Italy narrowly defeats Saudi Arabia

Successful premiere for the new coach Roberto Mancini and a successful comeback for Mario Balotelli: four years after his last international match, the former enfant terrible managed to qualify for the World Cup finals in Russia (June 14th to July 15th) four times. World champion Italy scored the opening goal in the 2-1 (1-0) win against Saudi Arabia.

Against the Green Falcons, opponents at world champion Germany's World Cup dress rehearsal on June 8th in Leverkusen, the 27-year-old from French first division club OGC Nice scored in the 22nd minute after a wonderful solo. For Balotelli, who is said to be in discussion with Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund as well as with some top European clubs, it was the 34th goal in his 14th international match. Andrea Belotti (68th) increased the score to 2-0 for the Azzurri, before Yehya Al Shehri (72nd) reduced the deficit for Saudi Arabia.

Mancini, who put his trust in the 19-year-old Gianluigi Donnarumma from AC Milan in place of the retired goalkeeper legend Gianluigi Buffon, saw a courageous performance from his team in St. Gallen, who played two more friendly games at the beginning of June against World Cup participants France and against Fellow sufferer Netherlands denies.

Saudi Arabia, which faces hosts Russia in the opening game of the World Cup finals on June 14 at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium, will play a test against Peru five days before the duel with Germany.

In Group A, the kingdom's selection at the World Cup still has to deal with Egypt and Uruguay. Coach Juan Antonio Pizzi's team had managed to impress in a 2-0 win against Greece in Seville just two weeks earlier.

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Italy narrowly defeats Saudi Arabia

On coach Roberto Mancini's debut, the “Azzurri” narrowly defeated World Cup participants Saudi Arabia 2-1.

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