bosnia and Herzegovina
Poland 4-0 Kenya
Australia 2-7 Greece
Uruguay 6-0 Estonia
Egypt 2-1 Albania
Algeria 0-0 Guinea (2-4 on penalties)
Round of 16 for 8th–16th place (Wednesday 28 October)
OT1) 17:45: Brazil vs. Venezuela, Pitch 10A
OT2) 17:45: ITALY vs. Czechia, Pitch 3A
OT3) 17:45: Morocco vs. Paraguay, Pitch 2A
OT4) 17:45: Ghana vs. Mexico, Pitch 5A
OT5) 17:45: Spain vs. Ecuador, Pitch 10B
OT6) 17:45: Colombia vs. Poland, Pitch 3B
OT7) 17:45: Greece vs. Uruguay, Pitch 2B
OT8) 17:45: Egypt vs. Guinea, Pitch 5B
Round of 16 for 17th–32nd place (Wednesday 28 October)
OT9) 17:45: Republic of Ireland vs. Northern Ireland, Pitch 4A
OT10) 17:45: Peru vs. Angola, Pitch 7A
OT11) 17:45: Cameroon vs. Cyprus, Pitch 9A
OT12) 17:45: South Korea vs. Russia, Pitch 8A
OT13) 17:45: Wales vs. Bulgaria, Pitch 4B
OT14) 17:45: Kenya vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Pitch 7B
OT15) 17:45: Australia vs. Estonia, Pitch 9B
OT16) 17:45: Albania vs. Algeria, Pitch 8B
Quarter-finals (Thursday 29 October)
Semi-finals (Thursday 29 October)
Finals (Friday 30 October)
NB: All times are given in CET (Central European Time).