Italy left the Stade de Luxembourg with a 1-0 victory, settled by a smart Francesco Pio Esposito header right after halftime. In a balanced international friendly, the Azzurri created the clearer chances and managed the game well once in front. Luxembourg matched the visitors for long spells and even won more duels overall, but could not turn territory into shots on target. With the result, Silvio Baldini’s team made good use of their run-out, while Jeff Strasser’s side showed structure and bite without the finish. Referee Joey Kooij kept things calm, showing one yellow card to each team.

How Italy found the moment that mattered

The match opened at a steady clip, with Italy having more of the ball before the break and forcing two saves from Anthony Moris. The deciding sequence arrived in the 49th minute when Niccolò Pisilli lifted a precise cross and Esposito met it with a firm header past Moris. Pisilli later clipped the woodwork and finished with two key passes, underlining Italy’s growing threat down the flanks. Luxembourg pushed back after the goal and actually had 55 percent possession in the second half, but Gianluigi Donnarumma was rarely troubled. The final minutes featured four added minutes and a late booking for Dirk Carlson, recorded as argument.

Before halftime, Italy’s 57 percent possession set the tone, along with seven attempts and two big chances created. Luxembourg’s 4-5-1 was compact and brave in duels, but their three first-half shots included none on target. After the restart, the hosts sharpened up, created more set-piece pressure, and logged three of their four corners. Italy countered with cleaner transitions and better through-ball execution, finishing with four accurate through passes to Luxembourg’s zero. The visitors also doubled the hosts’ touches in the box across the 90 minutes, 28 to 14, which matched the scoreboard.

Standout performers and Sofascore Ratings

Davide Bartesaghi led all players with a Sofascore Rating of 7.9, fueled by three key passes, two accurate crosses, and six recoveries on the left. Esposito earned a 7.5 with four shots, two on target, and the winning header, while Donnarumma posted a 7.0 after a tidy night of handling and distribution. Pisilli’s line included an assist, two key passes, and a woodwork hit, meriting a 6.8 that undersold his influence in wide areas. Fabio Chiarodia quietly impressed as well, completing 70 of 76 passes and progressing play with confident ball carries.

For Luxembourg, Danel Sinani topped the home chart with a 7.1 Sofascore Rating, built on four key passes, two accurate crosses, and relentless work from advanced areas. Vincent Thill landed at 7.0 thanks to six tackles, three blocks, and a busy two-way shift in midfield. Captain Laurent Jans was steady on the right, completing 29 of 34 passes and stacking clearances and recoveries for a 6.8. Moris made two saves, both from inside the box, and managed 51 passes to help Luxembourg circulate under pressure. Strasser started in a 4-5-1, Baldini lined Italy up in a 4-3-3, and both sides leaned on energetic young attackers.