U21 EURO | Italy 2-1 Montenegro: Baldini recovery from nightmare start | OneFootball

Italy recovered from a nightmare start to beat Montenegro 2-1 in the first European Under-21 Championship qualifier under coach Silvio Baldini, with Luca Lipani and Luca Koleosho on target.

The Azzurrini are in Group E along with Montenegro, Sweden, Poland, North Macedonia and Armenia.

The tournament will be co-hosted by Albania and Serbia in the summer of 2027.

Francesco Camarda and Pietro Comuzzo were among the players forced to withdraw through injury, while Inter striker Francesco Pio Esposito and Liverpool defender Giovanni Leoni were promoted to the senior squad.

Italy Under-21 coach Silvio Baldini (@azzurri)

It was a disastrous start, as in the third minute Luca Lipani slipped when trying to get on the end of a misplaced Riyad Idrissi pass, allowing Andrej Kostic to pounce inside the area and immediately fire in an angled drive.

Viktor Dukanovic threatened a second with a ferocious strike from distance, which Diego Mascardi had to push over the bar, with Knezevic coming so close to nodding in the resulting corner.

Dragan Miranovic’s angled drive skimmed the far post, as Marco Palestra’s cross-shot was the first real Italian attempt on target after 34 minutes.

The Azzurrini’s pressing game seemed disjointed and sluggish, struggling to create scoring opportunities against an organised Montenegro.

PRATO, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 07: Luca Lipani of Italy U19 during the International Friendly match between Italy U19 and Northern Ireland U19 at Stadio Lungobisenzio on September 07, 2023 in Prato, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

Italy finally got an equaliser with Lipani making up for his earlier error, as his powerful strike from the edge of the area bent back the uncertain goalkeeper’s gloves to fly into the near top corner on a Seydou Fini lay-off.

This suddenly sprung Baldini’s team into life and Antonio Raimondo fired over from 10 yards on the half-volley after good work from Niccolò Pisilli, then Raimondo also stung the goalkeeper’s gloves moments later.

There is no VAR at this level, otherwise Balsa Mrvaljevic would’ve seen red for his very high tackle on Brando Moruzzi at the 71st minute, rather than just the yellow.

Sassuolo midfielder Lipani had another shot charged down, then Raimondo robbed Perovic and had his heels clipped in the box for a penalty. Burnley midfielder Koleosho stepped up to convert and put Italy in front with his first goal at Under-21 level.

Italy 2-1 Montenegro

A Kostic 3 (M), Lipani 52 (I), Koleosho pen 79 (I)

Italy U21: Mascardi; Palestra, Marianucci, Chiarodia, Idrissi (Moruzzi 62); Pisilli (Dagasso 80), Lipani, Ndour; Fini (Pafundi 62), Raimondo (Ekhator 80), Koleosho (Cherubini 86)

Montenegro U21: Domazetovic; Vukovic, Malentijevic, Dakic, M Perovic; Vukanic (Jukovic 83), Miranovic; Knezevic (Mrvaljevic 52), Perisic, Dukanovic (Maras 83); A Kostic (Cetkovic 57)

Ref: Wolfensberger (SUI)