Published October 15,2023
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Beleaguered Italy bounced again from a scandal-hit week on Saturday by cruising to a 4-0 win over Malta which maintained second place in Euro 2024 qualifying Group C.
Domenico Berardi’s double, Giacomo Bonaventura‘s first Italy purpose and a late strike from Davide Frattesi gave the European champions an anticipated win in opposition to rock-bottom Malta to reclaim the second automated qualifying spot from Ukraine who beat North Macedonia 2-0 earlier within the day.
Luciano Spalletti’s aspect are stage on 10 factors with Ukraine and three factors behind leaders England forward of Tuesday’s key conflict at Wembley the place the Azzurri received the final Euro simply over two years in the past.
“That match is where we will really see how much potential we have,” mentioned Spalletti to broadcaster RAI.
Italy will return to the location of their biggest triumph since profitable the 2006 World Cup whereas Ukraine face sorry Malta in Ta’ Qali.
Malta are but to register a single level after six matches within the five-team group and on the premise of Saturday’s exhibiting are unlikely to place up a lot resistance in opposition to Ukraine.
That means something however one other victory over England will possible depart Italy third forward of their closing two matches in November — North Macedonia in Rome and Ukraine in Leverkusen, though they’ve a sport in hand on each.
“It will definitely be emotional, I have amazing memories from that stadium,” mentioned Berardi, who netted a penalty in Italy’s shoot-out closing win over England.
“We’ll go there trying to do what we did today, play our own game and look to win.”
Saturday’s stroll in entrance of over 56,000 followers in Bari got here after a troublesome few days for the Italy squad, with accidents and a betting scandal hampering Spalletti’s preparations for 2 essential matches.
The former Napoli coach misplaced striker Federico Chiesa and Mattia Zaccagni to damage over the previous two days after additionally having to depart out strikers Ciro Immobile and Mateo Retegui from his preliminary squad.
Even worse, Sandro Tonali and Nicolo Zaniolo had been allowed to depart the Coverciano coaching camp on Thursday after being questioned for 2 hours by legal prosecutors over alleged playing offences.
That investigation, and parallel soccer federation probes, are set to hold over the sport in Italy as they attempt to attain subsequent summer time’s match in Germany after lacking the final World Cup.
In-form Fiorentina midfielder Bonaventura bought the ball rolling halfway by the primary half when he opened his worldwide account in his first Italy match in three years with a fantastically struck curling shot.
At 34 years, one month and 22 days Bonventura is now the oldest participant to attain his first Italy purpose, beating Francesco Caputo’s file from three years in the past.
Berardi doubled the hosts’ lead on the stroke of half-time with a pearl of a strike from the sting of the realm which flew previous Malta goalkeeper Henry Bonello and crashed in off the submit.
That was Berardi’s first Italy purpose since October 2021 and the Sassuolo winger capped an ideal night when he thumped residence Italy’s third within the sixty fourth minute.
Gianluigi Donnarumma snuffed out a Malta counter and launched an assault down the left flank from the place Giacomo Raspadori’s flashed low cross evaded Moise Kean however fell completely for Berardi, whose completely struck first-time end sealed the factors.
Midfielder Frattesi then drilled residence the fourth, and his fourth in simply eight Italy matches, deep in stoppage time to place the cherry on the cake.
Source: www.anews.com.tr
