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The Under-15 national team finish their season with a 1-1 draw in their second and final friendly against Serbia in Novarella, after winning 3-1 two days ago.
The Azzurrini had a chance to take the lead in the 35th minute but missed a penalty through Roma playmaker Mattia Pica. They eventually went ahead in the 66th minute thanks to Dundee United striker Lorenzo Sassetti, before being pegged back just three minutes later when Red Star forward Mihajlo Banković made it 1-1.
“We could have done better today,” said coach Enrico Battisti. “We wasted several chances, especially in the first half, and we weren’t intense or sharp enough technically. That said, considering we had several debutants on the pitch, we still took some positive signs from the game this morning. Looking at the season as a whole, beyond results, it’s been an important one for building and expanding this group, which can now be developed further in the coming years as we prepare for the European Championships and the World Cup.”
SQUAD LIST
Goalkeepers: Matteo Bondone (Genoa), Lorenzo Minicucci (Fiorentina);
Defenders: Lorenzo Allara (Juventus), Immanuel Altieri (Torino), Matthew Appiah Boateng (Parma), Niccolò Chieffallo (Roma), Mirko Danza (Atalanta), Davide De Vivo (Roma)*, Leopoldo Febbraro (Fiorentina), Fabrizio Pasotti (Cremonese)****;
Midfielders: Mattia Castiglione (Palermo), Sean Luis Ebagua (Venezia), Abdel Salam Musah (Fiorentina), Davide Tilli (Genoa), Marco Vaccarella (Juventus)***, Matteo Vives (Napoli);
Forwards: Mark Chidozie Cordopatri (Parma), Francesco Fattoruso (Napoli), Leonard Maria Lima Ramalho (Bologna), Mattia Pica (Roma), Lorenzo Sassetti (Dundee United), Lorenzo Vitali (Parma).
* Called up on 15 May as a replacement for the unavailable Bruno Savarese (Roma).
** Called up on 16 May as a replacement for the unavailable Giulio Cacucciolo (Torino).
*** Called up on 18 May as a replacement for the unavailable Gabriel Tedesco (Inter).
**** Called up on 18 May as a replacement for the unavailable Alessandro Gennaro Esposito (Juventus).
Staff – Coach: Enrico Battisti; Under 15 Supervisor: Antonio Rocca; Assistant coaches: Antonio Candreva and Bruno Redolfi; Goalkeeping coach Graziano Vinti; Fitness coach: Luca Bossi; Match analyst: Andrea Loiacono; Doctors: Michele Carubia and Riccardo Pella; Physiotherapist: Marco Cerroni; Secretary: Francesco Lupi.
