MATCH OF THE DAQ previews England U21s v Italy U21s (European Championship, K.O 19.30, Sky Sports 2, ITV 4)
This will be the fourth U21s tournament Stuart Pearce has been in charge of the England side and he will look to go one better than 2009 when his men reached the final in Sweden, only to be thumped 4-0 by Germany.
England U21s v Italy U21s
European Championship
K.O 19.30, Sky Sports 2
HEAD TO HEAD
(Max last 10 only)
20 May 2002 European Championships, (Neutral) Italy U21 2 – 1 England U21
PREVIEW
This will be the fourth U21s tournament Stuart Pearce has been in charge of the England side and he will look to go one better than 2009 when his men reached the final in Sweden, only to be thumped 4-0 by Germany.
Since winning back-to-back competitions in 1982 and 1984 it’s largely been a disappointing event for the junior side but they travel to Israel with leading hopes of not just beating Italy tonight but also lifting the trophy outright.
England topped Group Eight in qualifying by five points and then saw off Serbia in an acrimonious play-off. The Three Lions arrive in the Middle East in fantastic form, winning their last nine matches in a row, scoring 22 goals and amazingly conceding none.
With class players in Manchester United-bound Wilfried Zaha and Liverpool’s Jonjo Shelvey, alongside the likes of Danny Rose, Jordan Henderson and Steve Caulker in the side, it’s not an over exaggeration to say they could give the senior team a run for their money.
Their opponents Italy are the most successful team in this tournament’s history with five wins and arrive with a strong squad. They also topped their qualifying group and with several senior players in the setup they will be confident of another bold show.
However, they are known for their fiery temper, picking up 26 yellows and three red cards in qualifying, and if England can settle early on, their incredible recent defensive record means they look value to open their campaign with a win. The 2.81 on BETDAQ should be snapped up.
RECOMMENDATION: (1-10 points)
Back England at around 2.96 on BETDAQ: 4 points
Tuesday: -5.00 points
JUNE RETURN TO DATE: -0.45 points
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