Azzurrini see off hosts

Sweden 1 - 2 Italy
UEFA European U21 Championship
3pm, Friday 19 June 2009
Helsingborg, Sweden

West Ham target Mario Balotelli endured a mixed afternoon, after scoring the opening goal but then getting sent off 15 minutes later as Italy’s Under-21s earned a 2-1 victory over hosts Sweden in Helsingborg.

The ball fell to the big Inter front-man on the edge of the area after 23 minutes, and he gave the Italians a deserved lead when he cut inside from the left and curled a tremendous right footed effort into the far corner of Johan Dahlin's goal.

Fifteen minutes later, though, Balotelli went from hero to zero, when he needlessly got himself sent off after petulantly kicking out at Rasmus Bengtsson on the ground.

However, despite the numerical disadvantage, the Azzurri then doubled their lead eight minutes after the break when Robert Acquafresca rose unchallenged in the hosts’ box, and glanced a Sebastian Giovinco free-kick into the corner of the net.

The Swedes quickly rallied into action, and Martin Olsson, who was introduced in place of Gustav Svensson after 64 minutes, caused some genuine concern for Italy’s goalkeeper Andrea Cogsigli.

First the Blackburn winger flashed a diving header just wide of the far post after good work from Pontus Wernbloom, and then produced a ferocious low drive from the edge of the box, which had Cogsigli sprawling across his goal to palm the effort away.

Sweden continued to push and their efforts were eventually rewarded with just a minute remaining, when Ola Toivonen hit one of the goals of the tournament.

With the 10-men of Italy proving stubborn opposition, and time running out, Sweden could have been forgiven for pumping long balls into the box.

Instead, however, Mattias Bjarsmyr fed the ball into Rasmus Elm, after a delightful step-over from Olsson, and the midfielder cleverly flicked the ball into the box for the on-rushing Toivonen to rifle a shot into the far corner of the net without even looking up.

Sweden pushed on but it was the Italians who held strong and stole the points, along with the lead at the top of Group A.