ENSCHEDE (Netherlands) – The final for third place in the Nations League goes to Italy. In fact, thanks to goals by Dimarco, Frattesi and Chiesa, the national team beat the hosts Holland 3-2 and won the bronze medal in the competition for the second consecutive edition. Two-faced match for Mancini’s boys, absolute masters of the field in the first half, closed with a double advantage, only to then drop dramatically in the second half, under pressure from the opponents. The Oranje, after a quarter of an hour of siege, get back into the game with Bergwijn in the 68th minute, but the hopes of a comeback are dashed on the deadly counter-attack from the Juventus winger – who replaced Gnonto and Raspadori together with Zaniolo – who closed the game just five minutes later. In the 90th minute Wijnaldum’s goal set the score at the final 3-2.
Italy-Holland, the choices of Mancini and Koeman
Roberto Mancini launches the 4-3-3with Acerbi and the newcomer Good morning – instead of Bonucci – to protect Donnarumma, and Toloi and Dimarco to complete the backlog in the role of full-backs. Cristante in the midfield, Verratti and Frattesi in the wings, while Raspadori and Gnonto act as external forwards on the sides of the Retegui offensive end. Still bench for Church. Koeman’s answer is similar: Bijlow is between the posts, with Dumfries on the right and Aké on the left of the central duo Geertruida-Van Dijk, Wieffer, De Jong and Simons in midfield and, in front, the trident Malen-Gakpo-Lang.