UEFA Nations League | PLAYER RATINGS: Italy 1-1 Germany

A much-improved performance from Roberto Manciniโ€™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 Donnarummaโ€™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 Italyโ€™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), Sรผle (6), Rรผdiger (6.5), Kehrer (5.5); Kimmich (7), Goretzka (6); Gnabry (5.5), Mรผller (6), Sanรฉ (5); Werner (5.5)

Substitutes: Musiala (6), Hofmann (6), Gรผndogan (6), Havertz (6), Raum (N/A)

Jyotirmoy Halder

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