JAKARTA – In preparation for Euro 2024, Italy and Portugal played a friendly match with mixed results. Italy settled for a goalless draw with Türkiye, while Portugal beat Finland 4-2.
In the match that took place last Tuesday, May 4, the Italian national team extended its unbeaten record against Turkey to 14 matches. However, the 0-0 draw was marred by a possible injury to Luca Pellegrini, who had to come off in the 68th minute. He was seen pinning his knee to the ice on the bench. This adds to Italy's injury list after Francesco Acerbi and Giorgio Scalvini were previously forced to withdraw from the squad.
In the match at the Stadio Renato Dall'ara, Italy almost broke the deadlock thanks to Brian Cristante's header hitting the post late in the first half. In the second half, Guglielmo Vicario succeeded in blocking Mirah Demiral's volley, while the Raspadori crew also failed to maximize their chances in the final minutes.
Italy, which is not a candidate to defend its title in Germany in 2024 later, showed a less convincing performance in the attack. They only achieved an expected score (xG) of 0.67 from 11 shots, with only two leading to the goal.
In Lisbon, Portugal improved its preparations with a 4-2 victory over Finland at the Jose Alvalade Stadium. Bruno Fernandes became a star with his goals, while Ruben Dias and Diogo Jota also got their names on the scoreboard.
Portugal appears to be on its way to achieving a regular win after Ruben Dias and Diogo Jota scored first-half goals. Fernandez increased the lead after the break, but Finland fought back with two quick goals against Teemu Pukki, who threatened Portugal. But Fernandes secured the victory with the second goal six minutes before the end of the match.
Portugal looks dominant with an expected success of 3.05 compared to Finland which was only 0.96. In addition to Fernandes, Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Vitinha was also impressive in creating five chances, more than the entire Finnish team.
With friendlies left for the record, Italy and Portugal have their own duties before their fight in Europe 2024 begins. Italy must improve attacking efficiency and overcome injuries, while Portugal must maintain its defensive consistency and resilience in the face of a major tournament.
Tag: Italy Euro Portugal
