The Group Tournament, held from 4 to 6 October in Novarello, ends with the success of Representative A. The team led by Davide Cei won 3-2 on penalties against the Under 17 national team, after regulation time had ended 0-0. Bologna’s goalkeeper, Renato Widmer D’Autilia, was decisive from eleven metres, first mesmerizing Roma’s Samuele Carlaccini and then Genoa’s Lorenzo Jeremie Fazio.
After an initial study phase between the two teams, the first chance of the match goes to Davide Cei’s boysbut Rinaldi’s header, following a corner kicked by Forte, was blocked by an attentive Marcaccini. A few minutes pass and the response from Favo’s team arrives, but Lontani’s right-footed shot from 25 meters ends weakly wide to the left. Shortly after, Representative A shows up again, first with Luongo’s right-footed shot, then with Forte’s close-range shot, but, in both cases, the opposing number 12 is very good at neutralizing. Before the break, there is space for a free kick from Damiano, which ends up high over the crossbar, and for a shot from distance from Rodella, blocked once again by Marcaccini.
In the second half, in which both teams made nine substitutions, the first ring came from Cei’s boys, but Rodella’s left-footed shot, on Wiafe’s low cross from the right, ended high over the crossbar. The Azzurrini’s response came a few minutes later, with Pandolfi, who beat Widmer D’Autilia with his right foot before being denied the joy of the goal by Cullotta’s defensive intervention on the goal line. Favo’s team continues to push and, with a few minutes to go, they have the opportunity to move forward, but Carrara’s diagonal shot from the right ends up just wide. In the penalty shootout, where Pandolfi and Cullotta scored a crossbar on each side, Widmer D’Autilia was decisive, neutralizing Carlaccini and Fazio’s eleven-metre shots.
National U17-Representative A 0-0, 2-3 dtr (0-0 pt)
Penalty shots: Busiello (N) goal, Baralla (A) goal, Carlaccini (N) saved, Wiafe (A) goal, Borasio (N) goal, Colpo (A) goal, Pandolfi (N) crossbar, Cullotta (A) crossbar, Fazio (N) saved.
NATIONAL U17 (4-3-1-2) : Marcaccini (36′ Nava); Tavanti (36′ Cretì), Borasio, Bovio (36′ Fazio), Bolis (36′ Carlaccini); Treffiletti (36′ Pandolfi), Prisco © (36′ Antonini), Tiozzo Pagio (36′ Busiello); Blini ©; Damiano (36′ Carrara), Lontani (36′ Tosi).
Coach: Massimiliano Favo.
REPRESENTATIVE A (4-3-1-2) : Maran* (36′ Widmer D’Autilia*); Nolli (36′ Colombo), Rinaldi (36′ Casadei), Cullotta, Giani (36′ Perrotti*); Luongo (36′ Virtuani), Arnaboldi (36′ Baralla ©), Beldenti (36′ Wiafe); Rodella*; Forte (36′ Colpo), Costa (36′ Paratici).
All.: Davide Cei.
*on loan from Representative B.
Referee: Mr. Davide Genovese from Novara.
Assistant 1: Mr. Bogdan Daniel Tulbure from Chivasso.
Assistant 2: Mr. Loris Mancini of Novara.
Notes: recovery: 0’pt, 0’st. First half 35′, second half 30′.
GROUP TOURNAMENT
First day (Friday 4 October)
Representative A-Representative B 2-2, 7-6 dtr
Rests: National U17 team
Second day (Saturday 5 October)
National U17-Representative B 2-1
Rest: Representative A
Third day (Sunday 6 October)
11am: National U17 team – Representative A 0-0, 2-3 direct time
Rest: Representative B
Classification: Representative A and National U17 4, Representative B 1.