The story between the Azzurri U18 team and the Municipality of Merano started with a promising 2-1 victory over Austria, marking the first-ever match of the Azzurrini in the area. At the 'Gianpiero Combi' stadium, Daniele Franceschini's squad took the lead just six minutes into the game, with Atalanta midfielder Andrea Bonanomi capitalizing on an assist from Inter's Matteo Spinaccè to slot the ball past Lorenz with a close-range left-footed shot. The second goal for Italy came around the half-hour mark (28') through another Atalanta player, Leonardo Mendicino, whose splendid left-footed curler found the top left corner, leaving the Austrian goalkeeper no chance. In the second half, after a couple of goal-line clearances by Giovanni Leoni (Sampdoria) and a shot by Christopher Olivier deflected onto the post by Francesco Saverio Plaia (Spezia), Austria found a consolation goal with Marco Brandt, scoring from a scramble ten minutes before the end.

"We had a good first half," emphasized the Italian coach, "where we immediately took the lead before doubling it after half an hour. In the second half, however, we slightly dropped in intensity, conceding to their increased aggressiveness, but overall, we put in a good performance."

The Azzurrini will return to the 'Gianpiero Combi' stadium in Merano to face Austria again on Sunday, 24 March (11 CET): "We will give playing time from the start to everyone who didn't have it today," concludes Franceschini. "We have a group of 22 players who, from the beginning of the season until now, have been continuously growing."

List of call-ups:

Goalkeepers: Pietro Leonardelli (Fiorentina), Francesco Saverio Plaia (Spezia);

Defenders: Adam Bakoune (Milan), Matteo Cocchi (Inter), Niccolò Fortini (Fiorentina), Giovanni Leoni (Sampdoria), Vittorio Magni (Milan), Matteo Giuseppe Plaia (Roma), Gabriel Ramaj (Atalanta), Lorenzo Tosto (Empoli);

Midfielders: Andrea Bonanomi (Atalanta), Francesco Crapisto (Juventus), Lapo Deli (Fiorentina), Gabriele Finocchiaro (Juventus), Leonardo Mendicino (Atalanta), Valdes Ngana (Juventus), Lorenzo Riccio (Atalanta), Filippo Scotti (Milan);

Forwards: Maat Daniel Caprini (Fiorentina), Seydou Fini (Standard Liege), Federico Ragnoli Galli (Atalanta)*, Matteo Spinaccè (Inter).

*Replacing the unavailable Riccardo Braschi (Fiorentina)*.

Staff - Head Coach: Daniele Franceschini; Assistant Coach: Enrico Battisti; Goalkeeping Coach: Stefano Baroncini; Athletic Trainer: Roberto Ghielmetti; Match Analyst: Igor Graziani; Medical Staff: Alessandro Carducci and Lorenzo Sapegno; Physiotherapist: Alessandro Sferrella; Secretary: Guglielmo Cammino.