A Pio Esposito brace helped Italy beat France 3-1 on Thursday, November 12, in a Nations League match. The victory at San Siro in Milan took the Italians to the top of the Group A1 table.
The Pio Esposito brace helped Italy bounce back from a 0-1 deficit to win the match. It was a statement win for Roberto Mancini’s side, as Italy jumped to 10 points. France were missing Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele on the day, but the victory will still make the Italians feel good.
Pio Esposito Brace Pointed Out His Growing Importance as a Player
The Pio Esposito brace took the 21-year-old Italian striker to nine goals in 14 international matches. Thus, he has made a very good start to his international career. Esposito has scored four goals this season so far for Inter Milan, adding to his 10 goals for the club last season.
During a loan stint at Spezia, Esposito scored 19 goals in a single season in Serie B that made other clubs take notice. Esposito has scored 15 goals in 63 matches for Inter Milan so far. He is still very young and hence should have a long and fruitful career ahead of him.
The Pio Esposito brace on Thursday stakes his claim as the premier No.9 for Italy. Moise Kean is also around, but Esposito has age and current form by his side. Esposito is 6ft 3in tall and therefore is quite a threat in the air. He also has the ability to finish well from inside the opposition penalty box.
Beating a top team like France will undoubtedly give Italy a lot of confidence. Additionally, the Pio Esposito brace will give the young striker the belief that he belongs among the elite strikers in international football.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Could Spurs Solve Their Goalscoring Woes By Re-Signing Lankshear?
Extra Time Notes
The Italian defence weathered a storm in the form of French attacks during the initial 20 minutes of the match on Thursday, with Michael Olise and Desire Doue dictating terms. France also managed to score during that time period, which made them a clear favourite to win the match.
However, Mancini will be happy to see the way his men bounced back, courtesy of a Pio Esposito brace. Italy won the Euro 2020 under the tutelage of Mancini only, and the Azurri supporters will hope that the good times are there once again.
Mancini will rely upon a young generation of players to turn things around as the Italian manager. After failing to qualify for three consecutive World Cup finals, Italy hardly belong to the elite footballing nations these days.
It is up to Mancini and his men to reverse the tide. The Pio Esposito brace against France shows that he is one of the players Mancini should be banking on in the future. Italy have not had a truly great striker since the days of Filippo Inzaghi, Christian Vieri and Luca Toni, with Mario Balotelli showing a lot of promise, but being unable to materialise it.
One can hope that Esposito will not go the Balotelli way. The Pio Esposito brace makes him a threat for Italy’s upcoming opponents as well.
More UEFA Nations League News
