Nations League - Italy beat Belgium to claim third

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Last updated on 9 minutes ago.From the section Football

Italy withstood a late Belgium fightback to return to winning ways and claim third in the Nations League.

Nicolo Barella opened the scoring with a crisp volley a minute after the interval in Turin before Domenico Berardi scored from the penalty spot.

Belgium hit the woodwork three times before pulling one back through Charles de Ketelaere late on.

They pressed for an equaliser but Italy, whose 37-game unbeaten run was ended by Spain on Wednesday, held on.

After a dull first half of the bronze-medal match, Barella sparked the game into life with a stunning first-time strike into the bottom corner from a corner.

Roberto Mancini's side doubled their lead from the spot when Thibaut Courtois' glove could only divert Berardi's effort into the top corner after Timothy Castagne had brought down the lively Federico Chiesa.

Belgium continued to dominate possession and Courtois released substitute Kevin de Bruyne to find De Ketelaere, who nutmegged an otherwise inspired Gianluigi Donnarumma from close range.

The Italy goalkeeper had earlier denied former Tottenham defenders Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen with smart saves.

Line-ups

Italy

Formation 4-3-3

21G Donnarumma
2Di LorenzoBooked at 30mins
15Acerbi
23Bastoni
13EmersonBooked at 82mins
18BarellaSubstituted forCristanteat 70'minutes
5Locatelli
7PellegriniSubstituted forJorginhoat 71'minutes
11BerardiSubstituted forInsigneat 90+1'minutes
9RaspadoriSubstituted forKeanat 65'minutes
14ChiesaSubstituted forBernardeschiat 90+2'minutes

Substitutes

1Sirigu
3Chiellini
6Verratti
8Jorginho
10Insigne
12Dimarco
16Cristante
17Kean
20Bernardeschi
22Meret

Belgium

Formation 3-4-3

1Courtois
2AlderweireldBooked at 63mins
3Denayer
5VertonghenBooked at 14mins
21Castagne
6WitselBooked at 56mins
8TielemansSubstituted forDe Bruyneat 59'minutes
11CarrascoSubstituted forTrossardat 87'minutes
22SaelemaekersSubstituted forDe Ketelaereat 59'minutes
23Batshuayi
17Vanaken

Substitutes

4Boyata
7De Bruyne
12Mignolet
13Casteels
14Lukebakio
16Theate
18De Ketelaere
19Dendoncker
20Trossard

Referee:Srdjan Jovanovic

Attendance:16,724

Live Text

Match ends, Italy 2, Belgium 1.
Second Half ends, Italy 2, Belgium 1.
Jason Denayer (Belgium) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Moise Kean (Italy).
Foul by Charles De Ketelaere (Belgium).
Federico Bernardeschi (Italy) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Italy. Federico Bernardeschi replaces Federico Chiesa.
Substitution, Italy. Lorenzo Insigne replaces Domenico Berardi because of an injury.
Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Alessandro Bastoni (Italy).
Substitution, Belgium. Leandro Trossard replaces Yannick Carrasco.
Goal! Italy 2, Belgium 1. Charles De Ketelaere (Belgium) left footed shot from the right side of the six yard box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne with a through ball following a fast break.
Corner, Italy. Conceded by Toby Alderweireld.
Corner, Belgium. Conceded by Alessandro Bastoni.
Attempt blocked. Yannick Carrasco (Belgium) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne.
Emerson (Italy) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Yannick Carrasco (Belgium) hits the right post with a right footed shot from the centre of the box. Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne.
Foul by Hans Vanaken (Belgium).