Italy U19 took all three points against Croatia U19 in a friendly international on Thursday. The hosts had the advantage of playing at home, but the visitors held firm and found a way through. By then the match had already settled into a pattern, with Croatia pushing forward and Italy looking to counter. The final whistle confirmed a 0:1 victory for the away side.
The decisive moment came in the fifty-seventh minute when Italy struck. It was a single goal that carried the weight of the encounter, and Croatia had no answer. To be fair, the home side had created chances earlier, but the break in the deadlock shifted everything. Italy controlled the tempo after that, keeping possession and limiting Croatia's opportunities.
Croatia's recent form has been mixed. They beat Serbia 3:0 in mid-July but have struggled against stronger opposition since, losing to England and Spain. Italy, meanwhile, showed resilience with draws against Denmark and Croatia earlier in the summer. The support of the fans could be called devoted, but that is an assessment, not a fact. What matters is the result on the pitch.
The scoreline tells a straightforward story: Italy came away with the win. Croatia now face the task of regrouping after another defeat. And here's the thing — this was only a friendly, but results like this shape selection decisions. The away end never stopped, even when the game was quiet. One goal, one point, one outcome.