Italy sent England crashing out of the European Under-21 Championship with a 3-1 win on Wednesday night, but a late Swedish equaliser against Portugal sent the Azzurrini tumbling out too.
Despite making the better start, England collapsed in three first half minutes as Italy scored twice in quick succession.
A wonderful Andrea Belotti volley set the Azzurrini on their way, before Marco Benassi doubled the lead. Benassi got his second late in the second half with an unmarked header. Nathan Redmond pulled back a late consolation for England with a powerful strike deep in stoppage time.
England made the brighter start as Danny Ings played the ball out wide to Redmond. The Norwich winger took the ball down the right, skipping past Alessio Romagnoli before whipping in a dangerous cross for Harry Kane. Daniele Rugani managed to slice it behind before the Tottenham man could tap in.
England should have been ahead in the first 15 minutes as Ings squandered a fine chance. Kane picked up the ball in his own half before releasing an inch-perfect pass. Ings only had the goalkeeper to beat but he could only stroke the ball in the side netting.
The Young Lions were getting closer to breaking the deadlock. Carl Jenkinson’s cross-field pass was brought down stylishly by Kane before he cut back into the box on his right foot, curling a shot that forced Francesco Bardi into an acrobatic save.
The match was turned on its head in three minutes as first Belotti broke the deadlock. A Domenico Berardi freekick was chipped into the penalty area and was met by the outstretched boot of Belotti, who had intelligently lost Jenkinson in the build up.
Moments later the Azzurrini has doubled their lead. From the kick-off Lorenzo Crisetig stole the ball and drove forward unchallenged. On the edge of the area he played in Benassi who skipped past John Stones and fired into the bottom corner, courtesy of a deflection off Ben Gibson.
England almost halved the deficit immediately after the restart. Jesse Lingard took the ball out wide on the left and dribbled past Cristiano Biraghi with ease before unleashing a venomous shot, firing only inches past the far post.
A quick England breakaway saw Redmond force his was through the heart of the Italian defence and find Ings. Once again, the striker’s finish was disappointing, slicing horribly wide.
England were having all of the play and Redmond was the focal point once more. His quick feet allowed him to skip past Biraghi in the box and lay the ball off for Lingard, but the Manchester United midfielder’s effort curled just wide.
The dominant Bardi suddenly seemed to lose his composure, as he completely missed a tame back-pass from Romagnoli and allowed the ball to run behind. From the resulting corner, Kane powered a header just over the crossbar.
The game was put out of reach as Marcello Trotta flicked a long throw-in over his head at the near post for the unmarked Benassi to head in accurately. The ball went in off the post, just out of reach of Jack Butland.
With moments remaining Redmond scored the goal that his performance deserved. Lingard cut the ball back for the winger to smash in past Bardi but it was little more than a consolation.
