England have once again fallen short at a major tournament after Gareth Southgate’s side capitulated against Italy, resulting in a third successive group-stage exit at the Under-21 European Championship.
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A year to the day since a goalless draw with Costa Rica rubber-stamped the senior team’s disastrous World Cup, the new generation blew a golden opportunity to progress to the semi-finals in the Czech Republic.
England’s destiny was in their own hands after the last-gasp win against Sweden, but it proved a false dawn as the Azzurrini triumphed 3-1 and the national team was once again found wanting.
Questions will be asked of Southgate and his selections after the Young Lions finished bottom of Group B, but few expect the head coach to pay with his job like predecessor Stuart Pearce.
#Englandu21 1 #Italyu21 3 #flippineck pic.twitter.com/aSi853cuw0
— Ian Taylor (@IanTaylor7) June 24, 2015
Unlike the unmitigated disaster of Israel two years ago, this tournament has been more a case of what could have been – epitomised by Danny Ings and Harry Kane coming close before defensive hesitancy allowed Italy to take the lead.
Within two minutes of Andrea Belotti impressively turning home against the run of play, Luigi Di Biagio’s side were celebrating a second as Marco Benassi’s low strike took a crucial deflection off Ben Gibson and trickled home.
Jesse Lingard attempted to add to his wonder-strike against Sweden after half-time, but he and his England team-mates only fell further behind thanks to man-of-the-match Benassi’s fine header.
Nathan Redmond rifled home in stoppage-time but it was too little too late as England exited at the group stage – a fate they shared with Italy after Sweden’s late equaliser against Portugal.
Firstly, a quickly-taken Italian free-kick caught the backline napping, with Domenico Berardi sending in a cross directed home exquisitely by Belotti. It was a 25th-minute sucker punch followed by yet another two minutes later.
England U21’s got perfect tournament prep for the senior team. Getting overhyped and then knocked out early is what we’re great at!
— Niall Flannery (@nyloflannaz) June 24, 2015
England’s defence looked despondent and Italy went at them, with Benassi taking aim from the edge of the box and beating Jack Butland with an effort which took a deflection off Gibson’s knee.
Benassi had his second after the break – a long throw was flicked on and he rose to head past Butland and rubber-stamp England’s exit.
England did net in stoppage-time through a wonderful Redmond strike but it mattered little as the Young Lions again went home early.
