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Italy 1-0 USA: international friendly – as it happened | |
(35 minutes later) | |
Final thoughts: | |
It took a while, but Italy got the goal their dominance, if not their efficiency, merited. Politano had looked dangerous in his cameo on the field, and the Inter man turned out to be much more decisive in front of goal than Lasagna had been, as he got the telling goal. There’s still a lot of room for growth for the Italians, who looked to lack a reliable cutting edge for much of the game, but in the end they were rewarded for persistence.The US, meanwhile, got some more “experience” to pile up with the rest they’ve accrued this year, as well as adding another debutant to the pile with Romain Gall seeing a few minutes. Ethan Horvath reminded us why he’s in the national team picture with some decent saves and Tyler Adams was his usual tireless self, though in truth there was little meaningful to garner from this as we wait for the next head coach to be confirmed. Maybe as whoever that is gets to start moulding a coherent team from players blooded under Sarachan, the 2018 experience will make sense in retrospect, but for now we’re still living in the holding pattern. Meaning is for next year. Maybe.Anyway, that’s it from me. Thanks for your tweets and emails. Sorry I couldn’t use all of them. Until next time, good night! | |
That goal is the last meaningful action of the game, and Dave Sarachan’s tenure ends in defeat...Final thoughts in a moment. | |
Italy camping in the US half, and finally a one-two up the gut gets a decisive finish, as Politani continues his run to poke the ball past the exposed Horvath in the 94th moment. | |
90 mins +3: Italy probing again and will have their fifth corner of the night in the third minute of stoppage time... | |
It ricochets around the box a little before Trapp hooks it clear. | |
90 mins+1: Gall takes the corner but it’s a poor one and doesn’t clear the first man. He’s the 23rd player to be given his first cap under Sarachan by the way. this has been a loooooooong interegnum period for the USA... | |
89 mins: Gall looks up 30 yards out and sends a shot goalwards that Sirigu tips wide as we head into stoppage time. | |
86 mins: Lasagna leaves the field to break would be humorists’ hearts and to make way for Politano.At the other end of the field, Adams and De Sciglio have a clash of heads which the Italian seems to come out of worst. He ends up jogging off for treatment while Adams looks none the worse for wear. New York Red Bulls fans may be raising an eyebrow at the sight of him and Long finishing up the full 90 minutes, given their MLS commitments this weekend though. | |
84 mins: Ball bounces kindly for Lletget and for a second he looks free on goal, but he checks looking for support and the chance drifts away. Meanwhile: | 84 mins: Ball bounces kindly for Lletget and for a second he looks free on goal, but he checks looking for support and the chance drifts away. Meanwhile: |
Another entree in the Kevin Lasagna meal - could I have extra Chiesa with that? Parmesa if poss? Thanks! 🧀 | Another entree in the Kevin Lasagna meal - could I have extra Chiesa with that? Parmesa if poss? Thanks! 🧀 |
As I post that (with heavy heart), Lasagna spurns another chance, as the ball squirts into his path from a Kean/Carter-Vickers tangle just inside the box. Lasagna rather rushes his shot though and fires over. | As I post that (with heavy heart), Lasagna spurns another chance, as the ball squirts into his path from a Kean/Carter-Vickers tangle just inside the box. Lasagna rather rushes his shot though and fires over. |
82 mins: De Sciglio looks up from 30 yards and hits a fierce looking shot goalward, but he just gets underneath it and the ball flies over. Lletget on for Pulisic and Romain Gall on for Acosta, to make his US debut. | 82 mins: De Sciglio looks up from 30 yards and hits a fierce looking shot goalward, but he just gets underneath it and the ball flies over. Lletget on for Pulisic and Romain Gall on for Acosta, to make his US debut. |
80 mins: I want you all to know that I am doing my duty by fielding some terrible Lasagna puns cluttering up my inbox. And yes I said “terrible” and not “cheesy”. Because dignity.Game drifting into last ten minutes with Zimmerman poking clear a dangerous looking low ball across the six yard box from Sensi. | 80 mins: I want you all to know that I am doing my duty by fielding some terrible Lasagna puns cluttering up my inbox. And yes I said “terrible” and not “cheesy”. Because dignity.Game drifting into last ten minutes with Zimmerman poking clear a dangerous looking low ball across the six yard box from Sensi. |
78 mins: The US pick up only their second corner of the night and Acosta will send in the outswinger. Adams does well to get to the second ball and head to Wood in a pocket of space, but the forward can only poke an awkward shot wide of the near post. | 78 mins: The US pick up only their second corner of the night and Acosta will send in the outswinger. Adams does well to get to the second ball and head to Wood in a pocket of space, but the forward can only poke an awkward shot wide of the near post. |
