Giovinco assist 4 goals out of 5 !!
Giovinco rules Azerbaijan
Sebastian Giovinco created four goals as Italy tore apart their Azerbaijani Under-21 counterparts in a 5-0 qualifying triumph.
On-form Pisa striker Alessio Cerci also celebrated his debut for Pierluigi Casiraghi’s squad with a goal. He earned this call after netting eight times in 14 Serie B games.
Italy now lead Group 1 with 16 points from six games, four ahead of second-placed Croatia.
The Azzurrini were without the injured Marco and Giuseppe Rossi along with Claudio Marchisio for this Under-21 European Championship qualifier in Fermo.
Robert Acquafresca picked up an early yellow card that will rule him out of the next match against the Faroe Islands, then set up a good chance that Paonessa saw saved by the goalkeeper.
Empoli starlet Giovinco ran rings around the Azerbaijan defence and created opportunities for Acquafresca and Paonessa.
The visitors had just one point from five games going into this match, but threatened an upset when Nadirov pounced on a Daniele Dessena error to drill just wide of the upright.
It took a stroke of luck for the Azzurrini to break through, as Giovinco again was the creator for Acquafresca when his shot took a crucial deflection off Amirguliyev to send Aghayev the wrong way.
Moments later the two players combined once again, but this time Acquafresca’s strike smacked against the crossbar.
He got his glory in first half stoppages with an angled drive as he ran on to a splendid Giovinco assist.
After the break Casiraghi introduced Fiorentina’s 'Oriundo’ Daniel Pablo Osvaldo, who was born in Uruguay of Italian parentage.
Osvaldo combined with the inspirational Giovinco for a promising scoring opportunity and the Empoli starlet again went close to marking his performance with an individual goal, but the final touch let him down.
Osvaldo continued to impress as he spun round, but the shot was too central and easy prey for Aghayev.
Cerci celebrated his Under-21 international debut with a goal, getting on the end of an assist from – who else? – Giovinco to flick it past the on-rushing goalkeeper.
Giovinco created the fourth goal of the night five minutes from time, as Osvaldo’s effort was beaten away into the path of Russotto for an easy finish.
The emphatic scoreline was sealed in stoppages when Dessena made the most of Paolo De Ceglie’s cross from the left flank.
He was incredible , the assist for Osvaldo in the forth goal was AMAZING .