Italy U21: Azzurrini crush North Macedonia in convincing victory

Italy swept North Macedonia aside 4-0 in their European Under-21 Championship qualifier, including Cher Ndour, Luca Lipani and Jeff Ekhator goals.

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The Azzurrini had won five of their six games in the group, losing away to Poland. They lost Marco Palestra and Niccolò Pisilli to the senior squad, with Francesco Camarda injured, but gave Honest Ahanor his first call days after his 18^th birthday made him eligible.

It took just a few minutes for the Nazionale to break the deadlock, as Davide Bartesaghi got down the flank and put in a cross for Fiorentina midfielder Cher Ndour’s header.

Luca Lipani was unlucky not to add a second on 13 minutes when his angled drive smacked against the inside of the far post on the Luigi Cherubini assist.

Jeff Ekhator’s back-heel flick was crucially deflected from six yards, but Lipani struck the woodwork for a second time with a header off the crossbar.

Italy did double their advantage straight after the restart, as it was third time lucky for Lipani with a shot from outside the area that squirmed into the far bottom corner off the inside of the right boot.

Play had barely resumed when the Nazionale added a third with Ekhator, who turned in at the near post from a Dagasso assist down the right. It might’ve been marginally offside, but with no VAR at this stage, the goal counted.

Luca Koleosho went on a mazy run before his shot was charged down, while Ndour’s effort was palmed away on the line.

Seydou Fini seemed to be tripped inside the penalty area, but in the absence of VAR, the referee waved play on.

However, another foul on Fini by Hamza was spotted by the officials and a penalty awarded late on, converted by Fini himself.

Italy 4-0 North Macedonia

Ndour 3 (I), Lipani 49 (I), Ekhator 50 (I), Fini pen 86 (I)

Italy U21: Palmisani; Favasuli (Kayode 46), Comuzzo, Chiarodia, Bartesaghi; Ndour, Lipani (Venturino 58), Dagasso; Cherubini (Fini 58), Ekhator (Raimondo 82), Koleosho (Cacciamani 74)

North Macedonia U21: Ljupke; Arizankoski, Meliqi, Djekov, Hamza; Angelov (Latifi 69), Maslarov (Sofijanoski 58); Danev (Stojanov 84), Durakov (Gjorgievski 58), Trajkov, Gashtarov