CHANCE AND CHANCE AGAIN! The ball drops to Diego Falcinelli in a dangerous position twice, but twice he is foiled by the San Marino keeper!
87'
M. Stefanelli enters the game and replaces J. Biordi.
Substitution Juri Biordi Mattia Stefanelli
86'
CHANCE! Biraghi drives into the box and finds Politano at the back post. The winger connects but cannot keep his effort on target.
84'
SAVE! Although Caprari was offside anyway. a nicely lifted ball from Cataldi reaches Caprari in the box, and he produces a clever flick that draws a smart save low to his right from Benedettini.
81'
It has been an unenlightening evening for both sides, but there have been moments of wonderful play from the Italians. Pellegrini dances between the challenges of Golinucci and Hirsch before spreading the ball wide to Biraghi.
77'
Biraghi fires the ball into the path of Falcinelli who attemots a clever flick towards Lapadula. Cervellini intercepts well for San Marino though.
74'
Biraghi crosses towards the far post, but Politano is unable to beat his man to the ball, allowing Brolli to clear.
72'
A long ball from Scuffet splits the San Marino defence and finds substitute Falcinelli. The Crotone man can't quite believe his luck, and rather snatches at his chance managing only to find the side netting.
71'
P. Mazza enters the game and replaces M. Cevoli.
Substitution Michele Cevoli Pier Filippo Mazza
70'
C. Biraghi enters the game and replaces A. Conti.
Substitution Andrea Conti Cristiano Biraghi
Minute
Description
67'
D'Ambrosio beats his man with a step-over and delivers low. Lapadula is lying in wait, but Biordi clears as San Marino seek to keep the score in single figures.
65'
G. Bonini is unfortunate, scores an own goal!
GOAL! AND THIS TIME IT'S A SAN MARINO PLAYER! But it is the unfortunate Bonini who knocks the ball into his own goal just minutes after entering the fray. Italy win a free kick deep in San Marino territory, and Danilo Cataldi stands over it. The Genoa man cleverly deceives the San Marino defence by slipping the ball to Chiesa who drills into the box, finding the foot of the hapless Bonini.
63'
G. Bonini enters the game and replaces D. Cesarini.
Substitution Davide Cesarini Giovanni Bonini
62'
T. Zafferani enters the game and replaces M. Vitaioli.
G. Caprari enters the game and replaces F. Chiesa.
Substitution Federico Chiesa Gianluca Caprari
Substitution Matteo Vitaioli Tommaso Zafferani
61'
Italy again threaten through Politano. His cross is tipped behind by Benedettini.
58'
M. Politano has scored a goal for Italy!
AND IT'S ANOTHER! Sassuolo's Matteo Politano cuts in from the right wing before chipping the ball expertly into the top corner to net after coming off the bench. 7-0 Italy!
56'
A. Della Valle enters the game and replaces L. Tosi.
Substitution Luca Tosi Alessandro Della Valle
52'
We have an extended break as San Marino captain Vitaioli receives treatment after taking a whack on his shins.
49'
G. Lapadula has scored a goal for Italy! Assist by A. Conti.
GOAL ITALY! AND IT'S A HAT-TRICK FOR LAPADULA! The striker finds himself in space behind San Marino's centre backs, draws Benedettini to the edge of his box and coolly lifts the ball over him to claim the match ball.
48'
M. Caldara has scored a goal for Italy! Assist by A. Conti.
Assist Andrea Conti
GOAL! Well that did not take long Italy surge forward and win a corner. The ball is delivered deep by Conti before being met firmly by the boot of centre back Caldara!
46'
D. Falcinelli enters the game and replaces A. Petagna.
D. Cataldi enters the game and replaces R. Gagliardini.
M. Politano enters the game and replaces D. Berardi.
L. Pellegrini enters the game and replaces D. Baselli.
A. Simoncini enters the game and replaces E. Benedettini.
Save! Lovely feet from first Lapadula and then Petagna who manage to work the ball across the box to Chiesa. The winger fires off his shot but Benedettini reacts well and springs across his goal to push the ball wide for a corner.
42'
D'Ambrosio flies beyond Chiesa and receives the ball. The Italian forwards are queing up in the box but the Inter fullback overhits his cross and the chance is gone.
39'
Good feet from Golinucci who buys San Marino some time in midfiiel. He looks to break forward and narrowly misses out on finding Rinaldi with his lofted pass.
37'
San Marino have settled following that flurry of Italy goals, and Ventura's young players are finding it a bit trickier to break through their ranks. Berrardi looks to split the defence with a through ball, but Brolli is alert to the danger and intercepts well.
35'
Hirsch breaks forward for San Marino and skips past D'Ambrosio. Ferrari is across quickly though to snuff out any hope of a chance.
33'
The Italians surge forwards again, Baselli dinks a delightful ball over the heads of San Marino's three centre backs to find Lapadula, who attempts an acrobatic volley. He connexts well but there is no finesse to his approach and the ball flies high and wide.
31'
Italy currently sit level on points with Spain in their World Cup qualifying group, and there is no doubt that many of these young players are treating this game as an audition for a regular place in the national set-up. Chiesa and Conti have looked particularly impressive on opposite wings and will no doubt have pleased Ventura.
28'
Baselli delivers a free-kick from the right and it is met with force by D'Ambrosio. The ball is destined for the bottom corner, but Benedettini is light on his feet and scampers across to save.
26'
San Marino concede a corner as Conti fires a hopeful ball forward only for the hapless Cevoli to slice his clearance out of play. Baselli whips in looking for Petagna, but Brolli meets the ball with a solid header.
