Leeds United's Willy Gnonto shines for Italy with key contributions upon big chance

Gnonto is part of the current senior Italy squad despite having also been named in the under-21s Italy set up for this summer’s under-21s Euros which start on Wednesday. Gnonto was an unused substitute for Thursday night’s Nations League semi-final against Spain in which a 2-1 defeat for Roberto Mancini’s side left Italy facing the Netherlands in Sunday’s third-place play-off at FC Twente’s home in Enschede.

Italy’s under-21s face France in their first game of the under-21s Euros on Thursday evening but senior boss Roberto Mancini opted to start Gnonto in Sunday’s third place play-off against the Dutch for which he has made six changes to his side.

Gnonto lined up on the right hand side of a completely new Italian front three and was heavily involved from the outset, playing a big role in the move that led to Italy taking a sixth-minute lead.

A long searching cross from Federico Dimarco was headed clear by Nathan Ake but only as far as Gnonto who calmly controlled the ball and played a short pass out to Davide Frattesi on the right side of the box. Frattesi then delivered an inviting cross back into the area and a neat backheel from Giacomo Raspadori teed up Dimarco who applied a rasping finish into the far right corner of the net.

Gnonto was causing plenty of problems and the 19-year-old then bagged what an assist of sorts for Fratessi to double the Azzurri advantage 14 minutes later. The excellent Dimarco again got clear down the right and pulled the ball back for Raspadori who was dispossessed on the edge of the box.

But the ball ran loose and an alert Gnonto quickly seized his chance, firing in a shot that took a huge deflection off Mats Wieffer to land in the path of Frattesi who controlled the ball with his body and then converted past keeper Justin Bijlow.

Gnonto stayed on for the start of the second half and the Whites man threatened again in the 50th minute when played in down the right flank. The teenager cut inside towards the edge of the box and unleashed a low shot that was blocked and cleared.

But the Netherlands were continually pushing Italy back in search of a route back into the match and Gnonto was eventually taken off for Nicolo Zaniolo as part of a double change in the 64th minute, at which point the Italians still held a 2-0 lead.

The Dutch finally pulled a goal back four minutes later via a Steven Bergwijn strike put Italy then upped the ante once more and bagged their third strike of the afternoon through Federico Chiesa with 18 minutes left.

Netherlands set up a grandstand finish as Georginio Wijnaldum finished off a fine move in the 89th minute and the hosts were given nine added minutes to bag a leveller but Italy held on to clinch the bronze medal.