A brief glimpse at our progress thus far in the annual Viareggio tournament…
Juve 2-2 Rijeka
JUVENTUS (4-3-3): Busti; Vogliacco, Pereira, Zanandrea, Anzolin; Morrone (1 ‘St Muratore), Fernandes, Portanova (15’ st Morachioli); Del Sole (1 ‘st Campos (37’ st Petrelli)), Kulenovic, Montaperto.
Available : Lonoce, Siano, Delli Carri, Capellini, Nicolussi Caviglia, Kameraj, Freitas, Merio, Galvagno, Meneghni.
Coach : Alessandro Dal Canto.
RIJEKA (4-2-3-1): Pandur; Smolcic, Mulac, Celikovic, Stefulj; Svetic, Lepinjica; Dukadin, Crnko, Vuk; Ristovski.
Available : Majkic, Smolcic, Busnja, Dedic, Kuqi, Juresic, Pintaric, Matulja, Hadiisaku.
Coach : Renato Pilipovic.
Scorers : 11 ‘pt Crnko (R), 24’ pt Lepinjica (R), 22 ‘st. and 46 ‘st Kulenovic (J).
Juve 2-1 Benevento
JUVENTUS (4-3-3): Busti; Kameraj, Delli Carri, Capellini, Anzolin; Nicolussi Caviglia (19 ‘st Volgiacco), Morrone, Fernandes; Del Sole (35 ‘st Montaperto), Petrelli (1’ st Kulenovic), Morachioli (21 ‘st Portanova).
Available : Lonoce, Siano, Zanandrea, Muratore, Freitas, Serrao, Campos, Merio, Galvagno, Meneghini.
Coach : Alessandro Dal Canto.
BENEVENTO : Valzone, Rutyens, Rillo, Cuccurullo, Sparandeo, De Caro, Pinto, Donnarumma, Volpicelli, Cavaliere, Notaristefano.
Available : Barone, Parisi, Ziello, Migliarotti, Marchetti, Giobbe, Cannavaro, Eletto, Ronga, Santarpia, Chiacchino, Conte, Casillo.
Coach : Nicola Romaniello.
Scorers : 4 ‘st Kulenovic (J), 33’ st rig. Pinto (B), 50 ‘st Montaperto (J).
Notes : RED – Vogliacco (J) at 47 ‘st.
(NB! Christian Cannavar0, CM, is son of former Juve and Italy rearguard stalwart Fabio…and splendid to find 16 year old Elia Petrelli on the field, punching well above his weight. His form for the U17 is 17 goals from 21 games this term)
Juve 4-0 EURO New York
JUVENTUS (4-3-3): Loria; Meneghini, Serrao (1 ‘st Delli Carri), Zanandrea, Freitas; Nicolussi Caviglia (37 ‘st Merio), Capellini, Muratore; Del Sole (1 ‘st Montaperto), Kulenovic, Portanova (25’ st Portanova).
Available : Busti, Lonoce, Anzolin, Morrone, Fernandes, Morachioli, Campos, Galvagno.
Coach : Alessandro Dal Canto.
EURO NEW YORK (4-3-3): Best (1 ‘st Kulas); Rodriguez, Konate, Ponieman, Briscoe; Santucci (42 ‘st Balsamo), Previte, Maiello (5’ st Buljibasic); Yanez, Canalicchio (22 ‘St Yanes Jr.), Vargas (22’ St Anthony).
Available : Barrios, Vilcini, Baskakov, Ziyaev, Deich, Kazberuk, Fuller, Giardina, Valenti.
Coach : Balsam.
Scorers : 30 ‘pt Nicolussi Caviglia (J), 36’ st Kameraj (J), 46 ‘st Montaperto (J), 48’ st Kulenovic (J).
We will find out our opponents in the knock-out stage later this week.
So far, so good for Dal Canto’s haphazard side, whose league form has been a rollercoaster this season, yet given the high amount of promotions from the U17 side, it was always going to be a tough campaign. Still, with the talent in the squad I had hoped for better than our current predicament, where we seem set to struggle to reach the top six and the play-off tournament which follows the league stage. I am unsure as to why star midfielder Caligara is unable to force his way into the starting XI, though suspect that the boss is using this season to focus on development more than success, and one does not always collide with the other.
