Italy has qualified for the Final Four of the Nations League on Wednesday-evening. The team of assistant coach Alberico Evani, who replaced corona patient Roberto Mancini for the third international match in a row, did what the Netherlands had previously failed to do: win in and against Bosnia and Herzegovina (0-2). Italy closes Group A1 with twelve points as the winner, with only one point more than the Dutch national team, and will participate in the final tournament of the Nations League next October, just like Belgium, France and Spain.

Italy dominated the first 45 minutes in Sarajevo and the minimal lead at half time was deserved. Still Bosnia got some good chances for a goal. For example in the fourth minute, when Alessandro Florenzi worked a counterattack from the home team over his own goal. Italy got chances through Andrea Belotti and Emerson Palmieri, but the volley and header respectively lacked precision. The third chance was a hit.

And there is the 2-0 for Italy! ?????? Berardi is accurate after a nice ball from Locatelli ??#ZiggoSport #NationsLeague #BIHITA pic.twitter.com/rIrIrZE4eG

– Ziggo Sport Football (@ZS_Voetbal) November 18, 2020

Manuel Locatelli captured the ball in midfield after more than twenty minutes and launched Lorenzo Insigne on the left. The attacker passed the ball and saw Belotti aim the leather with a separate volley in the left corner: 0-1. It was Belotti’s first international goal after more than a year. In the remainder of the first half, Bosnia looked for the equalizer. Gianluigi Donnarumma reacted superbly with his legs to a bet by Smail Prevljak, while Amer Gojak was unable to take advantage of a misstep by Jorginho. In between, a delicious use of Insigne ended on the aluminum.

In the first fifteen minutes after the break, the game went up and down. After a free kick by Miralem Pjanic, it was Sinisa Sanicanin who finally took aim in the side net. On the other side of the field, Belotti just missed a shot by Francesco Acerbi against the ropes at the far post. In the 68th minute arrived i Azzzurri still at 0-2. After some wonderful preparatory work by Locatelli, Domenico Berardi completed the same, who beat goalkeeper Kenan Piric with a volley.

Berardi was substituted eight minutes before time and his replacement almost appeared on the scoreboard as well. Federico Bernardeschi received the ball from Insigne and saw his firm shot hit the crossbar. So it stayed with goals from Belotti and Berardi.