Italian U21 National Team

[Jager]

Italy are through to the European Championship semi-finals, but Claudio Gentile was furious with the referee after Simone Del Nero’s red card.


“I no longer want to comment on referees,” insisted the Coach after tonight’s 1-0 win over Croatia. “Suffice to say we did well and thoroughly deserved this win.”





That was close, and we win the group.

[Rosa]

all thanks to Daniele De Rossi (well partially)

[Jager]

Either Germany or Sweden, I think we can beat either. DeRossi must start. Gentile has adjusted his lineup from that first game disaster, and we've seemed to have found a winning formula.

How about Belarus? They must of thought they were going through for sure, after they beat us..feel sorry for them..oh well.

[Jager]

I stand corrected, its Portugal. Hmmmmm?

[Rosa]

yeah they normally have some good players, provided we begin to play wellthen it shouldn't be a problem

[ParmaKing]

Italy inspired by Gilardino goals
Saturday, 05 June 2004
Italy's opening day defeat by Belarus could not have seemed further away as Alberto Gilardino inspired a third straight victory that took the Azzurrini into Tuesday's UEFA European Under-21 Championship final against Serbia and Montenegro and booked them a spot in this summer's Olympic Games.



Happy return
Gilardino, returning from suspension, scored the first goal and swiftly made the second for Gianpiero Pinzi. Although Pedro Oliveira pulled one back, Gilardino added another strike near the end. Portugal meet Sweden on Tuesday for third place and the remaining Olympic berth alongside the two U21 finalists and hosts Greece.

Donadel steps in
Having beaten Croatia 1-0 to win Group A, Italy were able to welcome back Gilardino but lost Simone Del Nero - sent off in the victory - to a ban. Marco Donadel stepped into midfield.

Suspended trio
Midfield players Raúl Meireles and Carlos Martins and striker Lourenço all picked up suspensions when Portugal eliminated hosts Germany on Wednesday. Bruno Aguiar started in midfield, captain Ricardo Costa, returning from a ban, also began the game while Oliveira was up front for the injured Hugo Almeida.

Level opening
It was a level opening between two teams who had won reputations for excitement in the group stage. However, around the quarter-hour mark Italy began to have the better of the play, and within ten further minutes were 2-0 up.

Italian goal
Captain Daniele Bonera made the first goal as he won the ball on the right and whipped in a cross for Gilardino to head in on the penalty spot. Portuguese goalkeeper Moreira then had to claw away a deflected Donadel free-kick, but he was soon beaten again.

Lead doubled
Gilardino's cross was flicked on by Giuseppe Sculli and Pinzi leapt to head the ball in off the post. Moments later Gilardino volleyed over when through on goal and Portugal were able to recover and swiftly halve the deficit. Danny found Oliveira, but although his shot was blocked, Danny won back the ball on the left and laid it off to Jorge Riberia, whose strong shot was turned in by Oliveira.

Pinzi banned
There was still time for Italy to have two shots blocked in the area, and the pace of the game did not drop after the interval. Pinzi sent in a deep cross which Sculli could not reach, but that was the second goalscorer's final action as he was booked for a foul - meaning a suspension on Tuesday - and was immediately substituted.

Clever lob
Carlitos then sent a clever lob over Ameila that was heading on to the goal, but the goalkeeper scurried back to claw the ball away. This was the cue for Italy to withdraw into defence, as they had done successfully against Croatia.

Deciding strike
As Portugal poured forward they left space at the back for Gilardino, took full advantage 13 minutes from time with an accurate finish. There was no way back for Portugal against an Italian side looking to repeat their triumph of 2000.

Fantastic win! And Sweden loses!::ahhhh::


GO GILARDINO GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jager]

Very impressive, have to be favourites to take it all now...and yes, how about Girlardino.

[Rosa]

excellent result, Portugal normlly have good players so to beat them convincingly was some great work by teh azzurrini. Wonder if Trap is regretting his decision...

[ParmaKing]

I don't think so, he's doing what they exactly thought he would do, and I think it was a brilliant decision.

[acmaniac]

fantastic win i like the sound of that now lets go all the way and into the olympics.

[Alessandro10]

Great!! Yay to the olympics

[Rosa]

when is the final?

[Jager]

Tomorrow, it looks like.

20:45


Final
08 June 2004
20:45 (Local Time)
Ruhrstadion - Bochum

[acmaniac]

Italy charged to their fifth UEFA European Under-21 Championship in seven attempts with an emphatic defeat of nine-man Serbia and Montenegro in Bochum.

Stubborn Italians
Vladimir Petrovic's side were forced to play with a one-man disadvantage for almost an hour after Nikola Mijailovic had been dismissed for his second bookable offence and Daniele De Rossi had thundered in a 31st-minute header. Serbia and Montenegro battled relentlessly but were eventually undone by two goals inside three second-half minutes from Cesare Bovo and Alberto Gilardino as Italy ran away with victory. Branislav Ivanovic then received a red card just before the end.

Early booking
If Serbia and Montenegro had a sense of injustice at having been squeezed out of their Group A match against the Claudio Gentile's Italians eleven days ago, it only grew in the opening exchanges as a string of early decisions went in the Italians' favour. The most costly proved to be Mijailovic's eleventh-minute booking for a foul as Italy broke.

Maric magic
Petrovic's side, fuelled by the quick feet of attacking midfield player Miloš Maric, dominated the first half an hour and both Donadel and De Rossi were booked as the ill-disciplined Italians did their best to weather the storm - then broke at pace to score the opening goal.

Unstoppable header
One clever touch enabled Gilardino to create space in the Serbo-Montenegrin area and force a corner, which De Rossi rose to meet with an unstoppable 33rd-minute header. It got worse for Serbia and Montenegro two minutes later when Mijailovic's clattering challenge on Mesto by the touchline brought him his second yellow card of the evening.

Italy dominant
From then until the interval Gentile's team dominated, Gilardino twice missing the target from close range either side of Giuseppe Sculli, who scored twice against Serbia and Montenegro in the group stage, flashing a half-chance across the face of goal.

Tireless Lazovic
Italy midfield player Angelo Palombo drove the ball wide when presented with the first chance of the second half but, despite only having ten men, it was Serbia and Montenegro who enjoyed the majority of chances, their tireless captain Danko Lazovic miscuing a free-kick and half-time substitute Simon Vukcevic curling a hopeful effort over from 20 metres.

Milojevic mistake
Substitute Simone Del Nero thought he had doubled the lead when he stabbed in from an offside position ten minutes from time but the conclusive goals did not take long to arrive. First goalkeeper Nikola Milojevic inexplicably dropped a tame cross and allowed Bovo to tap in, then came the goal of the game.

Ecstatic celebrations
Gilardino ran on to a 50-50 ball with the goalkeeper and clipped it past him before keeping his feet and rolling the ball over the line to cue ecstatic on-field celebrations from Gentile's men. Distraught and defeated, Ivanovic paid for Serbia and Montenegro frustrations with a late red card for a foul on Del Nero to end a disappointing night.


This is just the news i wanted to hear hopefully with this win it will inspire our Azzurri team to do just as well in the Euro. Does this mean that the team will go to Athens?

CAMPIONI!!!::leedswac