Sebastian Giovinco dragged Italy’s Under-21 side to a win over the Ivory Coast in their Toulon Tournament opener, but it could’ve been a different story.
Pierluigi Casiraghi’s Under-23 side triumphed 2-0 in their first warm-up game ahead of August’s Olympics in China.
But playing so shortly after the climax of the season, the Italians looked sluggish on a hot afternoon in the south of France in a game that had been rescheduled to avoid clashing with the Champions League Final.
However Giovinco showed why he is regarded as one of Italy’s most exciting prospects when he turned the game on its head.
After an encouraging start, the Ivory Coast took charge of the first half and were awarded a highly dubious penalty for a shirt pull.
But Empoli goalkeeper Davide Bassi was the hero as he saved a powerful, albeit central, spot-kick with his body.
Fussy refereeing and sloppy passing thwarted the Azzurri with AZ Alkmaar forward Graziano Pellè proving profligate, but Siena’s Daniele Galloppa and Palermo-bound captain Antonio Nocerino impressing.
Casiraghi looked frustrated as the half-time whistle sounded with his team fortunate to be level.
The second half proved equally scrappy, but Italy got their breakthrough courtesy of Juventus starlet Giovinco.
The diminutive forward reacted quickly to a flick-on from Pellè and poked the ball home in the 65th minute.
And Giovinco completed a match-winning brace with a low free-kick from long range, which went through the goalkeeper with 17 minutes remaining.
Substitute Lanzafame's well-hit strike was saved in the closing stages after another assist from Pellè and Lazio stopper Lorenzo De Silvestri also came close.
Italy must now face the USA and Turkey in their remaining Group B fixtures.
Turkey beat the USA 3-2 last night, while Chile thrashed France 5-3 and Japan edged out Holland 1-0.
Italy Under-21: Bassi; Motta, Coda, Dellafiore, De Silvestri; Galloppa (Guarente 71), Nocerino, Cigarini (Candreva 77); Giovinco, Osvaldo (Lanzafame 66), Pellè
