Italy’s soccer team head coach Giampiero Ventura looks on during the friendly match between Italy and France at the San Nicola Stadium in Bari, Italy, Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016.
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Anthony Martial was on the scoresheet for the first time at senior global level as France defeated Italy 3-1 in a friendly in Bari.
All they saw was two of the most expensive players in their history combining for a £147m goal, and they couldn’t help but imagine the 23-year-old Pogba supplying goals for the 20-year-old for the next decade.
Having lost a European Championship final in their own back yard, Didier Deschamps’ men bounced back thanks to goals from Anthony Martial, Olivier Giroud and Layvin Kurzawa.
“I am satisfied, because I could not have expected more after three days”.
Ventura set his sights on clamping down on errors, saying: “We will analyse this match and see some things we could’ve avoided fairly obviously”.
Martial easily beat Gianluigi Buffon for his first global goal after collecting a through ball from Paul Pogba that went under Chiellini’s boot.
However, his tenure started with a defeat as goals from Martial and Giroud, either side of Graziano Pelle’s clever turn and finish, and Kurzawa’s second-half effort were enough to hand Les Bleus victory in Bari.
Ventura lined Italy up with Fiorentina’s Davide Astori in a back three that was missing Leonardo Bonucci due to the Juventus player’s family commitments, and a mistake from Andrea Barzagli allowed Martial to score easily after 17 minutes.
Donnarumma was alert to block Kurzawa’s 77th minute cross with Gignac waiting to pounce, but he guessed wrong when the Paris Saint-Germain full-back got a second chance, diving away from his goal as the ball flashed between him and the post.
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That insurance marker ended any hopes of an Italian comeback, and it ensured that France will have a ton of confidence entering World Cup qualifying.
