Italy saw off Serbia 3:0 at the Mediterranean Games on 24 August to maintain their spot at the top of the table. The hosts had won all five of their matches so far, and they extended that run with a straightforward victory. Serbia, meanwhile, remain in fourth place with six points from five games. The result adds another layer to Italy's dominance in this tournament.
Italy sit on 15 points from five wins, with zero draws and zero losses. Serbia have taken just two wins from their five outings and carry three defeats. By then it was clear Italy were the stronger side, and the scoreline reflected that gap. To be fair, the hosts had looked comfortable in their previous encounters too.
Italy's recent run reads like a checklist of wins: 3:1 against Tunisia on 22 August, 3:1 with Portugal on the 20th, and three other victories before that. They have kept three clean sheets on the spin heading into this fixture. The only blemish on their record was a 0:3 loss to the United States back in July. Things came to a head on Sunday, and Italy responded with authority.
Serbia's form tells a different story. They lost 2:3 to Tunisia on 23 August and were beaten 0:3 by France on the 21st. Three defeats in their last five games sit alongside two wins, including a 3:1 victory over Ukraine on 16 July. They ran into a wall against Italy and were overrun in midfield. One mistake ends it when you are playing against a side that does not let you breathe.
The 3:0 result keeps Italy top of the Mediterranean Games table with a nine-point lead over Serbia. It extends Italy's winning streak to five matches and leaves Serbia with three losses to find. The hosts are in control of the tie, and they showed no signs of letting up. And here's the thing — they did not need to push much harder to see this through.
