National Team Friendly

National Stadium
Spectators: 10300 (Terracing: 7725, Seating: 2369, VIP seats: 206) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Albert Gaardahl started the match with the kick off. Aloísio Lima sent away a hard shot on goal in the 4th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Camillo Caiola's late challenge caught a U21 Slovakia's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Camillo Caiola helped the player get up and apologised. The supporters of U21 Slovakia booed when U21 Italy was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 5 match minutes in a wonderful position. Camillo Caiola didn't get a good kick on the ball. Demetrio Mazzei kicked well hit freekick during the 12th minute of the match. 13 minutes into the match, U21 Italy's goalkeeper Alessio Alberico had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Ctibor Závada. In the 13th minute of the match, Ctibor Závada got a very nice opportunity to score, but Alessio Alberico was well-placed and pushed the ball away from the goal at the left post. In the 15th minute, Albert Gaardahl made a precise shot to the right of Kaapo Velikiy. U21 Slovakia's defense was at fault, and the scoreboard reflected the new score, 0-1. U21 Italy's Alessio Alberico proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 18th minute of the match, managed to save U21 Italy from getting a goal against them. After 20 played minutes U21 Slovakia got a freekick which was hit by Vojtech Dzubera. Kaapo Velikiy made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Albert Gaardahl in the 21st minute of play. 23 minutes into the match, U21 Italy's goalkeeper Alessio Alberico had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Hugo Meško. 26 minutes into the match, U21 Slovakia's goal looked a bit too open when Albert Gaardahl came free, but Kaapo Velikiy reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Kaapo Velikiy made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Aloísio Lima in the 27th minute of play. Kaapo Velikiy came out of the goal in the 28th minute to try and stop a shot by U21 Italy's Albert Gaardahl. But to his dismay, Albert Gaardahl quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 0-2. Richard Dovinas short, quick shot in the 32ndth minute got Alessio Alberico to make great effort and bar the ball away from getting in. Kaapo Velikiy showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Albert Gaardahl, who was totally free with the ball in the 36th minute. Kaapo Velikiy stood for a superb save when he managed to get hold of Albert Gaardahl's shot from short distance in the 37th minute. 39 minutes into the match, U21 Slovakia's goal looked a bit too open when Camillo Caiola came free, but Kaapo Velikiy reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. After a rather tough play, U21 Italy's Damiano Luongo got a free kick in the 43rd minute. Disappointed in the 0-2 score, the home team went to the dressing room to adjust tactics for the second half.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Tomáš Pliešovský to make the kick off. Kaapo Velikiy showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Albert Gaardahl in the 53rd minute of the match. With a little luck, U21 Slovakia's Kaapo Velikiy got control of the ball when Aloísio Lima tried to sneak it across the goal line. A collision led to U21 Slovakia getting a freekick after 58 minutes play. Tomáš Pliešovský hit a great ball. U21 Slovakia made a substitution. Róbert Parobek replaced Ctibor Závada. U21 Slovakia made a substitution. Matej Kaščák replaced Tomáš Pliešovský. A collision led to U21 Slovakia getting a freekick after 62 minutes play. Vojtech Dzubera hit a great ball. 63 minutes into the match, U21 Slovakia's goalkeeper Kaapo Velikiy had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Anfilogino Manzi. 65 minutes had been played when some careless play by U21 Italy's defense caused the ball to cross the line for a corner. Richard Dovina was slow to take the kick. During this time U21 Slovakia's players had a chance to rest. Richard Dovina made a great header on U21 Slovakia's corner, it was just that U21 Italy's Alessio Alberico managed to reach the ball for a save. When U21 Italy's Albert Gaardahl in the 66th minute got a chance for a shot 66th didn't hesitate and placed the ball to the right of the goalie. A beautiful save bye U21 Slovakia's goalie prevented a goal. An unexpectedly hard shot by Róbert Parobek in the 69th minute of play forced U21 Italy's goalkeeper Alessio Alberico to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Alessio Alberico showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Róbert Parobek, who was totally free with the ball in the 69th minute. When the match clock showed 69 minutes, the score became 1-2 when Matej Kaščák sped through U21 Italy's defense and sent away a curving shot that went into the net to the right of Alessio Alberico. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Tibor Mačák during the 73rd minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. Tibor Mačák hit a great freekick 73 minutes into the match. Through an outstanding action, after 75 minutes, Kaapo Velikiy successfully got his hands on the ball before it slid into the goal at the right post. 76 minutes into the game, Camillo Caiola cracked a shot to the right of the goalkeeper, 1-3. Kaapo Velikiy was not in position, and could only watch the ball fly in. 80 minutes into the match, Róbert Parobek had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Alessio Alberico. U21 Italy's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Róbert Parobek was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 2-3. Aloísio Lima received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 83rd minute. Kaapo Velikiy tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. U21 Slovakia's Kaapo Velikiy played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Albert Gaardahl in the 85th minute of play. The U21 Slovakia supporters were disappointed that their team didn't take anything from the match, despite matching U21 Italy's performance. The match ended with a win for U21 Italy.