76 mins: Acosta’s free kick is blocked and Italy can break. Kean shows some nice touches bursting into the box on the left, but his low cross evades everyone in the box. | 76 mins: Acosta’s free kick is blocked and Italy can break. Kean shows some nice touches bursting into the box on the left, but his low cross evades everyone in the box. |
74 mins: Pulisic is knocked off the ball by Sensi as he tries to angle inside. That looked like another booking, but with Sensi already on a card, the referee went for discretion again.Cannon comes off for Villafana before the free kick. Gagliardini comes on for Barella, as Italy make a change too. | 74 mins: Pulisic is knocked off the ball by Sensi as he tries to angle inside. That looked like another booking, but with Sensi already on a card, the referee went for discretion again.Cannon comes off for Villafana before the free kick. Gagliardini comes on for Barella, as Italy make a change too. |
72 mins: Horvath in action again as Lasagna is sent racing through on a tight offside decision. Again, Horvath makes the block, though once again, the shot was straight at him.The longer this goes on, the more the Italians’ profligacy in front of goal becomes one of the main takeaways. No sign of a brand new Pipa Inzaghi on tonight’s evidence. | 72 mins: Horvath in action again as Lasagna is sent racing through on a tight offside decision. Again, Horvath makes the block, though once again, the shot was straight at him.The longer this goes on, the more the Italians’ profligacy in front of goal becomes one of the main takeaways. No sign of a brand new Pipa Inzaghi on tonight’s evidence. |
70 mins: Another good block from Horvath as Grifo sends a stinging shot from distance that forces the keeper to dive and push the ball out for a corner. | 70 mins: Another good block from Horvath as Grifo sends a stinging shot from distance that forces the keeper to dive and push the ball out for a corner. |
68 mins: Cannon chops down Emerson, and if this wasn’t a friendly you’d be expecting him to see a second yellow for that. | 68 mins: Cannon chops down Emerson, and if this wasn’t a friendly you’d be expecting him to see a second yellow for that. |
As it is, the US must face a free kick from wide left. It results in another free header for Acerbi, though as it turns out he was offside behind the USA’s high line. | As it is, the US must face a free kick from wide left. It results in another free header for Acerbi, though as it turns out he was offside behind the USA’s high line. |
66 mins: I am so proud of the Guardian readership’s attempts to extract meaning from this contest. Here’s Tim Singleton:“It has disturbed me for a while the similarities between the stand-in U.S. coach and the stand out Twin Peaks character Leland Palmer. The coaching style seen as Lynchian could explain a lot. If it is, in fact, Leland Palmer, more. I say we keep him as things could only get ‘interesting’.” | 66 mins: I am so proud of the Guardian readership’s attempts to extract meaning from this contest. Here’s Tim Singleton:“It has disturbed me for a while the similarities between the stand-in U.S. coach and the stand out Twin Peaks character Leland Palmer. The coaching style seen as Lynchian could explain a lot. If it is, in fact, Leland Palmer, more. I say we keep him as things could only get ‘interesting’.” |
64 mins: Oooh...that was interesting. Acosta whipped in a great free kick to the back post that bounced nicely into the path of Zimmerman, to force a point blank headed save from Sirigu. He’s had nothing to do tonight, but that was a key stop from the Italian keeper. | 64 mins: Oooh...that was interesting. Acosta whipped in a great free kick to the back post that bounced nicely into the path of Zimmerman, to force a point blank headed save from Sirigu. He’s had nothing to do tonight, but that was a key stop from the Italian keeper. |
62 mins: Pulisic goes down hard in the center of the park. And that will be the cue for more subs to start coming in. Trapp for Delgado. Wood for Sargent. Kean comes on for Italy. | 62 mins: Pulisic goes down hard in the center of the park. And that will be the cue for more subs to start coming in. Trapp for Delgado. Wood for Sargent. Kean comes on for Italy. |
60 mins: Another decent block by Horvath as Lasagna burst up the middle looking to slide the ball past him. Horvath’s done his job tonight. And with Zach Steffen having overtaken him this year as the presumptive choice as goalkeeper for the next generation, this is a timely reminder of his credentials. Especially with Steffen looking somewhat out of form of late. | 60 mins: Another decent block by Horvath as Lasagna burst up the middle looking to slide the ball past him. Horvath’s done his job tonight. And with Zach Steffen having overtaken him this year as the presumptive choice as goalkeeper for the next generation, this is a timely reminder of his credentials. Especially with Steffen looking somewhat out of form of late. |
58 mins: Little scraps of opportunity for the USA, though with set pieces looking like their best hope, the fact that the referee is blowing his whistle for any suspected infringement isn’t benefitting them.Right on cue, Sensi picks up the fifth yellow card of the night as he clips Sargent in the center circle. | 58 mins: Little scraps of opportunity for the USA, though with set pieces looking like their best hope, the fact that the referee is blowing his whistle for any suspected infringement isn’t benefitting them.Right on cue, Sensi picks up the fifth yellow card of the night as he clips Sargent in the center circle. |
