Yesterday evening the Italy of Andrea Soncin ended their 2024 season in style by winning for the first time against Germany, one of the greats in Europe, even away thanks to goals from Bonfantini in the first half and Cantore in the second half, interspersed with Rauch’s equalizer for the Germans and several opportunities wasted by the hosts both thanks to Giuliani and a certain lack of precision and cynicism in the last touch.
A victory that projects the Italians towards a 2025 full of important events with the Nations League first and the European Championship in Switzerland in the summer where they will perform well and perhaps erase from their minds the last two international commitments – the continental tournament in England in 2022, and the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand – where Italy came out badly in the group stage.
GERMANY-ITALY 1-2 (pt 0-1)
Germany (4-2-3-1): Mahmutovic; Gwinn (from 43′ st Wolter), Doorsoun, Linder (from 1′ st Kleinherne), Rauch; Senß (from 25th st Dallmann), Minge (from 1st st Gräwe); Endemann, Freigang, Bühl (from 17′ st Zicai); Hoffmann (from 17′ st Schüller). Available: Winkler, Borggräfe, Hendrich, Nüsken, Şehitler, Cerci. All: Wück
Italy (3-4-3): Giuliani; Di Guglielmo, Lenzini, Linari; Bergamaschi (from 34′ st Greggi), Caruso (from 34′ st Oliviero), Giugliano (from 34′ st Schatzer), Boattin; Bonfantini (from 12′ st Cantore), Cambiaghi (from 43′ st Giacinti), Beccari (from 12′ st Bonansea). Available: Durante, Shore, D’Auria, Filangeri, Piga, Soffia, Dragoni, Nischler, Severini. All: Soncin
Markers: 11′ st Bonfantini (I), 6′ st Rauch (G), 29′ st Cantore (I)
Referee: Frappart (Fra). Assistants: Soriano (Fra) and Coppola (Fra). Fourth official: Daupeux (Fra).
Notes: ammonite Di Guglielmo (I), Giuliani (I), Wück (G). Spectators 15,125