U21 EURO | Poland 2-1 Italy: Azzurrini waste Pisilli magic | OneFootball

Italy had taken the deserved lead with a sensational Niccolò Pisilli scissor-kick volley, but conceded two counter-attacks in four minutes for a costly defeat to Poland in this Under-21 European Championship qualifier.

This was a pure head-to-head for top spot in Group E, as they were both on 12 points from four rounds, Poland in front with a goal difference of +15 to the Azzurrini’s +10.

There were early attempts from Francesco Camarda and Oskar Pietuszewski, but Luigi Cherubini had two huge scoring opportunities in the opening 17 minutes.

With the first, his header clipped the outside of the upright on a Luca Koleosho cross from the left, then soon after he scuffed the volley wide from a similar position relatively undisturbed.

Poland also threatened on the counter-attack, Lorenzo Palmisani getting down to parry the Tomasz Pienko angled drive at the base of the near post.

Davide Bartesaghi ran a huge risk when bringing down Marcel Regula right on the edge of the area, then a few minutes later Filippo Mane performed a decisive goal-line clearance on Pienko.

After the restart, Pisilli forced a desperate save with the goalkeeper’s legs from point-blank range on the Cherubini roll across from the right.

Niccolò Pisilli controlling the ball when Italy play Poland in the Under-21 European Championship qualifier (@azzurri)

Pisilli did break the deadlock moments later with a simply extraordinary individual goal. At the back post he controlled the Koleosho cross from the left with his right boot, flicked it over the defender, and then hit a scissor-kick volley with the right boot from a seemingly impossible angle into the far top corner.

Marcel Lubik used his legs again to deny Koleosho’s angled drive after a defender was left behind, while Alphadjo Cisse drew the goalkeeper off his line, but then the angle was too narrow to roll into the empty net.

However, Poland managed to equalise against the run of play when they broke on the counter with a cheeky Jan Faberski turn to shake off Pietro Comuzzo, rolled across for Wiktor Bogacz to control and sweep in from 12 yards.

CREMONA, ITALY – OCTOBER 14: Coach Silvio Baldini of Italy reacts during the UEFA Euro U21 Qualification match between Italy and Armenia at Stadio Giovanni Zini on October 14, 2025 in Cremona, Italy. (Photo by Marco M. Mantovani/Getty Images)

Having largely dominated the game, Italy suddenly crumbled, conceding again moments later when Palmisani parried the Faberski strike into the path of Maciej Kuziemka, who still had a lot to do with a ferocious volley.

The Azzurrini had a double chance in stoppages, the Luca Lipani attempt charged down and Cisse scuffing the rebound into the arms of the goalkeeper, but it’s the first defeat under new coach Silvio Baldini.

It went from bad to worse as Italy lost their tempers, Koleosho receiving an entirely avoidable second yellow card in stoppages for a reaction foul.

Poland 2-1 Italy

Pisilli 61 (I), Bogacz 84 (P), Kuziemka 87 (P)

Poland U21: Lubik; Nowak, Kutwa, Drapinski, Gurgul; Kocaba (Drachal 66), Kozubal; Pietuszewski (Kuziemka 74), Duda (Faberski 74), Pienko (Jakubczyk 90); Regula (Bogacz 66)

Italy U21: Palmisani; Palestra, Comuzzo, Mane, Bartesaghi; Pisilli (Berti 82), Lipani, Dagasso; Cherubini, Camarda (Cisse 75), Koleosho

Ref: Bandic (BIH)

Sent off: Koleosho 96 (I)