[D-Kin]

Under-21: Italy 2-0 Croatia Friday 12 October, 2007
Scorer: Acquafresca 40, 57

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Robert Acquafresca netted twice as Italy’s Under-21s gained a comfortable victory over qualification rivals Croatia in a tense but entertaining encounter.

The Azzurrini are now leading the table with 12 points having played all four games, while Croatia are second with nine.

Italy needed a win and Coach Pierluigi Casiraghi [pictured] lined up with a 4-3-3 formation. The Azzurrini trident was formed by Sebastian Giovinco, Giuseppe Rossi and Acquafresca.

After a slow start, Croatia could have taken the lead when Busic’s scissor-kick was disallowed by the referee after two fantastic saves from Andrea Consigli.

The home team had an excellent opportunity on 34 minutes, but Giuseppe Rossi’s first-time shot was deflected wide.

Italy took the lead soon after thanks to Acquafresca. A Rossi cross was guided home off the outside of his right foot and past the outstretched Vargic.

Croatia’s reaction was poor, but both Rossi and Luca Cigarini saw yellow before half-time.

Italy doubled their lead on 57 minutes. Marco Motta crossed from the right and Acquafresca was again on hand to turn in his second goal of the evening, this time with his head.

Two minutes later Giovinco could have made it 3-0, but his lobbed shot went inches wide.

Rossi had two attempts on goal with his left and then his right foot, but both were tipped away by Vargic.

The undoubted star of the match, Acquafresca, was replaced by Andrea Russotto on 68 minutes with Rossi taking the role of the central striker.

The Azzurrini tried to increase their advantage a few minutes before the final whistle, but Giovinco and Rossi’s efforts were again denied by Vargic.

Italy: Consigli; Motta, Marzoratti (Santacroce 71), Criscito, Rubin; Dessena, Cigarini, Marchisio; Rossi, Acquafresca (Russotto 68), Giovinco (Morosini 87)

Croatia: Vargic; Dzigic (Kukec 75), Lovren, Ipsa; Bakovic, Ilicevic, Jajalo, Tomasov (Rukavina 62), Pamic; Tasic, Busic

Ref: M. Gonzalez

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