U21: Italy crumble to embarrassing defeat against nine-man Netherlands

SALON-DE-PROVENCE, FRANCE – JUNE 12: Sebastiano Esposito of Italy U21 looks on during the 50th Tournoi Maurice Revello match between Italy U21 and Indonesia U20 at Stade Marcel Roustan on June 12, 2024 in Salon-de-Provence, France. (Photo by Simone Arveda/Getty Images)

The Italy Under-21 side suffered a shock 2-1 home defeat to a Netherlands team that was down to nine men in this friendly.

This was a test match at the Stadio Penzo in Venice to help prepare for the Under-21 European Championship, which will see the Azzurrini take on Romania, Slovakia and Spain in June.

Their next friendly will be against Denmark on Monday evening.

Willy Gnonto had several big scoring opportunities and should’ve converted at least one of them, but it was the Netherlands who took the lead when Ernest Poku got away from Marco Palestra down the left and crossed for a Kian Fitz-Jim tap-in, where Sebastiano Desplanches could’ve been more alert.

Tommaso Baldanzi forced a save before Italy managed to equalise with Sebastiano Esposito converting a penalty, as Palestra was brought down by Poku.

Fabio Miretti hesitated when clear on goal and couldn’t get a shot away, but the Dutch were reduced to 10 men for a nasty Ezechiel Banzuzi tackle that caught Roma talent Baldanzi on the knee.

Italy kept pushing for the victory, Esposito’s effort deflected from a Palestra cross and Doumbia turning just wide from Miretti’s assist.

The Dutch remarkably finished this friendly down to nine men, as Lamare Bogarde of Aston Villa was sent off for two bookable offences only 22 minutes into his debut at Under-21 level.

Despite the two-man advantage, Italy managed to lose the match by conceding in the final minute with substitute Max Bruns tapping in the Noah Ohio assist.

Italy 1-2 Netherlands

Fitz-Jim 19 (N), S Esposito pen 53 (I), Bruns 93 (N)

Italy U21: Desplaches (Zacchi 46); Palestra, Coppola, Pirola, Turicchia (Zanotti 62); Fabbian (Doumbia 62), Miretti, Ndour (Volpato 72); Baldanzi (Pisilli 62); Gnonto (S Esposito 45), Koleosho (Ambrosino 72)
Netherlands U21: Owusu-Oduro; Asante, Flamingo, Goes, Salah-Eddine (Bogarde 74); Proper, Banzuzi; Manhoeff (Hansen 63) (Bruns 93), Fitz-Jim (Valente 63), Poku (van Brederode 63); Emegha (Ohio 74)

Sent off: Banzuzi 61 (N), Bogarde 92 (N)