The team secured early qualification for the European Championship with three rounds to go
After being left out of the World Cup in Russia in 2018, the Italian team recovered part of its prestige in the Euro 2020 Qualifiers, by obtaining early classification for the competition in three rounds until the end of the qualifiers.
But Tuesday's 5-0 away win over Liechtenstein saw Italy equal the record of nine consecutive victories achieved by legendary coach Vittorio Pozzo's side between 1938 and 1939.
In the first of these years, the country won its second World Cup, after also lifting the cup in 1934.
A triumph over Bosnia-Herzegovina, on November 15th, in a new away match, will set a new mark for the four-time world champions. “I'm not interested in the record of consecutive victories, it would mean more to win two World Cups and an Olympics like him (Pozzo), but I would be content with the European Championship”, said the smiling coach Roberto Mancini, referring to the European Championship that will be held next year.
It's been almost two years since Italy lost a qualifier to Sweden and failed to qualify for the last World Cup, leaving them out of football's main competition for the first time in 54 years.
Italy won all eight games in Group J of the Euro 2020 qualifiers, scoring 25 goals and conceding just three, against Greece, Finland, Armenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Liechtenstein. The national team also beat the United States in a friendly played in November last year, making it nine consecutive victories.
Of the 26 goals, 11 were scored in the two games against Liechtenstein and Andrea Belotti was the top scorer with two balls in the net in each duel. “I am very happy with my performance and that of the team. We did what our coach asked and things worked out. We are a more confident team”, said the player.
Belotti will compete with Ciro Immobile for the place in command of the Italian attack in the European Championship, but guarantees that there is no rivalry with his former Turin teammate. “Ciro is a great friend on and off the field,” said the striker.
After facing Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Italians will have Armenia as their last opponent in the Euro-2020 Qualifiers, on November 18, at home, in the city of Palermo.
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