European, France-Italy 5-1, bitter debut for the blues

France is very strong, Italy shouldn’t have helped her like that. The start of the European women’s national team was a disaster, not irreversible only because the other match between Belgium and Iceland ended 1-1. Unfortunately there was no match in Rotherham for the blues: France, who won 5-1 scoring all the goals in the first half, won again, also taking advantage of two serious defensive errors by Italy, on the first two goals, which made everything very difficult and the opponents unplayable more than they were before. Italy, who had lost only one of their last 18 games (against Switzerland, 2-1 in the world qualifiers in Palermo), will return to the field on Thursday at 18 against Iceland: they will need the version of the National team that in the first 90 minutes of this English trip has not been seen.

One way street

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Without Cernoia, positive at Covid, coach Bertolini completed a midfield formed by Giugliano and Caruso with Galli. In front, as happened in Castel di Sangro in the last pre-European friendly against Spain, Bergamaschi on the right with Girelli in the middle and Bonansea on the left. The latter, after 2 ‘, had the opportunity that perhaps could have changed everything: on Girelli’s header, he kicked with a sure shot, finding the great foot response of Peyraud-Magnin, his partner in Juventus. Since that moment, Italy has been invaded, with the French advantage coming in the 8th minute: escape to the right by an unstoppable Diani, low cross, very short rejected by Gama and a goal by Geyoro. Three minutes later, Kharchaoui’s assist from the left, another ball left there this time by Giuliani with his hands and everything easy for Katoto. The PSG striker hit a post with his head, then in the 22nd minute he was anticipated by Gama who risked serving the ball to Cascarino, who didn’t get there by a whisker. Bertolini tried to fix something, changing the attacking outsides and bringing Bergamaschi to the left to give Boattin a hand at the mercy of Diani. But in the first half final, France’s goals became first three, then four, finally five. The trio was signed by Cascarino (European club champion with Lyon) with a right foot from outside, then Geyoro – midfielder – made the bomber, first exploiting a corridor opened by Katoto, then putting in the goal a ball from the center of the area without Italy’s defense being able to resist.

recovery

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In the second half, Bertolini changed two-thirds of the midfield: Rosucci for Galli, Simonetti for Giugliano: on 12 ‘, just before the entry of Giacinti for Girelli, Boattin’s left-footed just out. Italy risked being left in ten: the referee, the English Welch, first drew the red for a foul by Gama on Geyoro then, recalled by the var, dismissed him as a yellow card. Geyoro, however, did not resume the game (inside Dali), with Malard on the field in place of Cascarino. France has lowered the gears; in Italy, in Piedmont for Caruso, and Piedmont with the head scored the goal of pride on a cross from Boattin anticipating Kharchaoui and going, in the recovery, even close to the brace. A restart point.