Alphadjo Cisse scored in the 95th minute to give the Italy Under-21 team a 1-0 victory over Armenia at Yerevan in their Group E qualifier for the 2027 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, La Gazzetta dello Sport reported. The dramatic late strike kept Italian hopes for direct tournament qualification alive, though head coach Silvio Baldini’s squad was forced to overcome two woodwork strikes and a missed penalty before breaking through.
The 95th-Minute Breakthrough in Yerevan
For most of the evening, Italy struggled to unlock a disciplined Armenian 4-4-2 block. The visitors hit the frame twice in the second half—first through a curling right-footed effort from Cisse that struck the junction of the post and crossbar, and shortly after when Daniele Comuzzo’s header rattled the inside of the woodwork.
As the match ticked into stoppage time, substitute Liberali delivered a cross from the right wing that Mattia Cherubini met from close range. Ghazaryan blocked the initial effort with a diving clearance, but the rebound fell directly to Cisse, whose powerful left-footed shot flew into the top corner. The goal capped an overwhelming second-half onslaught that featured 13 corner kicks for Italy compared to just two for Armenia.
Italy Must Beat Poland to Claim First Place
With the three points secured, Italy sits three points behind Group E leaders Poland with one match remaining. According to la Repubblica, the group winner earns an automatic spot at the 2027 finals in Albania and Serbia, while eight runners-up advance to the play-offs. Because Poland holds a superior overall goal difference—plus-24 compared to Italy’s plus-21—a simple victory on Monday will not suffice for the Azzurrini.
The decisive fixture is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 5, at 18:15 local time at the Stadio Adriatico in Pescara. To claim first place and overhaul Poland directly, Italy must win the head-to-head encounter by a margin of at least two goals.
Baldini Uses 4-2-4 Formation to Pressure Armenia
Baldini rang the changes at halftime, introducing Cisse, along with debutants Lulli and Mattia Liberali, in search of greater attacking incision. The tactical switch to an aggressive 4-2-4 formation penned Armenia deep into their own half, creating wave after wave of pressure that ultimately tested Ghazaryan’s exceptional reflexes.
Reflecting on the nervy encounter, Baldini told ANSA that failing to win inside normal time would have constituted a sporting injustice. “When you arrive at a certain age, the emotion is no longer the fear of losing, but the hope that the boys can harvest what they deserve,” Baldini said. Midfielder Cher Ndour previously noted during the team’s extended training camp that the squad possesses the depth required to dictate tempo across both fixtures.
Confirmed Match Details
The fixture took place on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2026, at the Republican Stadium in Yerevan. The referee was Greece’s Polychronis Polychronidis. Italy lined up in a 4-3-3 formation featuring Palmisani in goal; Favasuli, Comuzzo, Chiarodia, and Moruzzi across the back; Pisilli, Lipani, and Ndour in midfield; and Fini, Camarda, and Koleosho up front. Armenia countered in a 4-3-3 led by head coach Armen Gyulbudaghyants, with Ghazaryan anchoring a defensive structure that nearly held out for a historic draw before Cisse’s late intervention.
Keep reading
