England 0-0 Italy Three Lions fall short

England 0-0 Italy Three Lions fall short

Englands bid to gain a measure of revenge for their Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy fell flat as the Three Lions were held to a disappointing 0-0 draw by an experimental Azzurri outfit at Molineux on Saturday.Exactly 11 months on from Italy beating England on penalties at Wembley, Gareth Southgates menfailed to kick-starttheir Nations League campaign against a side who have not qualified for Qatar 2022 and werebattered by Jonnu Smith Jersey Argentina in the Finali sima.England had chances but were arguably second-best in the first half, as they were cheered on by a ma sively reduced crowd made up mostly by children as a consequence of the crowd trouble at last Julys final.The hosts had the better of the second period but nonethele s slumped to three succe sive games without a win for only the second time under Southgate. A gripping start saw Davide Frattesi and Tammy Abraham mi s presentable close-range chances, before Gianluigi Donnarumma tipped Jalen Mills Jersey a Mason Mount effort onto the cro sbar all inside the first 10 minutes.The flurry was followed by something of a lull, but Italy threatened again just before the half-hour mark as Aaron Ramsdale produced a fine stop to thwart Sandro Tonali from point-blank range.Italy finished the half dangerously, too. Gianluca Scamacca smashed over from eight yards and Matteo Pe sina saw his drive turned over.England should have made it 1-0 early in the second half, but Raheem Sterling failed to convert from Reece James delivery acro s goal.Giovanni Di Lorenzo then made a me s of Lorenzo Pellegrinis lofted pa s into the box, neither squaring to the unmarked Scamacca nor getting a shot away, and the game ultimately petered out to a goalle s draw.What does it mean? Rock-bottom England flatter to deceive againThis was probably the most threatening England have looked during these three Nations League matches, Mack Wilson Jersey but they were also second-best for significant periods against an Mac Jones Jersey Italy side who are undergoing something of a rebuild.As such, they reach the halfway point of the group campaign rooted to the bottom of the table with just two points and one goal and that was a penalty.Granted, Southgate did make changes to his team, but this was not an XI filled with debutants and youngsters. They simply fell short of expectations, which is not something one would want to make a habit of five months out from a World Cup.Grealish tries to provide the sparkRewarded with a start after a bright cameo against Germany, Jack Grealish was one of Englands livelier players in attack. His four key pa ses were twice that of anyone else on the pitch, and in general his use of the ball around the box was solid if not decisive.Abraham unable to take his chanceUp against some Adrian Phillips Jersey familiar Serie A foes, Abraham would have been eager to impre s. While he was not exactly poor, he only attempted two shots one a disappointing close-range mi s early on and neither hit the target.Whats next?England are back in Wolverhampton on Tuesday for the visit of Hungary. Italy face Germany in Monchengladbach at the same time.

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