Further mortification for Italy after the knockout with Macedonia cost the failure to qualify for the World Cup. The performance of Elmas and his teammates against Portugal feeds Italian regrets.
L’Italy it will have to rise from its ashes, just like the Phoenix. The new blue course has begun against Turkey, one in which players and fans will have to strive to look forward, to the future, without thinking about what happened in Palermo with the sensational internal thud against Macedonia which cost the failure to qualify for the World Cup. Difficult, indeed impossible, to put aside the disappointment for the epochal second world championship flop, especially until December when the whole of Italy will be a spectator of Qatar 2022. And just as Mancini’s blues took the field against the Turks, from Porto arrived another bad blow for the national team.
All’Dragon Stadium il Portugal beat Macedonia 2-0 with a brace from Bruno Fernandes. Therefore confirmed the predictions with Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates who have snatched the qualification for the next World Cup. However, it was above all the performance and the numbers of the match that hurt, which increased the regrets of the whole of Italy. North Macedonia in Portugal confirmed itself as a team anything but irresistible and more careful to defend itself than to attack, aware of its strength and limitations. The Lusitanians had no problem getting the better of their opponents, who compared to the match against the national team were also able to rely on Elmas, one of the elements of greater quality and international experience.
Statistics of Portugal Macedonia
Portugal has overcome the Macedonian obstacle by creating de facto a third less than in Italy. 11 total shots, 3 of which on goal, against 32 by Mancini’s blues, 5 of which on goal. Only 7 corners for the Santos national team against 16 for Roberto Mancini’s team, sterile from an offensive point of view and punished in the recovery from the second shot on goal of North Macedonia, signed by Trajkovksi. And speaking of offensive potential, the Giallorossi were virtually void in the final of the World Cup playoffs against the Portuguese.
Where is Italy-Macedonia playing and why it is not at the Olympic stadium in Rome
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QymLPuM3Ic
In 90 minutes Macedonia entered the Portuguese area just 5 times, with 3 total shots, and 0 on target. Confirmed the size of a team that seemed the sacrificial victim even in the match against Italy and that instead managed to conquer an unpredictable and historic victory and to which this enthusiasm did not help much against Portugal.
A further mortification for the national team that last night had a confirmation of how little would have been enough to get through the round. Much more could and should have been done, especially from the middle of the pitch upwards, to put on the ropes a team that presented itself on the pitch in these playoffs with a clear plan, that of defending itself and trying to take advantage of any restarts. An easy strategy to defuse especially when you can count on greater technical qualities and experience, and with minimal effort: Portugal proved it, for a further blow for our team.
