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FootballItaly will play the Final Four, a crazy draw between England and Germany
By winning in Hungary (2-0), the Nazionale won first place in its group in the League of Nations and qualified for the last four. At Wembley, English and Germans fought a spectacular duel (3-3).
Italy join Croatia and the Netherlands in the semi-finals of the League of Nations, waiting for the last qualifier.
AFP
Italy was somewhat consoled for its absence from the 2022 World Cup by qualifying for the final four of the League of Nations on Monday, thanks to a success in Hungary (2-0) synonymous with first place in a strong group with also Germany and England. Italy joins the Netherlands and Croatia, the first to qualify for the “Final 4” scheduled for June 2023. Spain or Portugal will compete on Tuesday for the last ticket to succeed France, who did not qualify.
Giacomo Raspadori (27th), already decisive against the English (1-0) on Friday, and Federico Dimarco (52nd), author of the 1500th goal in the history of Italy, ensured the victory of the Nazionale against Hungarians who only needed a draw to finish top. Roberto Mancini can also thank a Gianluigi Donnarumma who has become solid again, author of two “miracles” on his line just before the Italian 2-0 in front of Ádám Szalai (50th) then just after on a header from Callum Styles (55th).
Italy, which fell to their lowest point in March – less than a year after their Euro title – by missing out on World Cup qualification for the second time in a row, have found some teeth against the Hungarians badly entered the meeting. Goalkeeper Péter Gulácsi was first close to scoring against his side (5th) but was saved by a defender. But the second defensive approximation was too much: on a badly supported back pass, Wilfried Gnonto preceded the exit of the Hungarian goalkeeper and Raspadori, on the lookout, took the opportunity to quietly open the mark (27th). The young Neo-Neapolitan, with his fifth goal in Nazionale, confirms his rise.
Hungary then finally showed a little more enterprising but Attila Szalai was clumsy in front of the deserted cage of Gianluigi Donnarumma (41st). After Dimarco’s second Italian goal, his first in selection from a cross from Bryan Cristante, Hungary went all out with the support of their fiery supporters. But without making Donnarumma tremble, with regained confidence. The PSG goalkeeper was again perfect on a new attempt by Styles deflected by Leonardo Bonucci (63rd), disgusting the Hungarians for good and offering a little blue sky to the private tifosi of Qatar.
Show at Wembley
Joshua Kimmich (left) and Thilo Kehrer (right) try to catch Harry Kane.
AFP
A crazy second half with six goals resulted in a 3-3 draw at Wembley between England and Germany, which mainly highlighted the defensive shortcomings of both teams, on the final day of the Nations League . For the last match before the 2022 World Cup, in less than two months, this draw is perhaps the best result that the two teams could hope for, having generally missed out on their League of Nations. The breathless scenario will have shown that their encephalogram is not completely flat, without hiding anything of the many points to be rectified if they want to be successful in Qatar.
Relegated before this match, England were the most expected at the turn with Gareth Southgate increasingly challenged but still as determined to follow the line he has in mind, even if it does not bear fruit. The 3-4-3 is now well established as the main system and the men vary little, even if John Stones had replaced Kyle Walker as right axial in defense and Luke Shaw, important player at Euro 2020, had returned to left piston at instead of Bukayo Saka. The problem is that the same causes produce the same consequences: offensive impotence and defensive friability.
Yes, the Three Lions scored three times, ending 565 minutes without scoring in the game, by Shaw (1-2, 71st), Mason Mount (2-2, 75th) and Harry Kane, from the penalty spot (3-2 , 82nd), who thought he had given victory to his family. But for that we had to wait to be led 2-0 on a penalty from Ilkay Gündogan (0-,1, 52nd) and a sublime curling strike from Kai Havertz (0-2, 67th).
The fact that the opener came from a huge mistake by Harry Maguire, a player Southgate defends against all odds, obviously doesn’t help, the Manchester United defender having given the ball directly to Jamal Musiala before crochet after taking a small bridge in the surface.
Admittedly, the German advantage was a bit against the course of the game, André Ter Stegen having had to work in front of Raheem Sterling (26th, 45th, 48th). But against England, we can always believe in Santa Claus and the equalizer came from a new gift, a very soft save from Nick Pope on a strike from Serge Gnabry, which Havertz was the quickest to take back and offer a draw to his own (3-3, 87th).
If the crisis is avoided, the two coaches will have to think a lot to regain certainty and confidence.
(AFP)