Roberto Mancini believes Italy’s first-half performance against Belgium was “below expectations” and cost them dearly in the Nations League tie.
In Mancini’s first game back in charge, Italy lost 2-0 to Belgium at the Stadio Olimpico, with goals apiece from Mika Goetz and Dodi Lukbakio at half-time.
Following a 0-2 defeat in a friendly match with Croatia in August 2006, Italy lost a game at home while conceding at least two goals without scoring for only the second time in the past 40 years.
The Azzurri finished the game with 1.5 expected goals (xG), but their expected goals (xG) accounted for just 0.3 of those in the first half, while Belgium had accumulated 2.5 of their 2.7 expected goals (xG) before the break.
Gianluigi Donnarumma made six saves to try to spark Italy’s comeback, but Senne Lammens also made six at the other end to keep Belgium in front.
While Mancini admitted Italy had improved after the break, he also admitted their first 45 minutes were not good enough.
“Belgium performed better in the first half and in the second half we took the initiative and could have equalized, but we made mistakes on the counterattack and conceded the ball. That’s football,” Mancini told RAI Sport.
“The first half was lower than expected because Belgium played better, but not the second half.
“The team played very well until the second goal. We had four or five chances to equalize and we leveled them, but Belgium are a strong team.”
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Italy, which has failed to qualify for the past three World Cups, were jeered on the pitch throughout Rome.
Ricardo Calafiore was “hurt” by the fans’ reaction and urged his team-mates to focus on the positives in the defeat.
“They hurt because at times I felt the passion of the crowd. We have to do better and we all know that, starting from the next game,” said Calafiore, who won possession eight times and created three chances.
“I saw a good team in fits and starts. We were just starting to work with a new coach but other aspects I didn’t like, we left a gap and conceded two goals that could have been avoided. We have to try to see the positives.”
“There’s still a lot of work to be done and we’ve just started hiring a new coach, so we’ll see.”