Italy thump neighbours San Marino in Euro warm-up

Cagliari (Italy) (AFP) – Italy began their Euro 2020 preparations in simple style on Friday as a second-string team hammered minnows San Marino 7-0.

Roberto Mancini’s revived side are one of the dark horses for this summer’s delayed European Championship and had a predictably easy time against their lowly neighbours.

An experimental line-up went for the jugular in an attempt to make the final 26-man squad for the Euro which Mancini needs to select by June 1.

After a slow start, Federico Bernadeschi set the Azzurri on their way with a low drive in the 31st minute, and shortly afterwards Gian Marco Ferrari made it two when he lashed home following a corner.

Matteo Politano pounced on a dreadful defensive error to slot home the third three minutes after the break, before Andrea Belotti slotted home the goal of the night in the 67th minute after fine work from Bernadeschi.

The goals continued to pile up as Mancini’s experimental line-up continued to push forward and two strikes in as many minutes from Matteo Pessina — his first international goal — and Politano made it 6-0.

Pessina completed the scoring with two minutes remaining when he collected Bernardeschi’s pass and netted his second of the night.