In a stadium named after one of English football's worst nightmares, Diego Maradona, some 2,500 British fans were finally able to end their evening with yet another "God Save The King".

But they trembled until the end, and by the fault of an Argentine with an Italian passport found by Roberto Mancini in the Argentine championship, Mateo Retegui, who revived at the beginning of the second half a match so far totally controlled by the English.

Retegui, unknown in Italy before being summoned to compensate for the shortage of Azzurri centre-forwards, did not miss his debut by scoring and then sending off Luke Shaw (80th), warned twice in two minutes.

At eleven against ten, the Italians pushed to snatch the equaliser in vain, ending with regrets at missing their first half.

Because Harry Kane and the English did not miss the opportunity to start on the right foot after the World Cup-2022, concluded by the captain by a missed penalty against the France in the quarterfinals.

Kane scored his 54th goal late in the first half, making him the most prolific goalscorer in national team history by surpassing Wayne Rooney.

As a wink, it was on penalty that the opportunity arrived, after a hand of Giovanni Di Lorenzo. And the Tottenham striker did not miss this time, allowing the English to make the break just before the break (2-0).

Tribute to Vialli

England did not force to find the flaw. Gianluigui Donnarumma, a few seconds after diverting a beautiful strike from Jude Bellingham, bowed to a strike in force of Declan Rice on a corner (13th).

Italian neo-striker Mateo Retegui celebrates his goal, his first for the Squadra Azzurra against England, on March 23, 2023 in Naples © Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP

At 2-0, the case seemed folded, as Italy had been outclassed in the first half, far from the team crowned European champion in 2021 in the den of the English at Wembley.

But it was without counting on Retegui, the surprise guest of the evening.

Mancini went to the end of his crazy bet by starting the striker of Club Atlético Tigre, currently top scorer of the Argentine league, who can play for Italy thanks to a grandfather born in Sicily.

The 23-year-old striker, in whom Mancini sees a new Gabriel Batistuta, ran a lot but initially struggled to find his place. He also lacked details on his first balls, missing the ball on corner (6th) before being countered on his first shot (39th) and then shooting above (56th).

But just seconds after this miss, he changed the mood by opening the scoring with a dry strike, forgotten by the English defense and perfectly served by Lorenzo Pellegrini (56th).

That goal changed everything and the timid Italy of the first half turned into a formation finally conquering while England, punished for stopping play at the break, fell further and further, to eleven and then to ten after Shaw's two warnings in two minutes.

The staff of the Squadra Azzurra around Roberto Mancini pays tribute to Gianluca Vialli before the matc against England, on March 23, 2023 in Naples © Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP

Not enough, however, to allow Italy and Mancini to go for the victory promised in memory of Gianluca Vialli, his friend who died in January, to whom a tribute was paid at the beginning of the meeting.

© 2023 AFP