24'
Simone Scuffet gets what is sure to be one of his only touches of the game as his sympathetic teammates roll it back to him. He launches Italy on another attack, finding Lapadula who scoops the ball over his head and into Chiesa's path. The winger does well to reach the ball, but his cross makes easy pickings for Benedettini.
22'
Well you cannot accuse this game of being short of action! San Marino finally get the ball out of their own half and win a free-kick. Vitaioli looks to lift the ball into the box, but it is defended with ease by D'Ambrosio who clears down the line.
19'
G. Lapadula has scored a goal for Italy! Assist by D. Berardi.
GOAL! 4-0 And we are yet to play 20 minutes. Lapadula trots into the box and lifts the ball over a despairing and unprotected Benedettini to further extend his side’s lead.
16'
A. Petagna has scored a goal for Italy!
AND IT’S ANOTHER GOAL! Andrea Petagna will not score an easier one than that. The floodgates are open already as the San Marino defenders cause their own problems, with Brolli playing the ball off the shins of team-mate Biordi. The ball drops to the Atalanta striker and he rolls the ball home to make it 3-0.
13'
G. Ferrari has scored a goal for Italy! Assist by F. Chiesa.
The hosts look to exploit their height advantage once again. This time Baselli's free-kick is nearly turned in by Chiesa at the far post, but Brolli defends well to concede a corner.
GOOOAAAL!!! ITALY LEAD 2-0. And there it is, the second goal also a header from the resulting corner. Chiesa whips the ball into the area and picks out Gianmarco Ferrari who towers above his marker. The header is not the strongest but he has enough on it to beat Benedettini in the San Marino goal.
10'
G. Lapadula has scored a goal for Italy! Assist by A. Conti.
GOOOAAAL!!! The deadlock has been broken early on. Italy have looked at their most dangerous surging forward on the right through full back Andrea Conti, and it is he who provides the assist. His cross is inch perfect for Gianluca Lapadula and the big striker makes no mistake with his close range header.
9'
The Azzurri continue to bang on San Marino's door, this time through Petagna. He takes the ball on his chest, turns swiftly and fires narrowly wide.
7'
Close! A dangerous looking Conti cross makes its way through a crowd of players and finds the head of Baselli. The midfielder saw the ball late though and is unable to keep his effort on target.
5'
San Marino have recovered from their early scare and now sit deep in their banks of four and five. Chiesa looks to drive into the box, but a well timed Cesarini challenge sends the ball ricocheting off the Fiorentina winger and out for a corner.
3'
Chance! The Italians come close early on as the ball falls to Lapadula in the area. The Milan striker sets himself before taking aim, but the five man defence of San Marino are back in numbers and block the shot, conceding a corner ion the process.
1'
And we are off! San Marino get us underway. Vitaioli looks long immediately but only succeeds in giving away a throw-in.
Hello and welcome to LIVE coverage of this International Friendly between Italy and San Marino at the Stadio Carlo Castellani in Empoli.
The last time the Azzurri turned out in friendly action back in March they piled misery on an already deflated Netherlands side, coming from behind to claim a 2-1 win thanks to goals from Eder and Leonardo Bonucci.
There are few who expect Gian Piero Ventura’s side to have to recover from a deficit in this clash as Italy face minnows San Marino in a game that will surely be a confidence booster ahead of clashes with Lichtenstein and the more daunting Uruguay.
The occasion has allowed Ventura to experiment with his side, and select a youthful squad, though he has had to make several changes to the initial squad on account of injuries. Emerson Palmieri, Simone Verdi and Roberto Inglese have all been forced to pull out from the clash due to injury, with Ventura turning to the Internazionale pairing of Danilo D’Ambrosio and Gianluca Caprari.
San Marino meanwhile will be looking to make an improvement on the 4-0 defeat they suffered at the hands of Italy in their last encounter, as they prepare to continue their thus far torrid World Cup qualification campaign. La Serenissima have conceded 23 goals in just five group games, notching just one goal for themselves.
Among the more notable names in this youthful Italian squad is Sassuolo's Domenico Berrardi, who will most likely lead the line for the Azzurri. He may be acompanied by Fiorentina teenager Federico Chiesa on the opposite wing.
The lineups are in so let’s take a look starting with hosts and favourites Italy...
San Marino Starting XI (5-4-1): Benedettini, Cesarini, Cevoli, Biordi, Brolli, Cervellini, Tosi, Vitaioli, Hirsch, Golinucci, Rinaldi
The team's line-up for the national anthems, the band belts out its version of Il Canto and we are just about ready for kick-off...
HALF-TIME: Italy 4-0 San Marino
The Azurri head into half-time with a very comfortable lead thanks to a brace from Milan's Gianluca Lapadula and contributions from Ferrari and Petagna. San Marino look determined to avoid a cricket score though, and since conceding four goals in nine minutes they have closed ranks and allowed fewer chances. Benedettini has given a good account of himself in goal, but with the exciting attacking talents at Italy's disposal it seems unlikely this score will not increase in the second half.
The two teams are back out on the pitch and Italy have made some wholesale changes...
FULL TIME: Italy 8-0 San Marino
That's all from me tonight! Thanks for joining!
The gulf in class between these two sides was evident from the off, and is amply reflected by an 8-0 scoreline. Italy opened the scoring through Gianluca Lapadula, who would go on to score a hat-trick as the Azzurri romped home to an easy win. San Marino were no match for this youthful and energetic Italian team.
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