England 0 Italy 0
The Wolverhampton sunshine played host to a repeat of last year’s European Championship final, but these two sides find themselves with contrasting agendas in 2022. Some had suggested an England win in this latest UEFA Nations League fixture would avenge last summer’s heartbreak at the hands of Italy.
That’s maybe pushing it a little, but this slightly disappointing stalemate definitely won’t have given the Three Lions much in the way of a lift.
Defeat in their opener against Hungary, followed by a hard-fought draw with Germany, had left Gareth Southgate‘s troops languishing at the foot of their group, so nothing but a win would do. Molineux, rather than Wembley, was the setting this time, and England needed a change of result as well as venue.
The Azzuri went close as early as the second minute, Davide Fratessi putting the ball just wide. It wasn’t long before England hit back with a couple of chances of their own and, with Jack Grealish starting this time, the notably sparse crowd were treated to a bright opening chapter. It was Sandro Tonali who came closest, and the Milan midfielder would have scored his first international goal but for the trailing legs of understudy ‘keeper Aaron Ramsdale.
Grealish, who picked up a booking for his trouble, continued to be the bright spark, with Mason Mount trying to find his shooting boots and Harry Kane on the bench. However, it was Ramsdale who again impressed, pulling off saves from Matteo Pessina and Manuel Locatelli to end the first half exchanges.
Victory against the Italians doesn’t come easy – England have beaten them only twice in nearly 45 years – so what could be the telling factor here in Wolverhampton? It should have been Raheem Sterling, who failed to make the most of a superb Reece James cross. After the 60-minute mark, both sides rang the changes, the most notable being… you know who.
So now, could Southgate strike that fine balance between preparing for Qatar and winning Nations League games, that he’s been so fond of talking about? If anything, nil-nil was looking more likely with the introduction of fresh limbs, and the substitutions proved to be the only real talking point of the last half hour.
There was to be no late drama a la Munich a few nights earlier. Both teams looked like a work in progress, but one of them has the World Cup on the horizon. It’s time to stop the tinkering.
The Early Whistle 