ITALY CRUSH PORTUGAL 2-0 IN FRIENDLY THRILLER
The Italian national team produced a thrilling display of attacking football to defeat Portugal 2-0 in a highly-anticipated friendly match at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara in Bologna. The Azzurri, looking to build momentum ahead of their upcoming World Cup qualifiers, were in impressive form throughout the game, dominating possession and creating a host of chances against their European counterparts.
The Portuguese, fresh from their victory over Nigeria in the International Champions Cup, started brightly and posed an early threat with Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes linking up well in attack. However, Italy’s stubborn defense, marshaled by the experienced Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci, was equal to the task, soaking up the pressure and hitting back with counter-attacks.
The deadlock was broken just before the half-hour mark when Nicolo Zaniolo, making his first start for the Azzurri, expertly turned his marker on the edge of the box before unleashing a powerful left-footed drive that flew into the top corner. The young forward’s clinical finish was the culmination of a slick passing move that had begun deep in Italy’s own half, and it sent the home crowd into raptures.
Italy continued to press home their advantage in the second half, with Zaniolo and fellow youngster Federico Chiesa causing all sorts of problems for the Portuguese defense. Chiesa, who replaced Zaniolo just after the interval, made an immediate impact, racing clear of the Portugal backline and only being denied a second goal by a fantastic save from goalkeeper Rui Patrício.
The game’s second goal arrived just past the hour mark, when substitute Federico Bernardeschi converted a penalty after he had been brought down by a rash challenge from Portuguese defender José Fonte. The Atalanta winger stepped up and sent Patrício the wrong way with a confidently-struck penalty, ensuring that Italy took a 2-0 lead into the final stages of the game.
Portugal pushed hard for a late comeback, with Ronaldo and Fernandes both going close with headers, but Italy’s defense remained solid and resolute, protecting their clean sheet with aplomb.
In the end, it was Italy who celebrated a hard-fought victory, their attacking play and work rate proving too much for their opponents. The win will be a significant confidence-booster for the Azzurri as they look ahead to their upcoming World Cup qualifiers, while Portugal will need to regroup and improve their defensive organization ahead of their own qualifiers.
"I’m very pleased with the team’s performance," said Italy coach Roberto Mancini after the game. "We played well from start to finish and deserved the win. The young players who started and came off the bench all showed great quality, and I think we can take a lot of confidence from this game into our next matches."
The victory sends Italy up to fourth in the FIFA world rankings, while Portugal slip to fifth. Both teams will now look to build on this performance in their upcoming internationals.
