A much-improved performance from Roberto Mancini’s men saw Italy holding onto a 1-1 scoreline against Germany on Saturday evening.
Having faced an annihilation against Argentina in the midweek, Italy took the field against their German counterparts in a mood of retribution. Led by ten changes in the line-up, the Italian teamsheet witnessed a couple of new names. It was considered the beginning of a reinvigorated era for the Azzurri.
Gianluca Scamacca hit the post with a snapshot in the first half, although a string of German blitzkrieg made the Italian custodian Gianluigi Donnarumma’s life uncomfortable on several occasions. But thanks to the German attackers missing the scoreable opportunities, the half-time ended in a 0-0 scoreline.
In the second half, the game came to life as Lorenzo Pellegrini opened the scoring from a brilliant cross provided into the box by Wilfried Gnonto, who had just replaced a lukewarm Matteo Politano. Following a scrappy bit of play, Joshua Kimmich found the equaliser. Donnarumma made a few decent saves to salvage a commendable return to a positive result on the back of the horrors of the Finalissima 2022.
Here are the player ratings from Italy’s first match in the latest edition of the UEFA Nations League.
Italy: Donnarumma (7); Biraghi (6), Bastoni (6), Acerbi (5.5), Florenzi (6.5); Tonali (6.5), Cristante (6), Frattesi (6); Pellegrini (7.5), Scamacca (6.5), Politano (6)
Substitutes: Gnonto (7), Pobega (N/A), Dimarco (N/A), Cancellieri (N/A), Ricci (N/A)
Germany: Neuer (5.5); Henrichs (6), Süle (6), Rüdiger (6.5), Kehrer (5.5); Kimmich (7), Goretzka (6); Gnabry (5.5), Müller (6), Sané (5); Werner (5.5)
Substitutes: Musiala (6), Hofmann (6), Gündogan (6), Havertz (6), Raum (N/A)
