MILAN: England's sorry Nations League run continued on Friday (Sep 23) as Giacomo Raspadori's 68th-minute strike gave Italy a deserved 1-0 win that relegated the shot-shy visitors to the second tier League B and kept the Italians in the hunt to top Group 3. There was precious little to provide optimism for
MILAN: England's sorry Nations League run continued on Friday as Giacomo Raspadori's 68th-minute strike gave Italy a deserved 1-0 win that relegated the shot-shy visitors to the second tier League B and kept the Italians in the hunt to top Group 3.
England barely managed an effort on goal and looked unrecognisable from the team who went 22 games unbeaten until June – not counting the Euro 2020 final shootout defeat by Italy. After Italy started with a five-minute attacking flurry, highlighted by Gianluca Scamacca’s header pushed onto a post by Pope, the first half developed into cautious probings from both sides with neither goalkeeper further challenged.
England were unable to manage more than a couple of Harry Kane snap shots and although manager Gareth Southgate was booed by the visiting fans as he went to applaud them he took a remarkably upbeat view of the game.