Despite the lingering pain of a third straight World Cup absence, the ‘Azzurra’ ended the campaign on a high with a narrow win and signs of a rebuild.
Italy brought the curtain down on a season defined by the frustration of missing a third consecutive World Cup with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Greece in Sunday’s international friendly.
Under the interim stewardship of Silvio Baldini, the Azzurra fielded a heavily experimental side, handing opportunities to several young prospects as the nation looks to rebuild for the future.
The game’s decisive moment was provided by Pio Esposito. The Inter Milan forward scored the only goal of the match in the 18th minute after being set up by Jeff Ekhator.
Italy controlled much of the contest and created the better chances, although they were unable to add a second goal to their tally.
The complexion of the match changed in the second half following the dismissal of Luca Reggiani, leading to a tense finish. Greece applied sustained pressure and even struck the woodwork, but failed to find an equaliser.
While the national team remains in a period of transition, the victory was viewed as an encouraging sign for Italy’s emerging generation. Their next challenge comes in September against Belgium in the Nations League.