With four goals in the opening 30 minutes, the winners of Euro 2020 set a new record in Wednesday’s match
Reigning European champions Italy gave another sign of their prowess with a record-breaking start to the World Cup qualifiers against Lithuania on Wednesday.
Azzuri went into the match at the top of Group C and scored a historic unbeaten run to defend.
They experienced little resistance from their visitors at the Mapei Stadium, winning 5-0 and adding a new milestone to the country’s enviable football history by beating Lithuania.
Close early
It took Italy just 11 minutes to open the scoring on Wednesday, with Moyes Keane leading his side to the top.
And the goals just kept coming, as Keane scored the second and Giacomo Raspadoni the first for Azzurri, while Edgars Utkas also outscored his own goalkeeper.
Just 30 minutes later, Mancini’s men increased by four goals, a new national team-best, as Italy had not scored so many goals in the first half hour of a single game.
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After failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Mancini took over Italy’s hot seat and immediately set out to turn the team’s fortunes around.
Azzurri have not lost a single game at the senior level since September 2018 at the hands of Portugal in the UEFA Nations League. On Sunday, they held the record for most unbeaten internationals in the history of the game with a 0-0 draw against Switzerland, extending their run tally to 36 matches.
During that run, Italy won the Euro 2020 title, their first since the 200 World Cup, with a penalty shoot-out victory over England at Wembley in the July final.
Italy’s unbeaten run has now reached 37, with Azharzari securing their place at the top of their qualifying group with a win over Lithuania as defender Giovanni de Lorenzo finished fifth for the hosts in the evening.
