Italy edge Slovakia to book U21 EURO quarter-final place

Italy booked their place in the UEFA Under-21 European Championship quarter-finals with a narrow 1-0 win over hosts Slovakia, thanks to Cesare Casadei's early strike.

The Torino midfielder won the ball in midfield and completed a one-two with Wilfried Gnonto before calmly slotting past the on-rushing goalkeeper from a tight angle. It was the Azzurrini's second consecutive 1-0 win after beating Romania in their opener.

Tommaso Baldanzi went close with a free kick before limping off after a heavy challenge, while Lorenzo Pirola squandered a golden chance to double the lead in the second half. Sebastiano Desplanches preserved Italy's advantage with a stunning save on a deflected Tomas Rigo free kick in the 89th minute.

With two wins from two, Italy have already secured a quarter-final place. They now face Spain in their final group game, with the winner set to finish top of Group A.