FCBARCELONA.CAT

31.05.2008 11:39

Comfortable win for Italy against Belgium (3-1)

www.fcbarcelona.cat

The ‘azzurri’, with Zambrotta playing the full 90 minutes, won this friendly with a brace from Di Natale and a goal from Camoranesi.

Italy will arrive at the European Championships in good form. The team managed by Roberto Donadoni easily brushed aside Belgium in Florence on Friday. The game was all but decided in the 50th minute with Italy’s third goal. Barça’s Gianluca Zambrotta had a chance to make it four just before the Belgians managed to pull one back in added time.

A Di Natale brace

The ‘azzurri’ were on top from the start and they only took nine minutes to open the scoring. The scorer was Di Natale who latched on to a Pirlo pass. At 1-0 the home side were more than comfortable and managed to widen the gap just before half-time, again through Di Natale.

Italy kill off the game

Things continued in much the same vein in the second half. The friendly was killed off in the 49th minute with Camoranesi making it 3-0. From then on both managers made the most of the situation by making several changes and so the pace of the game slowed. In the dying minutes the Belgian keeper Stijnen saved from Zambrotta while Sock headed a consolation for Belgium in added time.