Friends of Eurosport, a greeting from Davide Fumagalli and welcome back to the appointment with LIVE-Blogging of the challenge between Italia e Spainfirst match of this window qualification for the 2023 World Cup, valid for group L. The Azzurri of Gianmarco Pozzecco and the Furie Rosse of Sergio Scariolo lead the group with 11 points ahead of Iceland with 10 of Georgia with 9: with two successes the Azzurri would mathematically qualify for the World Cup in Japan , Indonesia and Philippines, vice versa we will have to wait for the last two races in February. The top three ranked teams qualify.
Nico Mannion in action in the friendly between Italy and France, August 2022
Credit Foto Getty Images
The LIVE-Blogging of the match
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Pozzecco: “No dialogue with the clubs. Banchero? I sleep at his house”
21 HOURS AGO
84-88 AT THE END OF THE GAME: SPAIN WINS
Bitter final for Italy that loses after an extra time against Spain, European and World champions, but the Azzurri come out to the applause of the Vitrifrigo Arena for the performance of great pride put on the parquet. Italy’s 20 points from Mannion, 12 from Spissu and 10 from Captain Biligha are not enough, even if the devastating rebound balance weighs 45 to 27 for the Red Furies; Scariolo’s team is led by a terrifying Jaime Fernandez from 28 points with 12 out of 15 to free, and from 12 with 8 rebounds from Parra.
82-86 at 45 ‘: Italy hanging on to a miracle
Mannion still draws from the line for 82-82 but then Italy no longer scores and Jaime Fernandez takes the chair: overtaking scores in penetration, the Azzurri do not respond due to a mistake by Nico and again the Spanish director scores the free throws +4 leaving 9 “at the end. Timeout Pozzecco.
81-82 at 43 ‘: Mannion takes the chair
The two attacks catch fire in the overtime and the game catches fire. Spain responds blow for blow with Fernandez and Parra’s triples to the missiles of the Azzurri of Vitali and Mannion (2), and to the three-point game of Biligha. There are 20 points from the former Arizona and Golden State Warriors.
70-70 A FINE QUARTO QUARTO
40 ‘in Pesaro is not enough, we go to overtime between Italy and Spain. With 9 “on the clock the Red Furies have the last chance, Parra is isolated in the low post, attacks the basket but then misses the half-hook, ball on the iron and then another 5 ‘of basketball in Pesaro.
70-70 at 40 ‘: Mannion impacts again. Last 9 “
The defense of Spain implodes after attacking the Azzurri coming out of the timeout, Nico Mannion is good and lucid, he beats Diaz and is comfortable with the iron for the support of the new parity. 70-70 and last 9 “with the ball to the Red Furies.
68-70 at 40 ‘: triple from Fernandez, +2 Spain
Sergio Scariolo draws a sensational throw-in, his players perform perfectly and Parra finds in the corner Fernandez who is not wrong to return to the front. Timeout Pozzecco, Italy with -2 to 25 “from the end. What a final in Pesaro!
68-67 at 40′: magic from Spissu, Italy ahead
First the triple from Vitali, then above all that of Spissu after a sensational pirouette, and Italy leads by one point 35 “from the end. Spain remains alive with rebounds and free throws, the last 4 out of 6 attempts scored by Salvò and Saiz. After Scariolo’s timeout, we return to the field and it’s the ball to the Red Furies.
62-62 at 37 ‘: final sprint in Pesaro
He scores with a dropper now at the Vitrifrigo Arena, lots of mistakes, lots of tension, lots of turnovers. Italy flies up to +4 with a sidereal triple from Pippo Ricci, but Spain remains clinging with a free and a heavy triple from Jaime Fernandez, assisted by the usual Diaz.
59-57 at 33 ‘: Italy blaze and overtaking
Constant no, but when it clears, Italy comes back close. Severini’s bomb, then Mannion’s 5 straight points with a basket and a triple, and Baldasso’s jumper against the Spanish area make 10-0 for the Azzurri, overtaking and forcing Scariolo to timeout. And the Vitrifrigo Arena is seething with enthusiasm: now we need to find that balance that has been missing so far.
49-55 AT THE END OF THE THIRD QUARTER
Spain continues to lead the race and goes to the last break always in front, +6 with the last overhead basket by Fernandez and the free throws of Fernandez and Salvò himself. Italy finds the first basket of Mannion’s recovery but Nico is struggling a lot (2 out of 8 with 0 out of 3 from three). In general, Pozzecco’s team is arguing with the percentages: 13 out of 22 from two but above all 3 out of 20 from three (4 out of 16 for the Red Furies).
47-51 at 29 ‘: Biligha keeps Italy afloat
The energy of Baldasso, Pajola and Mannion bring Italy close, up to -3 on 47-50, and it is a half miracle given the great offensive difficulties of so many players, first of all Mannion who never takes us from the outside. However, Spain is also beginning to feel fatigue.
