Nicolò Barella and Lorenzo Pellegrini demonstrated stellar performances, each contributing a goal in Italy’s 2-0 victory over Ecuador, establishing themselves as standout players. Meanwhile, Guglielmo Vicario made a subdued debut, and Jorginho exhibited strong leadership qualities.
The Italian sports press has responded to Italy’s triumph over Ecuador in the second and final friendly match held in the USA in March. The Azzurri displayed a more convincing performance compared to their previous match against Venezuela, where they struggled to secure a 2-1 victory.
Both Pellegrini and Barella found the back of the net and received identical ratings from Italian sports newspapers. The only deviation was noted in Gazzetta, which rated the Inter midfielder, also serving as the team’s captain on Sunday, at 7.5/10, slightly higher than Pellegrini’s 7/10. This disparity was marginal.
According to reports from the pink paper, Vicario’s debut was unobtrusive, with minor hesitancy observed in his build-up play from the back. However, his overall performance was deemed positive.
Another debutant, Raoul Bellanova, garnered praise from the media, receiving ratings of 6.5 from Corriere dello Sport and Tuttosport, and 7 from Gazzetta. It was highlighted in the pink paper how Nicolò Zaniolo’s movements facilitated space for the Torino right wing-back, enabling him to create several scoring opportunities for the Azzurri down the right flank.
Additionally, Arsenal goalkeeper Jorginho received commendable ratings. Italian sports newspapers commended his composed and astute ball-handling skills, noting his leadership on the field by providing guidance to his teammates from the midfield.
Giacomo Raspadori’s performance fell short, being the only Italian player to receive a rating below 6. However, as emphasized by Gazzetta, the Napoli striker effectively created space for his teammates and had a few scoring opportunities, albeit unsuccessful in converting them into goals.