By Anna Italia
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  Bulgaria 2 – 2  Italy  
11′ Ivelin Popov                          4′ Iordan Minev (own goal)
17′ Ilijan Micanski                  84′ Citadin Eder

 

 

Italy are in EURO 2016 Group H.   It’s an agonizing draw.  Italy are in the second position after Matchday 5 with 11 points and a positive goal difference of +4.    Italy head coach Antonio Conte decided to start the match with goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu, reportedly, first goalkeeper Gigi Buffon with some fever, but is listed among the subs.  Italy will play Matchday 6 on June 12: Croatia vs Italy.

Sampdoria Forward Citadin Eder making a dreamed debut with the Italian team by scoring the equalizer goal for the 2-2.

 

UEFA Euro 2016 Qualification Group H Standing after the game

 

UEFA Euro 2016 Qualification Up to Matchday 5, Saturday 28 March 2015	P	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	Pts
Croatia	5	4	1	0	15	2	13	13
Italy	5	3	2	0	8	4	4	11
Norway	5	3	0	2	7	8	-1	9
Bulgaria	5	1	2	2	6	7	-1	5
Azerbaijan	5	1	0	4	4	11	-7	3
Malta	5	0	1	4	1	9	-8	1

 

 

 

Great start for the Azzurri!   There is the opening goal in the 4th minute with an own goal by  defender Minev.  Here is the action.   Bertolacci crossing from he left.  Goalkeeper anticipates, but not arriving to clear the ball while Minev instead of clearing makes an own goal defeating his own goalkeeper.  It is Italy forward Simone Zaza to challenge Minev…

Oh no, what a luck!   Guys, in the 11th minute, Bulgaria equalizing the score.  I am having a headache now!    It is midfielder Popov to defeat goakeeper Salvatore Sirigu with a right footed shot in the lower left corner.

Say what?  You got to be kidding!   Bulgaria scoring and taking the lead!!!! In the 17th minute with forward Ilian Micanski defeating goalkeeper Sirigu with a headed shot in the upper left corner. 

Wake up Italia!!!!

First half ending 50% ball possession Bulgaria and 50% ball possession Italy.

First yellow card of the match in the 56th mintue is for Bulgaria midfielder Svetoslav Dyakov after a foul on midfielder Marco Verratti.

Italy making a substitution in the 57th minute.  There is the debut with the Italian team  of forward Citadin Eder replacing forward Simone Zaza.’

Conte not finding the solution to change the score.   The move is to add fresh energy and make another substitution in the 71st minutes.   Midfielder  Andrea Bertolacci is replaced by midfielder Roberto Soriano.

There you go, GOOALLLLLLL   Oh boy!  Am I happy or what!  Guys, in the 84th minute it is precisely forward Citadin Eder to equalize the score defeating Bulgaria goalkeeper Nikolay Mihaylov
with a right footed shot in the  upper right corner.  What a debut for Eder!  Surely, you bet Sampdoria fans are all waving their flags to see their player making a difference with the Azzurri..

 

Here is BULGARIA official starting lineup by coach Penev:

BULGARIA (4-3-1-2): Stoyanov; Manolev, Bodurov, Terziev, V. Minev; Djakov, Gadzhev, M. Alexandrov; Popov; Mitzanski, Bojinov.

ITALY (3-5-2): Salvatore Sirigu; Giorgio Chiellini, Andrea Barzagli, Bonucci; Antonelli, Bertolacci, Verratti, Candreva, Darmian; Zaza, Ciro Immobile.

A disp.: Buffon, Federico Marchetti, , Ranocchia, Parolo, Soriano, Valdifiori, Cerci, Citadin Eder, Gabbiadini, Pellè, Vázquez.

Coach:  Antonio Conte.

Photo:   facebook.com/FIGC

 

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Click the video to watch the highlights of the game BULGARIA – ITALY including all goals on Saturday 28 March 2015.

Stats AFTER the game.  Top scorer for BULGARIA:  Ilijan Micanski with 2 goals

Top scorer for ITALY:  Defender Giorgio Chiellini with 2 goals

Bulgaria	Goals	Goals	Italy
Micanski, Ilian	2	2	Chiellini, Giorgio
Hristov, Ventsislav	1	1	Zaza, Simone
Galabinov, Andrey	1	1	Pelle, Graziano
Bodurov, Nikolay Georgiev	1	1	Bonucci, Leonardo
		1	Candreva, Antonio

 

 

Photo:   facebook.com/FIGC

 

Photos ofthe match Bulgaria vs Italy courtesy of facebook.com/FIGC (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)

 

Italy forward Citadin Eder Celebrating after his goal against Bulgaria

 

Eder celebrating with coach Antonio Conte and Alessio Cerci

 

 

Italy orward Manolo Gabbiadini challenged by Bulgaria players

 

Italy goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu in action

 

Bulgaria forward Ivelin Popo celebrating after his goal against Italy

Italy defender Leonardo Bonucci  in a duel with Bulgaria midfielder Georgi Milanov

 

 

Italy Marco Verratti challenged by Bulgaria players to clear the ball

 

Italy defender Luca Antonelli on his way to score though cleared by Bulgaria midfielder Midfielder Stanislav Milanov

 

Italy Head Coach Antonio Conte now ready for the next game… and to see more goals

 

 

 

UEFA EURO 2016
Qualifying round
Group H

Bulgaria – Italy
Saturday 28 March 2015
Giuseppe Meazza
Sofia, Bulgaria

20:45

Referee: Damir Skomina (SVN)
Assistant referees: Jure Praprotnik (SVN) and Robert Vukan (SVN)
Fourth official: Andraž Kovacic (SVN)
Additional assistant referees: Matej Jug (SVN) and Slavko Vinčić (SVN)

Goals:   4′ Iordan Minev (own goal), 11′ Ivelin Popov (B.),    17′ Ilijan Micanski (B.)    84′ Citadin Eder (I)

Official formation – lineup:

BULGARIA (4-2-3-1): Mihaylov; Manolev, Aleksandrov, Bodurov, Minev; Gadzhev, Dyakov; Milanov (68′ V. Vasilev), Popov, Alexandrov; Micanski (73′ Bojinov).

Subs not used: (Stoyanov, Mitrev, Bandalovski, Stoychev, Terziev, Malinov, Slavchev, Chochev, Tonev, R. Vasilev).

Coach.: Petev.

ITALY  (3-5-2): Sirigu; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Darmian, Candreva, Verratti, Bertolacci (72′ Soriano), Antonelli (72′ Gabbiadini); Zaza (58′  Eder), Immobile.

Subs not used: (Marchetti, Moretti, Ranocchia, Valdifiori, Parolo, Vazquez, Cerci, Pellè).

Coach:  Antonio Conte.

Match Stats

Bulgaria	Match Stats</>	Italy
2	Goals	2
7(6)	Shots (on goal)	17(7)
14	Fouls	12
1	Corner kicks	17
3	Offsides	2
50%	Ball Possession	50%
1	Yellow Cards	3
0	Red Cards	0
6	Saves	1