Under-21 Championship Recap: Italy VS Netherlands

Italy won the European Under-21 Championship second semi-final match against the Netherlands on Saturday (1-0).

Both teams’ aggressive defenses proved difficult for the players to convert numerous chances into goals. The defense from the two teams were predominantly seen in the first half. The Netherlands attempted six goals while Italy shot four at halftime.

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In the first 20 minutes, Azzurrini’s Fabio Borini and Marco Verratti both picked up yellow cards. Borini almost scored a goal in the opening period.

For almost 30 minutes in the second half, the teams were unproductive. On the 79th minute, however, Borini scored the victory goal for Italy. The Dutch were unable to break through Italy’s defense in the last fifteen minutes.

Borini was certainly the player of the match, having attempted four shots but securing one winning goal. His confidence will play an essential role in the finals against Spain.

Despite their loss, Cor Pots’ Jong Oranje should be proud of their accomplishments, having scored eight goals in their first two matches in the championship tournament.

The Italy national under-21 football team will face Spain on Tuesday, with only a couple of days left for preparation. Both teams will fight for the championship title in Jerusalem.