Nations League third place play-off: Italy edge out Belgium

1. Nations League third-placed play-off
2. Barella hits stunning 20-yard volley & Berardi penalty; De Ketelaere responds late on
3. Final between France and Spain takes place at 19:45 BST

Get Involved

Can Martinez actually win anything ever bar an FA Cup with Wigan? Surely if Belgium can't win this they will dispense with Martinez. How about Sven as the next manager? One manager of golden generation followed by another.

Alan, Horsham

Can Belgium produce a response? They sort of imploded against France after conceding in the semis.

Nicolo Barella also scored in the meeting between these sides in the Euro 2020 quarter-finals.

That was the opener with Italy winning 2-1.

GOAL - Italy 1-0 Belgium

What a hit!

Italy's corner is headed out into the path of Nicolo Barella, who hits a sensational volley into the bottom corner from 20 yards out.

Italy straight on the attack but a cross is headed behind by Jan Vertonghen.

KICK-OFF

The second half begins.

Thibaut Courtois is the only one in the tunnel at the moment.

Get Involved

Goalless and pointless!

Kevin in Norwich

Federico Chiesa had five of the 12 shots by either side in that half.

Michy Batshuayi - with two shots - is the only other player to try more than one.

Get Involved

Mark Ashworth: Has there ever been a less significant 'competitive' fixture than a Nations League third-place play-off? There'd be more riding on this if it was a friendly.

HALF-TIME

Goalless in the Nations League third-place play-off.

What a sentence.

INJURY TIME

Federico Chiesa's best chance yet. And he's had a few. He runs onto a lovely crossfield ball, controls it in the box - unmarked - but his shot is saved by the feet of Thibaut Courtois.

One minute added on by the way.

Belgium have a corner. They play it short and eventually Jason Denayer crosses in but it's cleared.

Italy try to counter... and Denayer cuts it out.

A decent spell of Italy possession ends in Federico Chiesa lashing a powerful shot wide from about 25 yards. It was swinging away from the goal.

The corner is cleared and Italy break at pace. They reach the Belgian box but it's cut out by Hans Vanaken.

Youri Tielemans lifts the ball into the box but it's cleared.

Belgium have a corner now though.

Giovanni di Lorenzo is OK to continue.

Fun fact, there is an Italian tennis player called Lorenzo di Giovanni.

Ooooof. Giovanni di Lorenzo is on the ground holding his head but Italy play on and Domenico Berardi hammers a shot over from distance.

Di Lorenzo needs treatment afterwards. It was an aerial collision but not a foul.

YELLOW CARD

Italy right-back Giovanni di Lorenzo catches Yannick Carrasco after the Belgian had moved the ball on. Booked.

Federico Chiesa - who is definitely one of Italy's stars now - gets the ball outside the box but his low strike is easily saved. A team-mate gestures that he should have passed.