England held reigning European champions, Italy to a 0-0 draw at Molineux in 2022-23 UEFA Nations League.
A match of few notable chances saw England play a high-pressing attacking style but their best first-half chance was fired wide by Declan Rice, who volleyed a 18th minute corner wide from the near post.
Sandro Tonali saw a 25th minute strike denied by Aaron Ramsdale’s outstretched left leg as neither team broke the deadlock before half-time.
Raheem Sterling, James Ward-Prowse and Harry Kane all wasted second-half chances as England eventually clung on for a goalless draw against Italy, exactly 11 months to the day since they lost the Euro 2020 Final on penalties.
Italy consequently remains top of Group 3 in League A with England rock-bottom as Hungary and Germany sit second and third, although just three points separate all four teams at the half-way point of the group.
Amidst several changes across both teams ahead of this match, Italy made the better start as they soaked up a high-pressing style from England, as Sandro Tonali triggered a second-minute counter-attack which ended with Davide Frattesi firing wide across goal which evaded the bottom-left corner.
Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions soon wasted a chance to equalise as Tammy Abraham won a free-kick which James Ward-Prowse swung in, with the ball deflected and fed to Mason Mount who was only able to curl his shot into Gianluigi Donnarumma’s arms two minutes later.
Mount then wasted a huge chance to fire the hosts ahead in the ninth minute as he played an one-two free-flowing move with Raheem Sterling into the box, yet the Chelsea midfielder could only rattle the bar with Abraham nodding wide on the rebound.
Chances throughout the remainder of the first-half thereafter were few and far as Declan Rice volleyed wide from a 18th minute corner for England, who pressed hard against a well-drilled and defensively organised Italian team.
Italy meanwhile wasted their three other notable chances of the half as Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s 25th minute pullback cross found Tonali, with the AC Milan midfielder’s shot deflected by Ramsdale’s outstretched left leg.
Gianluca Scamacca meanwhile flicked over on the turn for the reigning European Champions in the 41st minute, as he picked up Matteo Pessina’s square ball but couldn’t find a clean finish to his shot just yards from goal.
Ramsdale then blocked a late strike from Manuel Locatelli just seconds from the half-time whistle as neither team found a breakthrough goal heading into the break.
There was very little improvement immediately after half-time as Pessina went close for Italy three minutes into the second-half, yet could only fire over from Harry Maguire’s soft clearance.
Sterling wasted two chances in three minutes for England as he fired over from Reece James’ 52nd cross, only to then fire a 55th minute strike from Jack Grealish straight into Donnarumma’s arms.
Ward-Prowse then fired wide from a 67th minute pullback pass made by Grealish towards the edge of the box, after the Manchester City winger had been picked out by substitute – Jarrod Bowen who had dribbled alone into the box from the right flank.
Fellow substitute, Harry Kane fired over in the 79th minute after he latched onto a return pass from Sterling in a quick one-two move into the box from the left flank.
Both teams eventually settled for a point apiece in a goalless draw, which marked the first time that this fixture had finished without a goal in five matches since they drew 0-0 in the Quarter-Finals of Euro 2012, with Italy prevailing on penalties on that occasion like they did at Euro 2020 Final last summer.
Hungary meanwhile held Germany to a 1-1 draw which meant that the Group 3 table in League A remained as it was prior to kick-off, with Italy sat top ahead of Hungary and Germany with England sat rock-bottom and facing relegation with three matches left to play.
Speaking post-match to Channel 4, Southgate spoke about the need to improve here on their 1-1 draw away to Germany in midweek as he explained:
“There were things we did really well in Germany and things we needed to improve on, we did improve like beating their midfield press, we had two or three really good chances which we need to score, we lacked the sharpness in the final third. In the second half we were much the better team.
“When you are pushing and there is no crowd behind you and that makes a difference.”
What’s Next?
England conclude this month’s round of international fixtures with a home clash against Hungary on Tuesday 14 June, whilst Italy visit Germany in Monchengladbach with both matches kicking off at 7:45pm BST UK Time.
Teams
England: Aaron Ramsdale, Reece James, Harry Maguire, Fikayo Tomori (Guehi 88′), Kieran Trippier, James Ward-Prowse, Declan Rice (Phillips 65′), Raheem Sterling (Saka 79′), Mason Mount (Bowen 65′), Jack Grealish, Tammy Abraham (Kane 65′)
Substitutes: John Stones, Nick Pope, Kyle Walker, Marc Guehi, Conor Coady, Jarrod Bowen, Kalvin Phillips, Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane, Conor Gallagher, Jordan Pickford, Bukayo Saka
Italy: Gianluigi Donnarumma, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Federico Gatti, Francesco Acerbi, Federico Dimarco (Florenzi 87′), Davide Frattesi, Manuel Locatelli (Gnonto 64′), Sandro Tonali, Matteo Pessina (Cristante 88′), Gianluca Scamacca (Raspadori 77′), Lorenzo Pellegrini (Esposito 64′)
Substitutes: Luiz Felipe, Davide Calabria, Alessandro Florenzi, Wilfried Gnonto, Pierluigi Gollini, Bryan Cristante, Matteo Politano, Nicolo Barella, Giorgio Scalvini, Alex Meret, Giacomo Raspadori, Salvatore Esposito
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