41-48 at 25 ‘: Spain remains in front
Crazy triple by Santi Yusta with a very high parable against Biligha for +7 Spain, a basket that sends Pozzecco into despair, previously agitated for some dubious whistle. Italy remains in the wake of Vitali’s three free throws but the Azzurri struggle in an incredible way to produce points, vice versa Scariolo’s team finds baskets even from “non-strikers” like Diaz.
37-42 at 22 ‘: we leave again in Pesaro
The third quarter begins at the Vitrifrigo Arena. Italy restarts from Petrucelli who scores two free throws and from Spissu who scores -2, but Spain has courage and the expert Diaz bags the triple of +5 after yet another offensive rebound.
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33-36 AT THE END OF THE SECOND FOURTH
The first half ends in Pesaro and it is +3 for Spain signed by the final of Alberto Diaz who scores in rebound and then serves Sima the assist for the final 36-33 basket in the 20 ‘. Despite the difficulties and the rebound suffering (22-11 for the Red Furies), Pozzecco’s team remains in the wake thanks to 7 points from Tessitori and 5 each from Petrucelli and Spissu, plus the great impact of Biligha, 3 points , 2 stolen and a great block. In Spain 7 from Parra, 6 from Yusta and 5 from Fernandez, in addition to 2 with 3 assists from Diaz. Both teams are shooting badly: 3 out of 15 from three for Italy, 1 out of 10 for Spain.
32-32 at 18′: break by Spisso, it’s even
Another immediate timeout for Scariolo because Italy completes the comeback and draws at 32-32. The break is signed by Marco Spissu who bags the triple of -2 and then impacts with a good sprint to the iron after the recovery of Tessitori. The Red Furies perform well but suffer the energy and the waves of the blues.
27-32 at 17 ‘: Italy struggles but there is, Spain timeout
Spain is constant, Italy is in flames but it is there. Baldasso’s basket and Amedeo Tessitori’s 5 stitches (2 + 1 and a nice dunk) are not liked by Scariolo, whom he calls a timeout. Shortly before, the triple from Parra had arrived and immediately punished Pozzecco’s choice to get in the area.
20-27 at 14 ‘: offensive difficulties for the Azzurri
Good start to the second period for Spain which returns to +8 with Yusta and Bassas while Italy misses the good shots built, especially by three (2 out of 11). It is Vitali with the free players to unlock the Azzurri.
18-22 AT THE END OF THE FIRST QUARTER
The entry of Paul Biligha changes Italy which touches -10 and then comeback up to -4. The long from Milan places a basket, a block and two steals, Mannion also enters well and signs 4 points and the last ring is a triple from Severini from the corner for 18-22. To underline also the technical foul for protests against coach Pozzecco. In Spain 5 points from Jaime Fernandez but 0 out of 3 from the arc of the Red Furies.
9-17 to 7 ‘: Pozzecco calls timeout
Italy must stop the game: Spain’s 8-0 partial with Yusta’s last overhead basket after Jaime Fernandez’s two free throws, and coach Pozzecco calls a timeout to rearrange the Azzurri’s ideas.
9-13 at 6 ‘: inside Pajola and Biligha
Italy closes the first mini-tear with the triple, the first of the race, by John Petrucelli, very concentrated in this start, who signs the momentary 9-9. The coach Pozzecco also fielded Pajola, Biligha and also Nico Mannion while Scariolo launched the Venetian Sima who showed up with two free throws and a great block.
4-6 at 3 ‘: Petrucelli with the first basket
I spent three minutes in Pesaro and it is advantage for Spain after the two free throws scored by Parra. For the Azzurri, John Petrucelli, top scorer in Serie A, broke the deadlock, then Tessitori closely signed the momentary 4-4.
The game begins
The quintets: Italy with Spissu, Michele Vitali, Petrucelli, Ricci and Tessitori. In Spain leave Diaz, Brizuela, Saiz, Salvò and Joel Parra.
National anthems performed: first that of Spain by Sergio Scariolo, then the anthem of Mameli for Italy by Gianmarco Pozzecco, very tense with all his entire staff.
Great public setting at the Vitrifrigo Arena in Pesaro, there is a full house. Among the VIPs in the stands the former MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi, the fresh champion with Ducati Pecco Bagnaia, the Olympic high jump champion Gimbo Tamberi and the president of Coni Giovanni Malagò.
The rivalry between Italy and Spain is long. Started in 1950 in Nice during the World Cup qualifiers, it continued over the years until the 66th challenge on 11 November next. In total, 40 Italian and 25 Spanish victories, for what to date is the fourth most played by the Azzurri since 1926 after those against France (101), Germany (68) and Greece (66).
At 9 pm the duo between Italy and Spain at the Vitrifrigo Arena in Pesaro, the third match of the second phase of qualifications at the FIBA 2023 World Cup (LIVE on RaiDue, Sky Sport and Eleven Sports).
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