Crawford’s Under 21s undone by slick Italians in Tallaght

TALLAGHT man Jim Crawford saw his Republic of Ireland team card the second defeat of their UEFA Under 21 Championship qualification campaign after goals from Lorenzo Lucca and substitute Matteo Cancellieri earned Italy a 2-0 victory at Tallaght Stadium tonight.

Despite a bright start by the home side, they were almost punished for some loose defending early on when Emanuel Vignato was afforded too much space at the far post and met Raoul Bellanova’s cross from the right with a volley that lacked the accuracy needed to trouble goalkeeper Brian Maher.

Minutes later Samuele Ricci dug out some space for himself on the edge of the area, but struck too high.

Tyreik Wright did ask some questions of the Italian rearguard, forcing Matteo Lovato to head behind his own goal with a dangerous delivery in from the left.

But Italy broke the deadlock on the half hour mark when Lucca capitalised on an untimely slip by defender Jake O’Brien just as a cross was whipped in from the right by Nicolò Rovella and the Italian striker duly pounced on the ball to tuck it away.

Vignato almost doubled the Azzurri’s advantage eight minutes later when the ball was played across the edge of the area into his path, but he sent it just the wrong side of the left upright.

He almost turned provider for a second when he fed the ball into Ricci, but his effort took the same route as Vignato’s moments earlier.

Again Italy almost found the net early in the second period when Ballanova’s delivery into the box was headed out by Will Smallbone, but only as far as Andrea Cambiaso whose brilliant volley dipped just over the crossbar.

Midway through the second half, Smallbone won a free kick on the left side of the box and while Wright’s delivery was headed out to the feet of Festy Ebosele, the Ireland substitute could not keep his shot down.

Still the Italians continued to press in the second half, Rovella forcing Maher into a save before Vignato demonstrated great tenacity to win the ball back only to see his attempt on goal swerve off course.

Rovella had another go soon after, this time latching on to Lucca’s effort that was blocked down into his path, but his left-foot strike across goal travelled out of play.

Crawford’s side were presented with a glorious chance to restore parity when a free in from the right wing was fed into the path of substitute Ross Tierney, but the ball bounced a little too high and goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi stood tall to smother the threat.

But just as quick as Ireland carved out their best opportunity, Italy very nearly responded when Lorenzo Colombo charged in from the right side of the box and struck, but Maher got down low to make a tremendous save.

Nevertheless the match was put to bed in the 90th minute when Italy produced a sublime counter attack down the pitch that saw Lucca play a perfectly-weighted ball through into the path of substitute Cancellieri who held his nerve as he bore down on goal to prod past the oncoming Maher.