At the Pietro Barbetti stadium in Gubbio, with 1,000 spectators, the Italy Under-17 side produced a textbook comeback to beat reigning European champions Portugal 3-2 in their opening match of Group A2, Leg A, in the second round of European qualifying. They sit at the top of the standings on par with Romania, who defeated Iceland 5-2 in Gualdo Tadino.

After conceding early goals from the Porto midfielder Gustavo Guerra in the eleventh minute and Benfica forward Afonso Ferreirinha in the 15th, the Azzurrini turned the game around in the second half. Empoli striker Diego Perillo pulled one back in the 46th minute, followed by Club Brugge midfielder Gianluca Tommaso Okon-Engstler, son of Paul, formerly of Fiorentina, Lazio and Vicenza, in the 52nd, before Empoli playmaker Jacopo Landi had the final say in the 76th minute.

Coach Daniele Franeschini stated, “Getting off to a good start is fundamental. I congratulated the boys because it wasn’t easy at all. Based on how we were playing, we didn’t deserve to be two goals down. It wasn’t easy to stay composed, but they came back out after the break with the right mindset, doing everything we had worked on in training and maintaining their identity as a team. It’s not every day that you see a comeback like this, especially against Portugal, the reigning champions. But beyond the result, I’m pleased with the courage and mentality they showed on the pitch, proving they have true team spirit.”

ITALY 3-2 PORTUGAL (0-2 HT)

Italy (4-3-1-2): Lupo; Bonifazi (Donato 89’), Diallo, Varali, Albini; Ballarin (Bernamonte 89’), Okon-Engstler, Gasparello; Corigliano © (Landi 71’); Fugazzola (Casagrande 71’), Perillo (Fustini 83’). Substitutes: Giaretta (GK), Dattilo, Puricelli. Coach: Daniele Franceschini.

Portugal (4-2-3-1): André Marques; Estefânio, Isaac Silva, Rodrigo Silva ©, Francisco Cabeçana (Ricardo Batista 80’); Nélio Batista (João Silva 69’), Rúben Correia (Hugo Gomes 69’); Tiago Rodrigues (Sandro Ferreira 80’), Gustavo Guerra, Vlad (Duarte Tomás 69’); Afonso Ferreirinha. Substitutes: Pippo Gaidão (GK), Tomás Ferreira, Kilian Ferreira, Rodrigo Gonçalves. Coach: José Lima.

Referee: Lasse Læbel Graagaard (DEN). Assistants: Esad Deronjic (DEN), Bersan Duran (TUR). Fourth official: Oguzhan Çakir (TUR).

Goals: Gustavo Guerra 11’ (POR), Afonso Ferreirinha 15’ (POR), Perillo 46’ (ITA), Okon-Engstler 52’ (ITA), Landi 76’ (ITA)

Notes: Booked: Rúben Correia (POR) 45’+1, Fugazzola (ITA) 51’, Bonifazi (ITA) 58’, Diallo (ITA) 61’.
Stoppage time: 1’, 6’.

UEFA European Under-17 Championship Estonia 2026 | Round 2 | Leg A

Group A2: Iceland, ITALY, Portugal, Romania

Matchday 1 (Wednesday 25 March)

  • Iceland 2-5 Romania

  • ITALY 3-2 Portugal

Standings: Romania 3 (+3), ITALY 3 (+1), Portugal 0 (-1), Iceland 0 (-3)

Matchday 2 (Saturday 28 March)

  • 12:00 CET Portugal vs. Romania, ‘Carlo Angelo Luzi’ Stadium, Gualdo Tadino (PG)

  • 15:00 CET Iceland vs. ITALY, ‘Renato Curi’ Stadium, Perugia (live on Vivo Azzurro TV)

Matchday 3 (Tuesday 31 March)

  • 18:00 CET Portugal vs. Iceland, ‘Renato Curi’ Stadium, Perugia

  • 18:00 CET Romania vs. ITALY, ‘Pietro Barbetti’ Stadium, Gubbio (live on Vivo Azzurro TV)