WOLVERHAMPTON, England -England’s winless begin to their Nations League marketing campaign continued as they have been held to a 0-0 draw at residence by a youthful Italy aspect at a near-empty Molineux on Saturday.
The primary assembly between the nations because the tumultuous Euro 2020 remaining at Wembley final 12 months was a tame affair with valuable little to cheer for the two,000 kids allowed to attend regardless of a UEFA ban.
England’s Aaron Ramsdale was the busier of the 2 keepers, with essential saves within the first half to disclaim Sandro Tonali and Matteo Pessina as Italy minimize by England’s defence.
With Harry Kane left on the bench till the sixty fifth minute, England lacked attacking spark and the closest they got here to scoring was Mason Mount’s first-half shot towards the bar.
Raheem Sterling wasted a wonderful alternative after the break however England didn't do sufficient to earn the win.
Gareth Southgate’s aspect are backside of Group A3 with two factors from their opening three video games whereas Italy, who did not qualify for the World Cup, are high with 5 factors.
England host Hungary on Tuesday whereas Roberto Mancini’s Italy are away to Germany.
The match was performed with out followers as a part of a UEFA punishment for crowd bother throughout final 12 months’s Euro 2020 remaining at Wembley which Italy gained on penalties.
Whereas England’s lineup had an experimental really feel and the ambiance was flat, the shortage of high quality and their over-cautious model will probably be a trigger for concern with the World Cup looming in Qatar in November.
It's the first time they've gone three video games and not using a win since Southgate took cost they usually haven't scored a objective from open play of their final three video games.
“We improved upon a whole lot of issues right this moment,” Southgate mentioned. “We had two or three actually good probabilities that we wanted to attain and lacked that little bit of sharpness within the remaining third.
“However the basic efficiency I used to be happy with. I assumed the second half we have been the higher group.”
Mancini would have been the happier of the 2 managers as his new-look aspect performed the higher soccer, ranging from the third minute when Davide Frattesi side-footed an outstanding likelihood broad of the publish.
Mount ought to have scored when he was performed in on objective however his curling effort rattled the crossbar.
However the slicker strikes got here from Italy and Ramsdale made a shocking save together with his legs to disclaim Tonali who appeared poised to attain from Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s volleyed cross.
The Arsenal keeper then needed to react neatly to maintain out Pessina’s looping shot on the stroke of halftime whereas Gianluca Scamacca additionally fired one other likelihood over.
Sterling, captain for the night time, ought to have put England forward however his scooped end over the crossbar relatively summed up the aspect’s misfiring ahead line.
“We now have been too reliant on Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling and different gamers need to step into that house,” Southgate mentioned.
“Various them have been in a position to do it with their golf equipment however haven't transformed at worldwide stage.”
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