Italy beat Greece 1-0 in Heraklion on another Pio Esposito goal, and this time they had to finish the job with ten men. Esposito struck in the 18th minute and Italy held on after Luca Reggiani was sent off, preserving a second straight 1-0 win in five days.
The result is why Italy’s young side is drawing attention now. Silvio Baldini’s team had already beaten Luxembourg 1-0 before coming to Greece, and Esposito scored in both matches, making this a quick, practical test of whether the federation’s youth work is turning into results that travel. The margin was narrow, but the pattern was hard to miss.
Esposito’s goal came after a pass from Ekhator and took a slight deflection before going beyond Vlachodimos. It was his fifth goal for Italy before turning 21, a milestone that gives the forward’s run real weight beyond one night in Heraklion. Italy also observed a minute’s silence before kickoff in memory of Marios Oikonomou, adding a subdued note to a match that quickly turned into a contest of control and survival.
Baldini made two changes to his starting XI from the Luxembourg match, with Ahanor replacing Favasuli at right-back and Ekhator coming in for Cherubini in the front three. The coach said he wanted the boys to gain confidence and stressed that the two games were approached to show the players they are valued for the way they consistently deliver. His view was simple: they now just need to develop.
The red card changed the shape of the night. Italy were already protecting a one-goal lead when Reggiani went off, forcing Baldini’s side to defend for the final half hour with ten men. They did it without panicking, which matters as much as the scoreline itself for a squad still trying to prove that recent youth success is not a one-off.
What comes next is the real unanswered question. Italy have shown they can win tight games, but how long Baldini stays in charge of this group, and how far these players can carry this form, will decide whether two clean 1-0 victories become a sign of progress or just a brief run.
