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UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE

Poland 0-1 Italy: UEFA Nations League match report

A very late Biraghi goal won it for Poland as they celebrated at Stadium Slaski and Roberto Mancini prevents Italy's slide from going any further.

Soccer Football - UEFA Nations League - League A - Group 3 - Poland v Italy - Silesian Stadium, Chorzow, Poland - October 14, 2018  Italy's Cristiano Biraghi celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates  REUTERS/Kacper Pempel
KACPER PEMPELREUTERS

Poland 0-1 Italy: match report

Italy snatched a dramatic 1-0 win away to Poland in their Nations League match on Sunday thanks to a stoppage-time header from Cristiano Biraghi.

Biraghi's goal gave Italy their first win in the competition and also their first in a competitive match under coach Roberto Mancini.

It also meant that Poland, who have one point from three games, will finish bottom of Group Three in League A and will be relegated to the second-tier League B when the competition is next held.

The win was no more than Italy deserved after they dominated the match and twice hit the crossbar in the first half. Italy have four points from three games while leaders Portugal have six from two.

Poland - Italy live: updates

Poland - Italy live online: preview

New Italy manager, Roberto Mancini, will be hoping to turn his side's fortunes around against Poland on Sunday night in the Nations League. They are winless in four and are not playing an exciting brand of football under the former Manchester City coach. He has demanded more from his side without getting it so far. Poland, on the other hand, lost most recently to Portugal in a 3-2 thriller but drew before that with Italy in a 1-1 stalemate. Stadium Slaski is the venue and kick-off from Poland is at 20:45 CEST. 

Wojciech Szczesny, Kamil Gilk and Arkadiusz Milik are all included in Jerzy Brzeczek's squad as he tries to arrest Poland's poor form since he took over. They are winless in three, which is not as long as Italy's current plight but they are close. They had a poor World Cup as the malaise set in but Brzeczek has been unable to affect change to date. He has a full squad too to call upon in an effort to get a win over a big opponent, who are currently in a vulnerable situation.

Roberto Mancini left Mario Balotelli out of his squad this time around after the striker reportedly showed up overweight at the start of the season and for the last international break. He started Insigne up front against Ukraine but it was Bernardeschi who scored the only Italian goal of the game. Jorginho started that game with Verratti beside him in midfield but it is unclear if Mancini will stick with this formula against Poland. He has a full squad available to him