GDANSK, Poland. October 11 (PSN) – Italy failed to make their most of their domination on Sunday as they settled for a goalless draw against Poland in their UEFA Nations League A, Group 1 match in Gdansk.
Final score: Poland – Italy 0:0
Italy, top of the group with five points, nevertheless extended their unbeaten run under coach Roberto Mancini to 18 matches. Meanwhile Poland under Jerzy Brzeczek also has continued its unbeaten streak, after previously defeating Bosnia Herzegovina 2:1 (UEFA Nations League), and Finland 5:1 (exhibition).
Federico Chiesa had Italy’s best chance after 10 minutes with the newly-signed Juventus winger sending an Andrea Belotti cross wide on front of goal. Belotti in turn missed a chance to finish off after 23 minutes.
Emerson Palmieri then made a decisive block on Robert Lewandowski, with Chiesa teeing up Emerson just after the hour, but the Chelsea defender headed off target. Poland’s Jakub Moder afterwards forced Gianluigi Donnarumma to make a big save in the 52th minute after a daring long shot at the Italian goal.
With 20 minutes left, Mancini brought on fresh legs with Moise Kean entering the field in place of Chiesa while Brzeczek had Arkadiusz Milik replace Mateusz Klich.
Emerson again threatened with 10 minutes to go after connecting with a Verratti cross but Polish goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski denied the effort. At the other end of the pitch Donnarumma easily dealt with a Kamil Jozwiak header.
The hosts had their best chance of the game but Francesco Acerbi was superb in blocking Karol Linelly’s short-range shot. The ball could’ve gone anywhere but landed on the wrong side of the net.
Poland’s next game is against Bosnia Herzegovina on October 14 in Wroclaw.
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Poland – Italy 0:0
Yellow carded: Bereszyński, Kędziora – Belotti, Acerbi
Referee: José María Sánchez Martínez (Spain)
Poland: 22. Łukasz Fabiański – 4. Tomasz Kędziora, 15. Kamil Glik, 3. Sebastian Walukiewicz, 18. Bartosz Bereszyński – 19. Sebastian Szymański (60, 11. Kamil Grosicki), 10. Grzegorz Krychowiak, 20. Jakub Moder, 14. Mateusz Klich (71, 7. Arkadiusz Milik), 21. Kamil Jóźwiak (83, 16. Michał Karbownik) – 9. Robert Lewandowski (82, 8. Karol Linetty)
Italy: 21. Gianluigi Donnarumma – 16. Alessandro Florenzi, 19. Leonardo Bonucci, 15. Francesco Acerbi, 13. Emerson Palmieri – 18. Nicolò Barella (79, 20. Manuel Locatelli), 8. Jorginho, 6. Marco Verratti – 14. Federico Chiesa (70, 22. Moise Kean), 9. Andrea Belotti (83, 11. Francesco Caputo), 7. Lorenzo Pellegrini (83, 10. Domenico Berardi)
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