© uefa.com

In an extraordinary show of strength, the Under-17 National Team beat England 4-2 at the Arena Egnatia in Rrogozhinë on matchday 2 in Group B of the European Under-17 Championship. Thanks to this fantastic result, the Azzurrini remain in first place on maximum points and have qualified for the semi-finals (scheduled for 29 May) with a game to spare.

Italy took a tenth-minute lead through a penalty won and converted by Borussia Dortmund youngster Samuele Inácio – the son of former Atalanta and Napoli forward Piá – but Alejandro Rodríguez equalised for England in the 23rd minute. Favo’s side restored their lead on the 37-minute mark through Udinese defender Cristiano De Paoli, who got on the end of Luongo’s corner to fire home with his right foot. After the restart, the Young Lions once again equalised through Alejandro Rodríguez, but Empoli forward Thomas Campaniello then made it 3-2 with a header from a Luongo cross (67’). Ten minutes later, Luongo scored the final goal of the game with a free-kick that flew into the bottom corner.

© uefa.com

“Playing with this intensity, displaying this quality and scoring four goals against England doesn’t happen every day,” said Head Coach Massimiliano Favo. “The best thing about these boys is that they play like a real team, not just the eleven who start the match, but everyone. It was a magnificent performance. I’m not usually one to speak with such enthusiasm, but these lads were truly exceptional today. We dominated, and it’s a night to remember.”

© uefa.com

Italy will return to action on Monday 26 May (20:30 CEST) at the Niko Dovana Stadium in Durrës, where they’ll face a Belgium side who beat Czechia 3-1 in the other Group B match thanks to an Ali Camara brace (24’ and 42’) and a goal from Juventus defender Wout Gielen (45'). After the restart, the Czechs, who are mathematically out of the competition, scored a consolation goal through Kryštof Čížek (65').

© figc.it

Italy 4-2 England

Italy (4-3-1-2): Nava; Iddrisa, Bovio ©, De Paoli, Mambuku; Steffanoni, Baralla, Luongo © (87' Prisco); Inácio (80' Pavesi); Arena (58' Elimoghale), Campaniello (87' Zanaga). Substitutes: Maran (P), Giani, Borasio, Comotto, Maccaroni. Head Coach: Massimiliano Favo.

England (4-4-2): Porter; Byfield, Hardy, Braithwaite, Benamar; Burrowes (70' McAidoo), Ridgeon ©, Page (76' Gray), Ngumoha (63' Heskey); Dowman (70' Gorman), Alejandro Rodríguez. Substitutes: Awesu (P), Emenalo, Simmonds, Williams-Barnett. Head Coach: Neil Ryan.

Referee: Joey Kooij (NED). Assistants: Dyon Fikkert (NED) and Christopher Rae (SCO). Fourth official: Florian Lata (ALB).

Goalscoers: 10' pen. Inácio (ITA), 23' Alejandro Rodríguez (ENG), 37' De Paoli (ITA), 49' Alejandro Rodríguez (ENG), 67' Campaniello (ITA), 77' Luongo (ITA).

Notes: Bookings for Baralla (ITA) 20', Mambuku (ITA) 26', Inácio (ITA) 42', Ridgeon (ENG) 75', Alejandro Rodríguez (ENG) 88', Giani (ITA) and Gray (ENG) after full-time. Stoppage time: 1', 4'.

SQUAD LIST

Goalkeepers: 12. Andrea Maran (Modena), 1. Sebastiano Nava (Juventus);
Defenders: 6. Benit Borasio (Juventus), 5. Leonardo Noah Bovio (Inter), 15. Cristiano De Paoli (Udinese), 3. Laurence Adam Giani (Stoke City), 2. Dauda Amihere Iddrisa (West Bromwich Albion), 13. Jean Tryfose Mambuku (Stade de Reims), 16. Davide Pavesi (Cremonese);
Midfielders: 14. Alessio Baralla (Empoli), 8. Christian Comotto (AC Milan), 11. Andrea Luongo (Torino), 17. Valerio Maccaroni (Roma), 4. Vincenzo Prisco (Napoli), 18. Federico Steffanoni (Atalanta);
Forwards: 19. Antonio Arena (Pescara), 9. Thomas Campaniello (Empoli), 7. Destiny Onoguekhan Elimoghale (Juventus), 10. Samuele Inácio (Borussia Dortmund), 20. Edoardo Zanaga (Empoli).

Staff - Head Coach: Massimiliano Favo; Delegation Head: Filippo Corti; National Youth Team Coordinator: Maurizio Viscidi; Assistant Coach: Davide Cei; Goalkeeping Coach: Davide Quironi; Fitness Coach: Adalberto Zamuner; Match Analyst: Luca Dalmasso; Doctors: Alessio Rossato and Andrea Serdoz; Physiotherapists: Giorgio Giannini and Enrico Matera; Nutritionist: Claudio Pecorella; School Tutor: Stefano Presciutti; Press Office: Alessandro Paoli; Secretary: Massimo Petracchini; Administration Office: Antonio Martuscelli.

UEFA European Under-17 Championship Albania 2025 | Finals

Group A: Albania*, France, Germany, Portugal.
Group B: Italy, Belgium, England, Czechia.

*host country

Group phase (from 19 to 26 May)

Matchday 1

Monday 19 May
Albania 0-4 Portugal
Germany 0-3 France

Tuesday 20 May
England 1-1 Belgium
ITALY 2-1 Czechia

Matchday 2

Thursday 22 May
Albania 0-4 Germany
France 0-0 Portugal

Group A standings: Portugal 4, France 4, Germany 3, Albania 0.

Friday 23 May
Belgium 3-1 Czechia 
ITALY 4-2 England

Group B standings: ITALY 6, Belgium 4, England 1, Czechia 0.

Matchday 3

Sunday 25 May
20:30 CEST - Portugal vs. Germany, Arena Kombëtare in Tirana
20:30 CEST - France vs. Albania, Arena Elbasan in Elbasan

Monday 26 May
20:30 CEST - Czechia vs. England, Arena Egnatia in Rrogozhinë
20:30 CEST - Belgium vs. ITALY, Stadiumi Niko Dovana in Durrës