Italy's revamped side showed promise in a 2-0 victory over Ecuador in a friendly at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey. Lorenzo Pellegrini opened the scoring early with a powerful strike after a free-kick rebounded off the wall. Nicolo Barella sealed the win with a clever lob in stoppage time.
Coach Luciano Spalletti made 11 changes to the lineup from Italy's previous match against Venezuela, providing more players with opportunities to impress ahead of Euro 2024 in Germany.
Despite Italy's early lead, Ecuador posed a threat in the second half, with goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario making a diving save to deny Gonzalo Plata. However, Italy remained resilient and secured the victory with Barella's late goal.
Spalletti praised the team's performance during their U.S. tour, stating that it had been positive preparation for the upcoming European Championship. Barella, celebrating his first game as Italy's captain, expressed satisfaction with the team's progress, noting that they are improving and creating a cohesive group.
Italy will play two more friendlies in June, against Turkey and Bosnia, before competing in the Euros. They have been drawn in Group B alongside Spain, Albania, and Croatia in the tournament, which kicks off on June 14.
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