Azzurrini 2 - 0 US
The babies won again today, easily defeating a mostly experimental US side 2-0 to finished undefeated in group play @ the Toulon Tournament. The announcers kept calling Italy the standout team of the tournament, and they were good, but I think they only said that because the boys were thrashing the US, and the announcers wanted to make the US feel better. Anyone who saw the Ivory Coast match knows the Azzurrini haven't been exactly magic for all three matches.
Anyway, for the second match in a row, Casiraghi messed with his team, this time changing not only his personnel but also his system, and using his third captain in three matches.
Italy 2 - 0 US
Goals: Ignazio Abate (Pablo Daniel Osvaldo) 30th minute; Daniele Dessena (Paolo Daniel Osvaldo) 35th minute.
USA: 1-Chris Seitz (24-Quentin Westberg, 46); 13-Blake Wagner (4-Kyle Davies, 46), 3-Eric Brunner, 6-Julian Valentin, 25-Jonathan Leathers; 16-Corey Ashe, 14-Bryan Arguez, 8-Greg Dalby, 7-Kamani Hill - capt. (17-Lee Nguyen, 46); 9-Gabe Ferrari, 19-Sammy Ochoa
ITA: 12-Alfonso Enrico; 2-Marco Motta, 5-Lino Marzoratti, 13-Andrea Coda - capt., 6-Salvatore Bocchetti; 20-Daniele Dessena, 21-Luca Cigarini (4-Antonio Nocerino, 59), 14-Daniele Galloppa; 17-Ignazio Abate; 10-Claudio Marchisio (7-Davide Lanzafame, 46); 9-Pablo Daniel Osvaldo (19-Graziano Pelle, 59)
Disco!Abate.
The Empoli boy scored Italy's first, off a through ball from Osvi.
Look at Giovinco! His tiny-ness is never not amusing.
Can we doing something about Dessena's hair? PLEASE?
I mean, I admire the thigh and all, but seriously. He looks ridiculous.
He scored the second goal after running 100 miles (give or take) from the midfield to tap in a perfect pass from, yes, Osvi. &hearts
(Notice Abate getting into the hug just so he can touch Osvi. Smart boy, that one.)
*cuts his hair*
For some reason, Motta (AKA Toro Boy, AKA U-21 Captain) got mad photographer love today.
Not that anyone should be complaining.
Foul? What? WHERE?!
And, finally, assorted others.
O HAI OSVI. (Honestly, he did very little in the hour he was on the pitch and yet? Two assists. That's skill for, you people. The boy is good.)
Pelle came on for Osvi and played well again. It's got to be only a matter of time before he comes back to Italy to play, right?
Speaking of needing a haircut, Galloppa really could use a trim, as well. (He was good, again -- he started the first and third matches of the tourney and has been really impressive in his time on the pitch.)
The Pocket Rocket was a constant source of creativity, as usual.
I know nothing about Bocchetti at all, but he's awfully adorable.
Up next is a very, very good Japan side in the semis. The match will be on Tuesday, probably at about 8pm local time, according to C4. In the US, it'll be on FSC, which is carrying the whole tournament.