England 2-2 Italy

2007 UEFA European Under-21 Championship
Gelredome, Arnhem
7.45pm (UK time), Thursday 14 June 2007
Live on Sky Sports

Italy fought back from two goals down to leave themselves a European Championship lifeline, but England will be very disappointed, even though their fate is still firmly in their own hands.

On a night when two goals in two minutes put England on top and saw Leroy Lita silence a number of harsh critics with a venomous left-foot strike, the Three Lions will go away feeling as though it’s two points lost rather than one point gained, despite late Italian pressure that could have made it much worse.

It was an altogether more exciting game than three nights earlier, the same stadium, but this time more chances, more fans, more atmosphere and a roof; the stormy forecast forced the Gelredome into a late, stuffy and airless, transformation.

Italy may have enjoyed larger spells of possession, when England turned it over, they made more of the ball in the opening stages, while later in the game, their opponents seemed intent on only scoring screamers.

Italian midfielders Riccardo Montolivo and Alberto Aquilani were pulling the strings for the Azzurrini, while the pitbull-like Alessandro Rosina enjoyed some decent touches.

Their intentions were spelled out in the opening moments when Montolivo fired a Steven Taylor header clear back at Scott Carson’s goal, but it didn’t trouble the man who was equalling Jamie Carragher’s and Gareth Barry’s Under-21 caps record of 27.

With just nine minutes played, another Taylor header was somehow kept out by Emiliano Viviano’s superb, one-handed reflex save, but Stuart Pearce’s men upped the tempo, something that was needed against the Czechs, and began to turn the screw.

Lita had two glorious chances to put the Three Lions in charge. With his first, a one-on-one, he did everything right coolly taking the ball around Viviano, but with the goal gaping, he put it wide.

When his next effort a minute later smashed against the bar following a howler from Viviano, some players heads would drop. But not Lita, who handled Monday’s penalty miss with dignity, despite some quarters taking it as the end of the world. His time would come.

In the meantime, England kept going, Milner fired one across the face of the goal, but it was too far in front of David Nugent’s reach.

It was now Ashley Young’s turn to play. After a couple of darting runs down the left, he was set free inside the box. With just one man to beat, he went one way, then the next before sending a shot just wide, but the England fans sensed something was on its way.

And it was. Leighton Baines' 24th minute cross was met by a flying David Nugent, who tucked away his header into the bottom corner. England were firing and within two minutes they’d doubled their advantage.

Young, again, carried the ball forward down the middle, he had options either side, but slid through to Lita. With just the keeper to beat, he made no mistake this time, smashing the ball past Viviano.

Italy needed a response, they were after all heading out of the competition, and it came from the captain. From a corner on 35 minutes, a goalmouth scramble ensued, the ball fell loose and Giorgio Chiellini poked it away.

Their comeback was completed with 21 minutes left. Italy had by now resorted to shooting on sight and after a series of chances both ends, Aquilani, Giuseppe Rossi and Rosina for Italy, Reo-Coker for England, another speculative strike from Aquilani ended up in the corner of Carson’s net.

They were now on top, England needed some possession to take Italy’s sting out of their attack. Pearce took off Nugent and replaced him with Peter Whittingham to make a five-man midfield.

Young had a great run to put England back on top, squeezing past two defenders, but his shot from inside the box was turned onto the bar. Italy weren’t bothering to get behind England’s defence, though, and continued to shoot from distance.

Nothing came of Antonio Nocerino and Rossi efforts, and Italy return to their base hoping they can see off the Czechs and that Serbia can do to England on Sunday what they did to the Azzurrini.

England
1 Scott Carson, 2 Justin Hoyte, 3 Leighton Baines, 4 Steven Taylor, 7 Nigel Reo-Coker (c) (9 Kieran Richardson, 90), 10 David Nugent (23 Peter Whittingham, 69), 11 Ashley Young, 15 James Milner, 16 Leroy Lita (21 James Vaughan, 84), 18 Mark Noble, 20 Nedum Onuoha
Subs not used 6 Gary Cahill, 12 Wayne Routledge, 13 Joe Hart, 14 Liam Rosenior, 17 Tom Huddlestone, 19 Matthew Derbyshire, 22 Ben Alnwick

Goals: Nugent 24, Lita 26

Coach Stuart Pearce

Italy
12 Emiliano Viviano, 2 Marco Andreolli, 3 Giorgio Chiellini (c), 4 Antonio Nocerino, 5 Andrea Mantovani (14 Domenico Criscito, 59), 7 Riccardo Montolivo, 8 Alberto Aquilani, 9 Gianpaolo Pazzini, 10 Alessandro Rosina, 17 Andrea Raggi (6 Marco Motta, 46), 20 Raffaele Palladino (11 Giuseppe Rossi, 46) 
Substitutes 1 Gianluca Curci, 13 Andrea Coda, 15 Michele Canini, 16 Daniele Dessena, 18 Simone Padoin,19 Graziano Pelle, 21 Andrea Lazzari, 22 Andrea Consigli, 23 Luca Cigarini

Goals: Chiellini 35, Aquilani 69
 
Coach Pierluigi Casiraghi

Kit Colours
England White shirts, Blue shorts, White socks
Goalkeeper Aubergine shirt, Aubergine shorts, White socks

Italy Blue shirts, White shorts, Blue socks
Goalkeeper Gold shirt, Gold shorts, Gold socks

Match Officials
Referee Damir Skomina (SVN)
Assistant Referees Dimitrios Saraidaris (GRE) and Tomas Mokos (SVK)
Fourth official Stéphane Lannoy (FRA)

Attendance 17,103