Italy, Spalletti, ‘suffered on second balls, but conceded little’
“The suffering was on the level of these returns and second balls, where we were not ready to recreate this team block in the defensive phase and these rejections were often the object of reconquest by the accompanying midfielders, but the team played a good match, we didn’t concede much. In the possibilities of choice there was the space and tranquility of being able to choose passages to be able to hurt”, the words of the coach of the Italian national team, Luciano Spallettiat its debut, on Rai Sport commenting on the 1-1 draw against North Macedonia in the Euro 2024 Qualifiers.
Now there is little time to prepare for the match against Ukraine. “The aspects to work on come out of this match here. This is the only element we have to try to find improvements”, added the coach. “Did I sleep little? I always sleep little but it doesn’t depend on the onset, then it is clear that there is a bit of emotion, because an Italy match is not being played inside the stadium but all over the world. Everyone was on TV watching us so they are in a position to evaluate what we do on the pitch,” she added.
Spalletti (photo Lapresse), equal with North Macedonia on his debut as Azzurri coach
Italy, Immobile: ‘It’s a moment where we need to be even more united because things are going like this’
“Bright eyes? It’s a moment where we need to be even more united because that’s how things turn out for us. Today a shot on goal and a goal. We managed to play our game, to have some chances, especially in the first half despite the pitch. At this moment we have to remain even more united, we were in a good position on the pitch, it’s a shame.” These are the words of the Italian captain Ciro Immobile after the 1-1 draw with North Macedonia. “Problem to implement? Yes, we had a few chances in the first half and we were good at creating them – added the attacker who scored the Azzurri goal -. It’s a moment in which things turn like this and we have to make up for it Tuesday certainly, it’s a fundamental match for us, we need to work”, he concluded referring to the match against Ukraine.
Ciro Immobile scores the goal of Italy’s momentary lead against Nrdo Macedonia (photo Lapresse)
Italy, Tonali: “We’ll put everything we have into play with Ukraine”
“It’s not what we hoped for, it’s not the result we wanted to bring home. It’s right that they celebrate and our disappointment is right. But now we have to roll up our sleeves and start again, we have to work and throw everything in with a view to Ukraine. We had chances throughout the game, we interpreted them well. They had this reaction in the last quarter of an hour and we couldn’t manage the few chances we conceded. We conceded little but it was enough not to win it.”
Spalletti’s Italy held back at 1-1 by North Macedonia. Euro 2024 at risk: no mistakes with Ukraine
Macedonia indigestible for Italy. In his first on the Azzurri bench Luciano Spalletti did not go beyond the 1-1 draw against North Macedonia in Skopje with goals from Immobile in the 47th minute and Bardhi in the 81st minute. After the elimination in the race for a place in the World Cup in Qatar with Mancini’s Italy defeated by Macedonia, history, in part, repeats itself and the draw complicates the Azzurri’s path towards the 2024 European Championships. Italy was back in Skopje seven years after the first precedent (2016), which is also the only victory for the Azzurri against North Macedonia in the 3 overall matches (a draw and a defeat instead in the two home games), but it didn’t go as expected waited. England lead the Group C standings, with 13 points while Ukraine follows with 7 points (with 4 matches), Italy is on 4 in three matches as is Macedonia awaiting the match against Ukraine which becomes even more more important.
The top two in the group pass, the race is on for second place given that the English are one step away from qualification. In the event of a flop in the group, Italy will be admitted to the playoffs having gained access to the final 4 in the last Nations League with semi-final and eventual final to try to earn the pass to the final phase of Euro 2024. But obviously everyone’s hope is that a victory against Ukraine will arrive next Tuesday which is the premise for closing group C in the best possible way.
North Macedonia players celebrate the equalizer against Italy (photo Lapresse)
Luciano Spalletti for his first Italy team opts for a 4-3-3 which sees the trident made up of Immobile at the center of the attack and the captain’s armband on his arm, supported on the outside by Politano and his Lazio teammate Zaccagni. Donnarumma in goal, Di Lorenzo and Dimarco outside low with the Bastoni-Mancini pair at the center of the defense, while in midfield there is Roma player Cristante in control, preferred to Locatelli, with Barella on the right and Tonali on the left. Milevski opts for Miovski as sole striker, supported by Elmas. Elezi and Atanasov on either side of Bardhi in midfield, Ashkovski and Alioski on the wings.
North Macedonia – Italy 1-1, Immobile unlocks the lead. Bardhi jewel, surprises Donnarumma with a free kick
Italy started well and in the 3rd minute Di Lorenzo missed Barella who scored with play stopped, an irregular position. In the 6th minute Bardhi responds and falls in the area under pressure from Bastoni, but referee Letexier lets it continue. In the 15th minute the Azzurri were still dangerous with Cristante who headed the ball from a corner but Dimitrievski watched the ball slide past the far post. In the 19th minute Macedonia responds again following an error by Politano, an Alioski cross is restarted and a diving Miovski misses the target from an excellent position. Italy comes very close to taking the lead in the 21st minute: Barella serves Tonali vertically who enters the area and shoots low, but hits the post which saves Dimitrievski. A minute later, Cristante turned a right-footed corner again, but the Macedonian goalkeeper instinctively rejected it. At the end of the first half Di Lorenzo’s cross for Tonali who misses the one-on-one control with Dimitrievski.
Bardhi’s free-kick beats Donnarumma and is the equalizer for North Macedonia
(Lapresse photo)
In the second half Spalletti leaves Politano in the changing rooms giving space to Zaniolo. In the 47th minute Italy took the lead: melee in the Macedonian area, Barella’s right-footed volley hits the crossbar, Immobile heads the tap-in to make it 1-0. The race seems to be on its way. In the 62nd minute Zaniolo pushes to the right but is unable to cross before the ball goes out. Then in the 67th minute following the development of the corner, Elmas places a right-footed shot from 20 metres, but the ball goes wide, not by much. After another foul by Zaniolo from the edge, the free kick arrives which punishes the Azzurri. In the 81st minute, a free kick from Bardhi, which goes into the corner with Donnarumma not exactly at fault. Spalletti brings fresh energy into play with Biraghi for Dimarco. and Gnonto for Zaccagni, but Italy fails to break through. Now there is the need for three points against Ukraine in Milan.
North Macedonia – Italy 1-1. Scoreboard
North Macedonia (4-2-3-1): Dimitrievski; Manev, Musliu (33′ st Serafimov), Zajkov, Alioski; Ashkowski (29′ st Dimovski), Bardhi; Elezi (29′ st Alimi), Atanasov (46′ st Iljazovski), Elmas; Miovski. A disp.: Aleksovski, Shiskovski, Ademi, Trajkovski, Doriev, Babunski, Ristovski, Nestorovski. All.: Milevski
Italy (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Mancini (13′ st Scalvini), Bastoni, Dimarco (38′ st Biraghi); Barella, Crisante, Tonali (44′ st Raspadori); Politano (1′ st Zaniolo), Immobile, Zaccagni (38′ st Gnonto). Available: Vicario, Meret, Locatelli, Romagnoli, Retegui, Darmian, Frattesi. All.: Spalletti
Subscribe to the newsletter