Domenico Berardi was sent off for Italy U21s as they fell to a 1-0 defeat against Serbia at the Stadio Ciro Vigorito in Benevento on Monday night.
The only goal of the game came through Luka Milunovic’s strike just after the hour mark, to hand the Azzurrini a defeat in their last game before June’s U21 European Championship in the Czech Republic.
In what was a tight first half, the best chance fell to Serbia after 10 minutes when Milos Jojic’s corner was met with poor Italian defending before the ball eventually found Filip Stojkovic whose headed effort rattled the post.
Italy created some minor chances of their own until the half was drawing to a close when Marcelo Trotta received the ball on his left and fashioned a shot at goal which was well saved by Marko Dmitrovic.
The match was transformed in less than five minutes either side of the interval as Berardi was sent-off for two yellow cards by the Turkish referee Ali Palabiyik, the first for a foul on Nemanja Petrovic and then Darko Brasanac.
The Serbians piled on the pressure and it finally paid off after 60 minutes when Milunovic lashed his shot past Bardi into the top right hand corner of the net.
The Italians continued to fight on despite their numerical disadvantage and had chances as Danilo Cataldi laid the ball off to Verdi who fired agonisingly across goal.
Later on Verdi then found Andrea Belotti at the far post from a corner but he could only direct his diving header wide of the goal.
Mladen Dodic’s men were able to hold on to the victory in the end, and could’ve made it 2-0 in the dying minutes, if it wasn’t for Alessio Romagnoli’s clearance.
Luigi Di Biagio’s men are set to kick-off their European campaign against Sweden on June 18.
