Under 21 Italy Mulattieri leads the Azzurri. Two goals from the centre-forward in the second half and Serbia stretched out. But when the Under-21s looked for directions to expand the group, the best came from Tommaso Baldanzi, the best with Salvatore Esposito, who is a regular for this national team, the only one to have been there from the start. Coach Paolo Nicolato, as expected, uses all the “new” players, at least the less experienced and younger players, also because he is dealing with a Serbia that missed the European Championship qualification and is already showing up in training for the next two years, ie with everyone born after 2002. There are also two 2003s among the Azzurrini: Cesare Casadei and above all Tommaso Baldanzi, like Bruno Zapelli on his debut with the U21s.
Under 21 Italy, Tommaso Baldanzi puts on a show
The Empoli talent, the youngest on the team, immediately proves to be in a different category. He moves between the lines as a second striker, receives from the edge of the box and shoots. The five conclusions of the first half are all his. In the 4th minute he receives at the edge of the penalty area and shoots, deflected by Djuric. In the 6th minute Bruno Zapelli serves him in the penalty area, Tommaso Baldanzi with a touch goes past Djuric in the tunnel and then finishes wide with his right foot. In the 10th minute, a tight combination from the edge of the box between Salvatore Esposito and Tommaso, a left-footed cross that Filip Stankovic, Dejan’s Serbian goalkeeper’s son, extended to. And again: in the 18th minute, a throw-in for Niccolò Pierozzi. Excellent on the right, inside for Baldanzi, who was stopped by Djuric, in the 23rd minute it was Cesare Casadei who served Empoli, stop and central shot which was blocked by the Serbian keeper.
U21 Italy, the top scorers for the match against Serbia
SERBIA (4-2-3-1): F. Stankovic; Rogan, Drezgevic, Duric, Petkovic (68′ Djurasovic); Mladinovic (46th Vasiljevic), N. Stankovic (62nd Knezevic); Micic (42′ Ergelas), Lucic (62′ Mitulijkic), Mitrovic; raktov Coach: Stevanovic
ITALY (3-5-2): Caprile (85′ Sorrento); Carboni, Viti, Ruggeri; Pierozzi (46′ Parisi), Zapelli (60′ Oristanio), Esposito, Casadei, Faucet (46′ Zanoli); Baldanzi (78′ Colombo), mulattoi. Trainer: Nicolato
