Towards Qatar 2022. Italy chases away the goal crisis, 5-0 to Lithuania

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08 September 2021 Five goals in Reggio Emilia and good news from Belfast. The evening of 5-0 against Lithuania is more than positive for many reasons. Meanwhile, that familiarity with the goal that seemed lost in the last week returns (even if with a modest opponent, as Mancini will admit after the match); and then because Switzerland's draw at Northern Ireland (0-0 with a missed penalty by Seferovic in the 34th minute) deprives the Swiss of the possible advantage of two points for equal matches in view of Italy-Switzerland in November. At the moment in the classification of group C the blues command with 14 points, Switzerland at 8 (but with two games less), Northern Ireland and Bulgaria 5, Lithuania 0. In short, the road to that first place that is worth direct access to Qatar 2022 is at least flat again.

Mancini, on the 'Mapei' field, comes to terms with the numerous defections in recent days and revolutionizes the team. In front of Donnarumma there are Di Lorenzo (the only confirmed defense), Acerbi, Bastoni and Biraghi; in midfield Pessina, Jorginho (inevitable) and Cristante (preferred to Locatelli); unpublished attack with Bernardeschi, Raspadori and Kean. It is the new Juventus player who seized the opportunity in a somewhat confused start: Novikovas ventures to back pass, Kean goes on the ball, enters the area from the short side and strikes Setkus in the 11th minute. Just three minutes pass and Raspadori turns to the edge of the area and directs a tirocross to the center of the area, Utkus awkwardly touches his body and beats his goalkeeper. Luck, stingy with the Azzurri in the last two matches, begins to give something back. UEFA 'takes away'the goal to Raspadori, assigning an own goal to the Lithuanian defender. The home striker then takes it in the 24th minute: Bernardeschi serves the overlap of Di Lorenzo, low cross and short rejected, the black-green striker bursts in and bags from a few steps (and is his first in the national team). Before the half hour there is poker, of great quality: Bernardeschi on the fly pits more towards Kean who, in turn on the left fly, stabs Setkus.in turn, with a left-footed flight, he stabs Setkus.in turn, with a left-footed flight, he stabs Setkus.

Game abundantly on ice, also because Lithuania has nothing to put on the table. Italy allows itself a lot of academy, Bernardeschi tries a couple of conclusions from afar that do not find the target. Instead, Di Lorenzo (54 ') finds it when he crosses from the top of the area to look for Raspadori's head: the full-back's ball (also for him the first blue goal) bypasses Setkus and goes out on the net. Mancini began the exchange rate already in the interval: immediately Sirigu and Calabria, then also Castrovilli and Scamacca (a debut), finally Berardi. After the 70 'the offensive trident (Berardi-Scamacca-Raspadori) is entirely

. The post takes away the joy of the goal from Castrovilli (84 ').