Italy U16 defeats England 4-2 in tournament opener
The Italian U16 secure victory in their opening match at the Val de Marne Tournament with goals from Lima Ramalho, Cordopatri, Cremonesi and Pica.
Italy's Under 16 side made a strong start at the Val de Marne International Tournament, defeating England 4-2 at the Léo Lagrange Sports Centre in Bonneuil-sur-Marne. The Azzurrini took an early lead in the first half: Lima Ramalho opened the scoring in the 15th minute, with Cordopatri doubling the advantage five minutes later. However, England quickly responded, with Batista and Dore leveling the match before the break to make it 2-2.
In the second half, the Italian side regained control through goals from Cremonesi in the 82nd minute and Pica in the 89th, sealing a victory that keeps them top of the group. Coach Giovanni Costantino praised his team's display, stating: "We played a great match, with the best 25 minutes of my tenure in the first half." He acknowledged that fatigue from some players' domestic league commitments the previous Sunday affected performance before the interval, though tactical changes in the second half helped secure the result.
Italy will face hosts France on Thursday at the Philippe de Dieuleveult Sports Centre in Le Plessis-Trévise. Costantino warned that the squad will need to manage their energy levels heading into a challenging encounter, with some lineup decisions still to be finalized.