Italy beat Ecuador 2-0, but suffered from its recurring lack of offensive realism, in a preparation match for Euro-2024, Sunday in Harrison (United States).
Four days after being knocked out by Venezuela, before winning 2-1 in Florida, the reigning European champions have this time generally mastered their subject.
The opening score in the 3rd minute helped them greatly: Lorenzo Pellegrini took advantage of a free kick repelled by the Ecuadorian wall to unleash a dazzling 20m recovery, to score his 6th goal in the Azzurro jersey.
Nicolo Zaniolo then appeared alone in front of the Ecuadorian goalkeeper, but lost his duel (15th), then Giacomo Raspadori, launched perfectly by Nicolo Barella, took his shot too far (36th).
Upon returning from the locker room, the Nazionale slowed down, unsurprisingly, since the team lined up by Luciano Spalletti was completely new and without automatisms.
The Ecuadorian Gonzalo Plata faces the Italian Gianluca Mancini during the friendly match between Italy and Ecuador on March 24, 2024 in Harrison (AFP – Charly TRIBALLEAU)
As he had planned at the opening of this American tour, the coach carried out a squad review and fielded a completely different eleven from the one which started the match against Venezuela.
In this starting eleven, the two “debutants”, Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario and Torino defender Raoul Bellanova, made a good impression.
With the entry into play in the 75th minute of Mateo Retegui, author of the two goals against Venezuela and the big beneficiary of these two friendly matches, Italy, struggling physically, was able to regain the upper hand.
Barella, captain for one evening, stunned Ecuador on the counter in added time (90+4th).
“The second half was a little more delicate, we lost a few too many balls, but we always played as a team, without really being worried by a good Ecuadorian team,” said Spalletti on the Rai television channel. Uno.
“This tour is very positive, the players were very serious (…) We have two serious matches, there are of course things to improve, but it is positive,” insisted the former Naples coach.
Italy, which painfully won its qualification for Euro-2024 (June 14-July 14), will face Albania, Spain and Croatia in the group stage of the German tournament.