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Italy’s campaign at the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival, which concludes this afternoon in Azerbaijan, ended in defeat as the Under-15 national team lost 3-1 to Poland, who are one year older on average, at Pitch 3A of the Hovsan Competition Complex in Baku. Italy finished twelfth out of 189 participating national teams.
After falling behind to a 20th-minute goal from Karol Kupczyk, a central defender at Pogoń Szczecin, the Azzurrini equalised two minutes later through Napoli midfielder Mario Tambaro. However, Poland regained the lead through Talent forward Antoni Balcer and Legia Warsaw striker Michał Kucała, who scored in the 33rd and 34th minutes respectively.
“We showed some of the reaction I wanted to see after the heavy defeat to Mexico (7-0, ed.) – explained coach Enrico Battisti. – We managed to compete against a very physical and combative side, although we initially struggled in individual duels. After conceding just before half-time, we had the strength to respond and equalise, and we even came close to taking the lead in the second half. A few lapses in concentration towards the end cost us the final 3-1 scoreline, despite a good spell of pressure in the closing minutes. Beyond the result, it was important to show character and personality again. I hope the team has learned its lesson.”
THE MATCH. Italy started with Brigante in goal, behind a defensive line of D’Eletto, Carpi, Vian and Criscito, who wore the captain’s armband for the third time. He had previously captained the side in their 5-1 opening victory over Turkmenistan (24 October) and their 4-3 quarter-final win over Venezuela in the 9th-12th-place play-offs (29 October). Tambaro and Koite lined up in midfield, with Ferraro leading the attack. Poland started with Borowiec in goal, Szybalski, Kupczyk and captain Waloch in defence, Balcer, Tabór and Kwiatkowski in midfield, and Kucała up front.
Poland made the better start and came close to taking the lead in the fifth minute when Kwiatkowski, having dispossessed Tambaro, struck the post with a fine left-footed effort across goal. The Azzurrini struggled to cope with their opponents’ pressure, but Brigante made two important low saves in the ninth minute, first from Kupczyk and then from Tabór. Enrico Battisti’s side responded in the 16th minute through Musella, whose long-range right-footed effort struck the crossbar. Borowiec then produced an excellent save to deny D’Eletto from close range with a header. In the closing stages of the first half, Italy’s goalkeeper kept his side in the game with two more decisive interventions: first to stop Kwiatkowski’s right-footed shot in the 18th minute, then Szybalski’s effort from close range in the 19th. A minute later, however, Italy were unable to prevent Kupczyk from opening the scoring, finishing with his left foot after a one-two with Kwiatkowski just before the break.
The Azzurrini returned for the second half with renewed purpose and equalised almost immediately. In the 22nd minute, Tambaro took matters into his own hands, beating the Polish goalkeeper with a precise low right-footed shot from distance. Poland were not unsettled and soon resumed their attacking pressure, with Galliera proving alert before producing an outstanding double save from Kucała on the half-hour mark. In the 33rd minute, however, Poland regained the lead through Balcer, who converted at the far post after another acrobatic piece of play from Kucała. Just a minute later, Kucała settled the contest, making it 3-1 with a powerful left-footed shot across goal. Before the final whistle, Enrico Battisti’s side tested Nowicki with a fierce free-kick from the edge of the box by Vian in the 36th minute, a central left-footed effort from Reguig in the 38th and a curling attempt from Musella in the same minute. The score remained unchanged, leaving Italy in twelfth place.
ITALY 1-3 POLAND (0-1 HT)
Italy (4-2-1): Brigante; D'Eletto, Carpi, Vian, Criscito (c); Tambaro, Koite; Ferraro | Turrini, Musella, Kostyuk, Reguig, Galliera (GK), Chirico. Coach: Enrico Battisti.
Poland (3-3-1): Borowiec; Szybalski, Kupczyk, Waloch (c); Balcer, Tabór, Kwiatkowski; Kucała | Lipiński, Jadachowski, Chojecki, Nowicki (GK), Wiśniak. Coach: Piotr Klepczarek.
Goals: 20' Kupczyk (POL), 22' Tambaro (ITA), 33' Balcer (POL), 34' Kucała (POL).
Notes: Added time: 0 minutes (first half), 0 minutes (second half).
FIFA U-15 WORLD CUP & FESTIVAL AZERBAIJAN 2026
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, St. 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), Cape 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, Ivory Coast 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.
FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival Azerbaijan
Group L results
Matchday 1 (Saturday 24 October)
Hong Kong 3-0 Cook Islands
ITALY-Turkmenistan 5-1
Benin-Qatar 2-3
Matchday 2 (Sunday 25 October)
Turkmenistan 2-1 Hong Kong
Cook Islands 0-10 Benin
ITALY 3-0 Qatar
Matchday 3 (Sunday 25 October)
Hong Kong 1-1 Benin
ITALY 9-0 Cook Islands
Qatar 4-0 Turkmenistan
Matchday 4 (Monday 26 October)
Benin 1-6 ITALY
Turkmenistan 3-1 Cook Islands
Qatar 1-1 Hong Kong
Matchday 5 (Monday 26 October)
Cook Islands 0-4 Qatar
Benin 4-1 Turkmenistan
Hong Kong 2-7 ITALY
Standings: ITALY 15, Qatar 10, Benin 7, Turkmenistan 6, Hong Kong 5, Cook Islands 0.
Tournament phase (28-30 October)
Level A | Round of 32 (Wednesday 28 October)
Brazil 7-2 Republic of Ireland
Venezuela 1-1 Northern Ireland, 6-5 on penalties
ITALY 1-1 Peru, 5-4 on penalties
Czechia-Angola 5-1
Morocco-Cameroon 4-1
Paraguay-Cyprus 4-0
South Korea-Ghana 1-2
Mexico-Russia 3-2
Spain 1-1 Wales, 5-4 on penalties
Ecuador 1-1 Bulgaria, 4-3 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 1st-16th place (Wednesday 28 October)
Brazil 0-0 Venezuela, 11-10 on penalties
ITALY 3-5 Czechia
Morocco 0-1 Paraguay
Ghana 5-2 Mexico
Spain 4-1 Ecuador
Colombia 5-3 Poland
Greece 1-1 Uruguay, 5-3 on penalties
Egypt 2-4 Guinea
Quarter-finals for 9th-16th place (Thursday 29 October)
Venezuela 2-3 ITALY
Morocco 0-3 Mexico
Ecuador 0-4 Poland
Uruguay 3-0 Egypt
Semi-finals for 9th-12th place (Thursday 29 October)
ITALY 0-7 Mexico 0-7
Poland 0-1 Uruguay
Finals (Friday 30 October)
1st place
15:00: Czechia-Spain, Crystal Hall
3rd place
Paraguay 2-6 Greece 2-6
5th place
Brazil 4-2 Guinea
7th place
Ghana 4-0 Colombia
9th place
Mexico 3-1 Uruguay
11th place
ITALY 1-3 Poland
13th place
Morocco 3-1 Egypt
15th place
Venezuela 3-1 Ecuador
NB: All kick-off times are in CET (Central European Time).