Italy is the European Under 17 champion. Daniele Franceschini’s Azzurrini defeated Belgium on penalties in the final, after grabbing the decisive 1-1 with Fugazzola from eleven meters in the 91st minute. Neither team really managed to impose their rhythm in the first half, but some quality individual play ignited the match. The defenses, however, proved to be solid and conceded little, keeping the result in balance until the final minutes. The one who broke the score was substitute Ojea, who in the 85th minute scored a splendid goal, surpassing Lorenzo Dattilo with a rapid acceleration and a precise low shot into the bottom corner to the goalkeeper’s left. It seems like the decisive goal of a very balanced final, but at the end comes the twist: the referee whistles for Xander Dierckx’s foul and awards a penalty to Italy. From the spot Fugazzola showed himself to be impeccable and scored the equalizing goal with great coolness. Everything is decided from eleven meters where, as in the semi-final against Spain, Italy once again has the upper hand: Diego Perillo converts the decisive shot after the crossbar hit by Tinus Moorthamer. Italy, already champions in 2024, can thus celebrate their second European category title, the first with the eight-team format. The Italians, among other things, became champions without even a defeat in the final phase.
John
John, founder of Odnako, combined his journalism degree with technical expertise to revolutionize global news consumption. Before Odnako's 2011 launch, he gained diverse experience across the media and tech fields, setting a solid foundation for his mission to provide comprehensive, unbiased news. His vision and leadership have since established Odnako as a trusted, innovative news platform worldwide.