When the night gets deep, dark, sad, Italy He wakes up. A time empty and without anything, another under attack. The result is a defeat that in the first half was mortifying and in the second, however, widens the border of regrets. And from the tough reaction, even if not always lucid, that Mancini has to restart. Rebirth will be a long and winding road and before thinking about winning the Nations League next June in the Netherlands, we should worry about going to Germany to defend the European title in the summer of 2024. But courage is the flame that must warm the heart of the coach, together with the debut of Mateo Retegui. The Argentine, with just three training sessions together with his new companions, signs the goal of illusion. The bitterness remains for the defeat, the first in the European qualifying round after 14 victories in a row. And the certainty that from now on nothing will have to be done wrong.
English domain, Kane sets a record
England, at least in the first half, are different from the ones we beat at Wembley and pushed into League B of the Nations League. The World Cup in Qatar, where they undeservedly lost in the quarterfinals against finalists France, helped the Lions grow in awareness and experience. And on the Fuorigrotta lawn, after a poignant choreography in Vialli’s memory, the Southgate gang takes their revenge. Until the interval he has strength and conviction. Then he shows the usual side B, presumption, arrogance, even fear. Southgate, condemned to live on the edge of the precipice and in the distrust of his people, gives the Tre Leoni a breathless victory that has been missing in Italy since ’61. Rice opens, doubles Kane on a penalty at sunset of the first half, his fifty-fourth goal, one more than Rooney, like no other in history and Grealish squandered the 3-0 into an empty net. But after that it’s another story.
Italy small and fragile
Italy until the interval is small and fragile, with a defense that suffers from the heavy absences of Bonucci, Bastoni and Dimarco, three holders and with Toloi and Acerbi, improvised pair of power plants, which sinks as soon as the British show their teeth. But nothing works in Mancio’s team, which after the 1-0 gave way to English counterattacks: the Bellingham scooter arrived late for Kane’s cross from the right after an unfortunate mistake by Acerbi in the setup phase and Phillips stole the ball from the pale Jorginho by shooting at the edge of the post. Kane’s penalty, caused by a hand ball by Di Lorenzo, lhe home idol is the captain’s 54th goal for his national team, one more than Rooney. A record that enhances the victory of the Whites.
Blue Assault
In the second half, Italy changed its attitude. Two goals down and with nothing left to lose, he increases his pace, raises his center of gravity, always arrives first on second balls. Mancini, after Retegui’s goal, propitiated by a perfect assist from Lorenzo Pellegrini, inserts Politano and Cristante and then the very lively Gnonto and Tonali. But courage does not go hand in hand with lucidity. The blue assault is a bit haphazard, without opportunities. England gets a few scares but returns home with three golden points. Now we have to go and win in Malta. And Mancini must reflect on his choices. There is a need for freshness, changes bring vivacity. For some of the European champions it is time to rest.