Beautiful and concrete.
Italy under 21 wins and convinces against Latvia in Cesena, in a match that marks the restart of the Italian team on the road to next year's European Championships.
Casadei took care of carrying the team coached by Carmine Nunziata forward in the half hour with a feat.
From here on it's a monologue from Gnonto and his teammates who waste many opportunities, looking for a double which only arrives in the final with Fabbian.
It ends 2-0 with three deserved points to secure, at least for now, first place in the group.
The path of the National Under 21 team in the qualifiers for the 2025 European Championship starts again from the 'Dino Manuzzi' stadium in Cesena against Latvia and from a return round that will bring Carmine Nunziata's team - now in command of Group A with 14 points ahead of Ireland and Norway - to play four out of five matches at home, to guarantee a ticket to Slovakia.
Nunziata does not have Bove available - who left the retreat on Monday due to plantar fasciitis - and the other Roma player Baldanzi, who returned to the capital due to an adductor problem.
The Azzurri coach focuses on Calafiori in defense, Miretti in midfield and Gnonto forward together with Casadei.
Latvia started strong with the Italian goalkeeper Desplanches called upon to prevent a dangerous shot from Melkis.
Then Puzirevskis tries and touches the crossbar.
Minutes pass and little by little the Italians pick up the pace and begin to take control of the situation: the opportunities arrive with Ndour, Fabbian and Prati dangerous.
Italy continues to push and on the half hour mark comes the lead scored by Casadei at the end of a beautiful move at speed: Zanotti from the right flank crosses into the middle for the Chelsea player who acrobatically manages to put the ball into the net 1-0.
Putting their heads forward, the under-21 national team is increasingly in control of the pitch and at the end of the first half they devour the 2-0 goal with Fabbian who does not take advantage of a gift from the opposing goalkeeper Beks.
The second half began as the first 45 minutes had ended, with the Azzurri always on the attack in search of a second goal: first Gnonto, then Casadei again and Miretti who hit the post.
Nunziata's team continues to try and in the final they manage to double their lead with Fabbian who, after a frantic action, manages to find space for the winning left-footed shot.
And so comes a great success for the Italians and not a predictable one (the first leg on 8 September, at the home of the Latvians, 21 ended 0-0) which bodes well for the continuation of the journey towards Euro 2025;
starting with the match with Turkey next Tuesday at the 'Paolo Mazza' in Ferrara which will close the Azzurrini's tour in Emilia-Romagna.
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