56 mins: Rare US break, and after a series of slightly ponderous touches and passes Delgado picks up a free kick on the right corner of the box after a barge from Grifo. Acosta’s outswinger is headed clear and the referee blows for a foul before Delgado can drive the clearance back towards goal. | 56 mins: Rare US break, and after a series of slightly ponderous touches and passes Delgado picks up a free kick on the right corner of the box after a barge from Grifo. Acosta’s outswinger is headed clear and the referee blows for a foul before Delgado can drive the clearance back towards goal. |
54 mins: Berardi goes down under pressure in the box. He’s not looking for anything in the aftermath but we do have VAR this evening and Long’s tackle looked clumsy.Now the US go to sleep as Verratti comes charging in to glance a header just over the bar, when everyone thought the ball had gone out of play before the cross came in.Another cross now, from Emerson, and the US looking stretched at the back. | 54 mins: Berardi goes down under pressure in the box. He’s not looking for anything in the aftermath but we do have VAR this evening and Long’s tackle looked clumsy.Now the US go to sleep as Verratti comes charging in to glance a header just over the bar, when everyone thought the ball had gone out of play before the cross came in.Another cross now, from Emerson, and the US looking stretched at the back. |
52 mins: Sargent tries to chase a ball down the left, but he’s offside. He’s looked a little tentative so far — dutifully doing what someone in his position is supposed to do, without looking like he’s dominating his area of the field. Italian defenders just nudging him off the ball when necessary. | 52 mins: Sargent tries to chase a ball down the left, but he’s offside. He’s looked a little tentative so far — dutifully doing what someone in his position is supposed to do, without looking like he’s dominating his area of the field. Italian defenders just nudging him off the ball when necessary. |
50 mins: Adams gets tripped up. A fan runs on the field. Play stops. Time passes. | 50 mins: Adams gets tripped up. A fan runs on the field. Play stops. Time passes. |
48 mins: Grifo came on for the lively Chiesa, which may come as some relief to the USA back line. | 48 mins: Grifo came on for the lively Chiesa, which may come as some relief to the USA back line. |
In early moments the USA are looking a little more proactive n closing Italy down in their own half. Better looking shape too. | In early moments the USA are looking a little more proactive n closing Italy down in their own half. Better looking shape too. |
Grifo is on for Italy. More subs news as we get it. | Grifo is on for Italy. More subs news as we get it. |
More bookings to report: | More bookings to report: |
I missed noting Shaq Moore and Kelyn Acosta picking up yellow cards in the final moments of the half — the latter during that incident with Verratti that had them both chatting to each other in the aftermath. | I missed noting Shaq Moore and Kelyn Acosta picking up yellow cards in the final moments of the half — the latter during that incident with Verratti that had them both chatting to each other in the aftermath. |
Important email observations: | Important email observations: |
Christian Isaac writes with this:“Kevin Lasagna is a very odd Italian name, would be like an England player being called Guiseppe Pork-Pie” | Christian Isaac writes with this:“Kevin Lasagna is a very odd Italian name, would be like an England player being called Guiseppe Pork-Pie” |
Correspondents, do your worst... | Correspondents, do your worst... |
Half-time thoughts:This has been pretty poor. Italy looking organized though not especially adventurous under Mancini — who may be having a word right now about just how many possibilities exist for them against this US team. Chiesa looked lively and caused problems throughout the half as he popped up at all points along the Italian line of attack. | Half-time thoughts:This has been pretty poor. Italy looking organized though not especially adventurous under Mancini — who may be having a word right now about just how many possibilities exist for them against this US team. Chiesa looked lively and caused problems throughout the half as he popped up at all points along the Italian line of attack. |
USA looking indistinct — neither compact enough when they drop in blocks, or disciplined enough when they attempt to press to ever get a toehold in the game. In terms of bright spots, they were few: Horvath gradually got busier and made a couple of decent stops, but beyond that, this feels like so many recent USA games. No coherence, no partnerships, nothing much to meaningfully glean. | USA looking indistinct — neither compact enough when they drop in blocks, or disciplined enough when they attempt to press to ever get a toehold in the game. In terms of bright spots, they were few: Horvath gradually got busier and made a couple of decent stops, but beyond that, this feels like so many recent USA games. No coherence, no partnerships, nothing much to meaningfully glean. |
Half-time thoughts in a moment... | Half-time thoughts in a moment... |