U15s crush Benin 6-1: Italy tops group with perfect record
Battisti's side dominates in Baku during World Cup qualifying. Kostyuk scores twice as Italy clinches group topper with points to spare.
Italy's Under 15 side delivered a commanding 6-1 victory over Benin in Group L's fourth matchday of the FIFA U15 World Cup & Festival qualifying stage, held in Azerbaijan. Enrico Battisti's team secured top spot in the group with 12 points and mathematical certainty of finishing first.
Played at the Hovsan Competition Complex in Baku, the match was settled by halftime. Milan's Kostyuk broke the deadlock at the sixth minute, followed shortly after by Juventus defender Eric Vian. Genoa's Alfredo Criscito and Roma's Cristian D'Eletto added further goals before the interval. Benin pulled one back through Nounagnon after the restart, yet Italy promptly responded via Parma's Manuel Ferraro. Kostyuk completed his brace to seal a 6-1 win, while Torino goalkeeper Leonardo Brigante saved a penalty to keep Benin at bay.
Battisti cautioned against reading too much into the scoreline, highlighting genuine problems posed by the African opponents early on. The group stage concludes with Italy facing Hong Kong, offering another chance to build team cohesion ahead of further competition.