Italy 1-0 England: Giacomo forces three lions to relegation in Nations League defeat

On Friday night, Italy defeated England 1-0, ensuring the visitors’ relegation to group B of the Nations League. 

Giacomo Raspadori’s goal was all that Italy needed.

Both teams had a difficult time establishing control of the game in the first half due to a clear lack of quality in possession on both sides.

Despite a few shining moments from individuals when the game dragged on, England couldn’t recover after the break.

After making substitutions, Roberto Mancini’s team appeared revived and took the lead after 68 minutes, increasing the pressure on the visitors to respond and stealing the victory on an otherwise uninteresting night of football.

Neither team was able to maintain possession or create a real threat, and while possession frequently changed hands, no obvious opportunities appeared.

After the break, the game dragged on a little bit, but England occasionally enjoyed happy moments when players like Bellingham, Foden, and Raheem Sterling had the room to run past defenders on the counterattack.

Just before the hour mark, Dimarco managed to get past England’s back line and squared the ball to Nicolo Barella, who sliced the ball wide while stretching. After the play was flagged for offside, Gareth Southgate’s team felt let off the hook.

After an hour, England appeared to slow down, and Italy, which had already taken the lead after 68 minutes, benefited from the addition of quality substitutes. Giacomo Raspadori grabbed a long ball out of the air and, with just a few touches, found room to beat Nick Pope with a low shot.