Italy get off to winning start at EURO U21

A Tommaso Baldanzi strike secured a narrow 1-0 win for Italy over Romania in their 2025 UEFA Under-21 European Championship opener.

The Roma midfielder finished off a flowing team move with a fierce shot from 12 yards after Matteo Ruggeri's pull-back found him in space, breaking the deadlock in a tense Group A encounter.

Palermo’s Sebastiano Desplanches played a crucial role, saving a late penalty from Louis Munteanu and surviving a stoppage-time scare when Zoran Mitrov's lob narrowly missed.

With Cesare Casadei and Diego Coppola rested following senior team duties, Italy's young attack led by Baldanzi, Luca Koleosho, and Wilfried Gnonto showed flashes of speed and creativity but lacked clinical edge.

Italy sit joint top of the group alongside Spain and will now turn their focus to facing Slovakia, knowing a win would put them in firm control of their path to the knockout stage.