Match ends, Italy 2, Belgium 1.
ItalyItaly2BelgiumBelgium1
Italy withstood a late Belgium fightback to return to winning ways and claim third in the Nations League.
Nicolo Barella opened the scoring with a crisp volley a minute after the interval in Turin before Domenico Berardi scored from the penalty spot.
Belgium hit the woodwork three times before pulling one back through Charles de Ketelaere late on.
They pressed for an equaliser but Italy, whose 37-game unbeaten run was ended by Spain on Wednesday, held on.
After a dull first half of the bronze-medal match, Barella sparked the game into life with a stunning first-time strike into the bottom corner from a corner.
Roberto Mancini's side doubled their lead from the spot when Thibaut Courtois' glove could only divert Berardi's effort into the top corner after Timothy Castagne had brought down the lively Federico Chiesa.
Belgium continued to dominate possession and Courtois released substitute Kevin de Bruyne to find De Ketelaere, who nutmegged an otherwise inspired Gianluigi Donnarumma from close range.
The Italy goalkeeper had earlier denied former Tottenham defenders Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen with smart saves.
Line-ups
Italy
Formation 4-3-3
- 21G Donnarumma
- 2Di LorenzoBooked at 30mins
- 15Acerbi
- 23Bastoni
- 13EmersonBooked at 82mins
- 18BarellaSubstituted forCristanteat 70'minutes
- 5Locatelli
- 7PellegriniSubstituted forJorginhoat 70'minutes
- 11BerardiSubstituted forInsigneat 90+1'minutes
- 9RaspadoriSubstituted forKeanat 65'minutes
- 14ChiesaSubstituted forBernardeschiat 90+2'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Sirigu
- 3Chiellini
- 6Verratti
- 8Jorginho
- 10Insigne
- 12Dimarco
- 16Cristante
- 17Kean
- 20Bernardeschi
- 22Meret
Belgium
Formation 3-4-3
- 1Courtois
- 2AlderweireldBooked at 63mins
- 3Denayer
- 5VertonghenBooked at 14mins
- 21Castagne
- 6WitselBooked at 56mins
- 8TielemansSubstituted forDe Bruyneat 59'minutes
- 11CarrascoSubstituted forTrossardat 87'minutes
- 22SaelemaekersSubstituted forDe Ketelaereat 59'minutes
- 23Batshuayi
- 17Vanaken
Substitutes
- 4Boyata
- 7De Bruyne
- 12Mignolet
- 13Casteels
- 14Lukebakio
- 16Theate
- 18De Ketelaere
- 19Dendoncker
- 20Trossard
- Referee:
- Srdjan Jovanovic
- Attendance:
- 16,724
Match Stats
Home TeamItalyAway TeamBelgium
- Possession
- Home40%
- Away60%
- Shots
- Home12
- Away13
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away4
- Corners
- Home6
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home16
- Away9
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Italy 2, Belgium 1.
Post update
Jason Denayer (Belgium) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Moise Kean (Italy).
Post update
Foul by Charles De Ketelaere (Belgium).
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Federico Bernardeschi (Italy) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Italy. Federico Bernardeschi replaces Federico Chiesa.
Substitution
Substitution, Italy. Lorenzo Insigne replaces Domenico Berardi because of an injury.
Post update
Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Alessandro Bastoni (Italy).
Substitution
Substitution, Belgium. Leandro Trossard replaces Yannick Carrasco.
Goal!
Goal! Italy 2, Belgium 1. Charles De Ketelaere (Belgium) left footed shot from the right side of the six yard box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne with a through ball following a fast break.
Post update
Corner, Italy. Conceded by Toby Alderweireld.
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Corner, Belgium. Conceded by Alessandro Bastoni.
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Attempt blocked. Yannick Carrasco (Belgium) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne.
Booking
Emerson (Italy) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Emerson (Italy).
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Yannick Carrasco (Belgium) hits the right post with a right footed shot from the centre of the box. Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne.
Post update
Foul by Hans Vanaken (Belgium).
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Comments
Join the conversation
Got to 1/4 finals Euro 2016
Came 3rd in 2018 World Cup
Got to 1/4 finals of Euro 2020
Finished 4th in Nations League
Their ‘golden generation’ haven’t won a thing so the ranking system is a bit pointless really, isn’t it?
Looking forward to the final after. Two more quality international teams who can play exciting games of football.
Unlike last nights lot :)