Roberto Mancini’s Italy ended their fantastic winning streak after 11 games as they were held onto a 1-1 draw by Bosnia Herzegovina in the opening match of the Nations League Group D. Sooner or later, it was meant to happen.
The Azzurri preserved their immaculate record at the Artemio Franchi Stadium in Florence – a venue where they never lost in 27 games – but needed a little bit of luck to equalize Edin Dzeko’s lead with a Stefano Sensi shot that was deflected by the Bosnian defense into their own net.
All in all, it was a fair outcome for a game that offered few emotions and showed how the Italians still lack some form and match pace as they prepare to restart the season on September 19. The most exciting thing from the Azzurri‘s first half was Roberto Mancini deploying Francesco Acerbi as center-back instead of Giorgio Chiellini not because he chose to do so – but because Acerbi had been erroneously included in the official lineup delivered to the match officials (!).
Mancini’s choice as center-forward was Andrea Belotti instead of Ciro Immobile. Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Chiesa supported the Torino striker from the sides. Lorenzo Pellegrini of Roma joined Inter’s Stefano Sensi and Nicoló Barella in midfield.
After a pretty much colorless first half, the Bosnians put their heads ahead from a corner kick as Edin Dzeko found the back of the net from a Toni Sunjic header service. Roma’s forward was expectedly the most dangerous man from the Balkan side despite being the only striker featured by coach Dusan Bajevic.
Italy found an equalizer 10 minutes later as they took advantage of an unlucky deflection from Sunjic, who pushed into his own net a Stefano Sensi shot – well served by Lorenzo Insigne.
The goal scored galvanized the Azzurri who made themselves dangerous again a few minutes later. Alessandro Florenzi’s shot was saved by the Bosnian goalkeeper. Federico Chiesa served the Roma outcast a good assist before leaving room to Nicoló Zaniolo.
Three minutes later, Roberto Mancini also changed his center forward replacing Andrea Belotti with Ciro Immobile. His last substitution saw him adding another offensive player – Moise Kean – for Roma’s Lorenzo Pellegrini.
Kean and Zaniolo added some vivacity to the Azzurri‘s game but Italy never came to threaten Ibrahim Sehic’s goal again. In three days in Amsterdam against the Netherlands (who beat Poland 1-0 tonight) Italy will need to show something more than what seen against Bosnia at the Artemio Franchi if they want to keep progressing in the Nations League.
But, regardless of the outcome of tonight’s game, one thing is for sure: Don’t let us see the Azzurri wear those horrible blue navy pants again, please.
MATCH REPORT
September 4, 2020 – Nations League 2020-2021 Group A
ITALY-BOSNIA HERZEGOVINA 1-1
SCORERS: 57′ Dzeko (B), 66′ Sensi (I)
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ITALY (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Florenzi, Bonucci, Acerbi, Biraghi; Lo. Pellegrini (85′ Kean), Sensi, Barella; Chiesa (70′ Zaniolo), Belotti (73′ Immobile), Insigne (Sirigu, Meret, Spinazzola, Mancini, Chiellini, Di Lorenzo, Jorginho, Cristante, Locatelli) Coach: Mancini |
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BOSNIA HERZEGOVINA (4-5-1): Sehic; Cipetic, Sunjic, Sanicanin, Kolasinac (83′ Civic); Cimirot, Hadziahmetovic, Visca (85′ Milosevic), Gojak, Hodzic (76′ Besic); Dzeko (Begovic, Buric, Bicakcic, Duljevic, Hajradinovic, Danilovic, Kvrzic, Sebanadzovic, Koljic) Coach: Bajevic |
REFEREE: Sidiropoulos (Greece)
NOTES: Yellow Cards: Bonucci, Belotti, Zaniolo (I), Cimirot (B); Extra Time: 1st Half 2′, 2nd Half 4′