UPDATE
Last 16
Juve 3-1 Serie D representation
JUVENTUS (4-3-3) : Loria; Meneghini (41 ‘st Freitas), Delli Carri, Capellini, Zanandrea; Merio (33 ‘st Morrone), Fernandes, Muratore; Montaperto (33 ‘st Fagioli), Kulenovic, Morachioli (41’ st Campos).
Available : Busti, Lonoce, Serrao, Galvagno, Leone, Petrelli.
Coach : Alessandro Dal Canto.
RAPP. SERIES D : Vitali, Della Quercia, Cosentino, Dumancic, Doda, Carannante, Pellegrini, D’Eramo, Comelli, Diarassouba, Alberti.
Available : Pirana, Bisogno, Omohonria, La Bua, Cardamone, Marino, Palmisano, Baba, Gassamà, Svidercoschi, Del Piccolo.
Coach : Augusto Gentilini.
Scorers : 3 ‘pt Kulenovic (J), 20’ pt rig. Alberti (RSD), 34 ‘pt Delli Carri (J), 7’ st Montaperto (J).
Quarter-finals
Juve 1-0 Rijeka
RIJEKA : Pandur, Mulac, Stefulj, Vuk, Busnja, Dukadin, Juresic, Crnko, Pintaric, Smolcic, Lepinjca.
Available : Smolcic, Dedic, Kuqi, Matulja, Hadiisaku, Majkic, Svetic.
Coach : Renato Pilipovic.
JUVENTUS (4-3-3): Loria; Vogliacco, Delli Carri, Capellini (23 ‘st Serrao), Zanandrea; Merio (37 ‘st Morrone), Fernandes, Muratore; Del Sole (28 ‘st Montaperto), Kulenovic, Fagioli (28’ st Morachioli).
Available : Busti, Lonoce, Freitas, Campos, Galvagno, Meneghini, Leone, Petrelli.
Coach : Alessandro Dal Canto.
The scorer : 7 ‘pt Kulenovic (J).
Six in 5 now for the big man up top…and into the semis we fly.
Semi-final
Juventus 1-4 Fiorentina
JUVENTUS (4-3-3): Loria; Meneghini, Delli Carri (1 ‘st Anzolin), Capellini, Zanandrea (31’ st Pereira); Merio (1 ‘st Portanova), Fernandes, Muratore; Montaperto (36 ‘st Petrelli), Kulenovic, Fagioli (15’ st Morachioli).
Available: Busti, Lonoce, Nicolussi Caviglia, Freitas, Morrone, Campos, Galvagno, Leone.
Coach: Alessandro Dal Canto.
FIORENTINA: Ghidotti; Mosti (73 ‘Ferrarini), Ceccacci, Pinto, Ranieri; Lakti (60 ‘Meli), Valencic, Diakhate; Maganjic (67 ‘Faye), Gori (67’ Longo), Sottil.
Available: Brancolini, Purro, Toure, Corigliano, Kasse, Marozzi, Simonti, Gorgos, Visentin.
Coach: Emiliano Bigica.
Scorers: 7 ‘pt Lakti (F), 13’ pt and 47 ‘st Diakhate (F), 6’ st Montaperto (J), 8 ‘st Gori (F).
Pleased to see our progress so far, yet at this level anything is possible, especially for a team constantly changing selection and so many kids. Still, Kulenovic is continuing to blossom, the ‘new mandzukic’ has plundered 5 from 4 outings and who knows, he might power us to win the damn thing. ALfonso Freitas, the portugal fullback is another 17 year old gaining some solid experience and playing with many 2 years older.
Interesting, the team is definitely underperforming this year. There is clear lack of quality on this u19 squad. Ocampos and del sole look promising.
Mate, I wouldn’t say its quality that is the issue, its more a case of Dal Canto, assuredly in concert with Cherubini, Pessotto and the rest of the youth sector management, have decided that a few of the U17s are better served playing with in some cases players 3 years older. This puts us at a physical disadvantage. And places development over pure success on the field. I am fine with this, as long as the 16 and 17 year olds continue their fast track route to senior football rather than now stay in the primavera until the very end of their eligibility.
I think there are as many as ten 17 years olds in the squad and a handful of 16 year olds…