Spurs international watch: Topsy turvy game for Tottenham Hotspur pair
By Tom Vinall
On Thursday night, Guglielmo Vicario and Destiny Udogie's Italy were in nations league action at home to Belgium. They went into the game having picked up maximum points from their first two games in the September break.
For this one, both Vicario and Udogie were named on the bench, with Gianluigi Donarumma of Paris Saint Germain and Federico Dimarco of Inter Milan preferred respectively. Potential Spurs target Samuele Ricci of Torino started the game as the deepest midfielder.
It was the dream start for Italy, taking the lead within the first minute of the game. Within 24 minutes, they had a 2-0 lead. However, with five minutes of the first half to go, Lorenzo Pellegrini was sent off and Belgium scored from the resulting free-kick, complicating matters and putting a cameo from Udogie in doubt as a result.
After half time, Belgium made it 2-2 and all of a sudden things looked bleak for Vicario and Udogie's side in this game, with half an hour still to play with ten men.
With 20 minutes of time remaining, and the scores still level, Udogie did get on the pitch, as he replaced Dimarco. In just 20 minutes on the pitch, the Spurs defender recorded two clearances, an interception, a tackle, 3/3 ground duels won and drew two fouls in a solid display.
That performance helped Italy see the game out and draw 2-2. Whilst that is frustrating from being 2-0 up at one point, it looked like they would lose the game after Belgium equalised against their ten men on the hour mark, so you take what you can get.
In addition, this draw means Italy remain top of their nations league group, one point above France in second place after three games. Next up for Vicario, Udogie and Italy is a game against Israel on Monday night, with kick off for that one being 19:45 BST.