Italy 2-1 Belgium: Red Devils lose third place Match in Nations League to Azzurri

Italy 2-1 Belgium: Red Devils lose third place Match in Nations League to Azzurri: Italy defeated Belgium 2-1 in the 2021 Nations League Finals on Sunday, with goals from Nicolo Barella and Domenico Berardi in the second half.


The woodwork denied Roberto Martinez's team twice each side of Barella's volley, which handed the reigning European champions the lead just a minute after the intermission.


Berardi added a second for Roberto Mancini's side, who had their record 37-game undefeated run broken by Spain in the semi-final on Wednesday, before Charles de Ketelaere got a late consolation goal.

Italy exorcised any demons following their first competitive loss on home soil since 1999, whilst Belgium may now have to wait until the 2022 World Cup to exact vengeance after failing in a Euro 2020 quarter-final against the same opponents.


Thibaut Courtois parried a deflected effort from Berardi before Federico Chiesa fired the first chance of the game just over from a tight angle.

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Toby Alderweireld forced Gianluigi Donnarumma to make his first save, but the Italy goalkeeper could only stand and watch as Alexis Saelemaekers looped onto the crossbar moments later.

On the stroke of half-time, Barella answered with a speculative long-range effort, but Chiesa was superbly stopped by Courtois' legs.


Barella's right-footed volley straight after the interval, though, was no match for Courtois, with the midfielder finding the bottom corner to open the scoring.


Michy Batshuayi brought Belgium level almost immediately with a right-footed drive that sailed over the bar, before Timothy Castagne fouled Chiesa unnecessarily to allow a penalties, which Berardi converted despite Courtois getting a hand to the effort.


Yannick Carrasco hit the right post, and despite De Ketelaere scoring through Donnarumma's legs, Belgium were unable to produce a late equalizer.

Congratulations to the Italians and the soccer world await the final between Spain and France