Italy moved top of their Uefa Nations League group on Tuesday after a new-look team continued their unbeaten start to the campaign with a 2-1 win over Hungary.
Roberto Mancini's side lead the way in League A, Group 3 thanks to first-half goals from Nicolo Barella and Lorenzo Pellegrini in Cesena, which put them a point ahead of second-placed Hungary.
A largely impressive display was blighted by Gianluca Mancini's 61st-minute own goal, which gave the match a scoreline that flattered Hungary, led by coach Mancini's former Sampdoria teammate Marco Rossi.
The European champions, who are trying to rebuild after failing to qualify for a second straight World Cup, now travel to Wolverhampton to face bottom side England on Saturday before taking on Germany in Moenchengladbach three days later.
"It was a good performance, especially in the first half. Their goal made us a little bit fearful but it was a match which we should have won by a bigger margin," Mancini told RAI.
"This is a team full of young players who need to work a lot, we've got a long way to go."
Germany 1 England 1 - in pictures
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England's Harry Kane celebrates after levelling the scores at 1-1 in the Uefa Nations League match against Germany at the Allianz Arena in Munich. AP -
Harry Kane of England celebrates after scoring from the penalty spot against Germany with Jack Grealish. Getty Images -
Harry Kane scores from the penalty spot. Reuters -
Kane is fouled by Germany's Nico Schlotterbeck, resulting in a penalty after a VAR review. PA -
Referee Carlos del Cerro Grande checks the VAR screen before awarding England a penalty. Getty -
Jonas Hofmann celebrates giving Germany the lead. Reuters -
Jonas Hofmann celebrates at Allianz Arena. Getty -
England's Jordan Pickford reacts. Action Images -
Manuel Neuer celebrates after Germany take the lead. Getty -
England's Mason Mount and Germany's Joshua Kimmich in action. EPA -
England manager Gareth Southgate watches the action. Getty -
England's Declan Rice reacts during the match. AP -
Germany forward Thomas Muller and England's Declan Rice battle for the ball. AFP -
England's Harry Kane is out of luck. Reuters -
Harry Kane reacts after a missed chance. Getty -
A frustrated Raheem Sterling. AP -
England manager Gareth Southgate reacts. EPA -
Germany's coach Hansi Flick. EPA
Mancini selected a host of players who played little or no role in Italy's triumph at Euro 2020, the glow of which has dimmed after they were dumped out of this year's World Cup in Qatar by North Macedonia in March.
Before Tuesday's match Italy had won just three of the 11 fixtures played since being crowned kings of Europe at Wembley in July, one of those a meaningless win in Turkey days after their play-off defeat to North Macedonia.
The hammering Italy took at the hands of Argentina in last week's 'Finalissima' in London seemed to confirm a deep crisis.
But a youthful XI showed signs of life in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Germany and they took that momentum to Cesena, frequently playing with the style and verve which characterised Mancini's team before the Euros.
Barella opened the scoring in the 30th minute, firing home his eighth Italy goal via two slight deflections after great work down the left from Leonardo Spinazzola, who seems near to top form after nearly a year out injured.
Pellegrini almost laid on teen talent Wilfried Gnonto moments before the break when he scampered in behind and rolled an inviting pass across goal that was well cut out by Loic Nego.
However, the Roma captain then doubled the hosts' lead seconds later, making no mistake when meeting Matteo Politano's pull-back to net his second Italy goal in four days.
Politano crashed a shot off the bar nine minutes after the break and six minutes later Hungary were back in the game when Roma's Mancini, who up to that point had been one of Italy's best performers, turned in substitute Attila Fiola's low cross under no pressure.
From there the away side pushed for a leveller as the home side visibly tired, but beyond a couple of speculative efforts couldn't build on their opening win over England.
