The Under-17 National Team started their European campaign off on the right foot with a 4-0 win over San Marino. Their opening game in the first phase of qualifying for the European Championships, played at Valentino Mazzola in  Santarcangelo and streamed live on the figc.it site,  Azzurrini Head Caoch, Massimiliano Favo, described the game as one between friends, where, as announced on the eve of the game, Camarda and teammates pushed their opponents back deep into defensive mode and never let up on the attacking front. The statistics at the end of the game say it all: 33 shots for the Azzurrini against none for San Marino, with corners won counting 21-0.

“The final result could have been even bigger," said Massimiliano Favo at the end of the game, "but the San Marino goalkeeper played superbly. We're happy with how we approached the game. We need to give our everything, because coming top of the group can give you an advantage in the next stages. I'm very optimistic because we have an excellent group here."

The game. The script of the game, which also Federal vice-president, Umberto Calcagno, watching on from the stands, was clear from the start: the Azzurrini dominating play, forcing the visitors to defend deep in their own half, and looking for the spaces to hurt. The deadlock was broken after eight minutes of play, which gave the impression of taking away all apprehension from Favo's lads: Camarda got away from his marker down the left stylishly but his effort was somehow blocked by Casadei. The quickest on the follow-up was Mosconi, who put the ball into an empty net to give the Azzurrini the lead. 

Despite hardly ever advancing in the last third, San Marino continued to defend well in its 5-3-2 formation, keeping distances well between the units and gaining the applause from the Sanmarinese public present in the stands at Valentino Mazzola in Santarcangelo.

San Marino's goalkeeper, Jacopo Casadei, was the star of the first half, thwarting Italy's numerous attempts on goal, as they searched for a second, and keeping out shots and crosses. Just shy of the break, his save from Liberali was outstanding: the shot was powerful and accurate, but the Azzurri number ten couldn't find the joy of goal due to the keeper's excellent reflexes. 

The second half started with Italy more convincing and like in the first half the goal came early on with a tap-in from Coletta, after a save from Casadei's effort. Only two more minutes passed by before it was 3-0, thanks to a great individual goal from Camarda.

The Azzurri chances continued to flow, with the game playing out in the same fashion and San Marino keeping tight and leaving very few spaces in a packed box. At the end of stoppage time, the third of four minutes, Verde headed home to close the game out 4-0.

The Azzurrini next face Northern Ireland, beaten 2-0 in their opener with Greece, again at the Mazzola in Santarcangelo on Saturday at 15:00 CEST in their second group game.

 

Italy 4-0 San Marino 
ITALY: Pessina; Colombo, Verde, Maffessoli, Cama; Gariani (62' Pisani), Coletta (62' Olivieri), Di Nunzio; Liberali (73' Plicco); Mosconi (82' Maiorana), Camarda (73' Castiello). Unused subs: Nunziante, Cocchi, Garofalo, Vezzosi. Head Coach: Favo
SAN MARINO: Casadei; Marani (41’pt Montali), Bugli, Marinucci; Bindi, Pasolini (82' Zavoli), Meloni (78' Canarezza), Arlotti, Forcellini; Protti (78' Valentini), Dell Balda (82' Mularoni). Unused subs: Della Balda, Raschi, Contucci, Faetanini. Head Coach: Bonesso
REFEREE: Torres (LUS). Assistenti: Mentz (LUS) e Mammadov (AZE). IV Ufficiale: Masiyev (AZE)
GOALS: 8’pt Mosconi, 48' Coletta, 50' Camarda, 90+3' Verde
NOTES – Stoppage-time: 1’pt, 4’st. Attendance: around 400

 

Squad List

Goalkeepers: Alessandro Nunziante (Benevento), Massimo Pessina (Bologna)
Defenders: Cristian Cama (Roma), Federico Colombo (Milan), Matteo Cocchi (Inter), Christian Garofalo (Napoli), Manuel Maffessoli (Atalanta), Francesco Verde (Juventus), Giorgio Vezzosi (Sassuolo)
Midfielders: Alessandro Di Nunzio (Roma), Federico Coletta (Roma), Niccolò Gariani (Atalanta), Mattia Liberali (Milan), Alessandro Olivieri (Empoli), Diego Pisani (Fiorentina), Elia Plicco (Parma)
Forwards: Francesco Camarda (Milan), Alex Castiello (Atalanta), Stefano Maiorana (Fiorentina), Mattia Mosconi (Inter)

Staff - Head Coach: Massimiliano Favo; National Youth Sector Coordinator: Maurizio Viscidi; Head of Delegation: Filippo Corti; Club Italia: Giuseppe Martucci; Assistant Coach: Matteo Barella; Fitness Coach: Adalberto Zamuner; Goalkeeping Coach: Davide Quironi; Match analyst: Andrea Loiacono; Doctors: Alessio Rossato and Francesco Maria Nifosi; Physiotherapists: Marco Fiore and Enrico Matera; Nutritionist: Claudio Pecorella; School Teacher: Stefano Presciutti; Secretary: Massimo Petracchini.

Qualifying Round, Group 11: results, fixtures and table

Wednesday 25 October
Northern Ireland 0-2 Greece
Italy 4-0 San Marino

Saturday 28 October
Greece vs. San Marino (12:00 CEST - Cervia, Stadio Germano Todoli)
Italy vs. Northern Ireland (15:00 CEST - Santarcangelo di Romagna, Stadio Valentino Mazzola. Live on figc.it)

Tuesday 31 October
Greece vs. Italy (15:00 CET - Forlì, stadio Tullo Morgagni. Live on RaiSport)
San Marino vs. Northern Ireland (15:00 CET - Santarcangelo di Romagna, Stadio Valentino Mazzola)

Table: Italy and Greece 3 points, Northern Ireland and San Marino 0