Mario Balotelli marked his first Italy start in four years with a goal to help his side to a 2-1 victory over Saudi Arabia in Roberto Mancini’s first match at the helm this evening.
The former Manchester City and Liverpool striker was handed a recall by Mancini – who has previously managed him at club level too – and took just 21 minutes to repay the faith shown in him by the new Italy boss.
Andrea Belotti then doubled Italy’s advantage with just over 20 minutes remaining, and the Azzurri, who failed to qualify for this summer’s World Cup, held out in St Gallen despite a quick response from Yehya Al Shehri.
Balotelli looked eager to make the most of his return from international exile even before he opened the scoring, laying on a chance for Lorenzo Insigne after just eight minutes which the Napoli man could not take.
Italy were determined to make a quick start to the Mancini era, though, and they came close again with only 14 minutes on the cock when Matteo Politano’s corner was nodded wide of the target by Lorenzo Pellegrini.
As is so often the case one way or another, though, Balotelli ensured that the headlines would belong to him midway through the first half when he picked up a loose ball before dipping inside onto his right foot and arrowing a low strike into the bottom corner from 25 yards – his first Italy goal since netting the winner against England at the 2014 World Cup.
Saudi Arabia – who unlike Italy will be at the World Cup this summer – managed to stem the flow of chances as the first half wore on, although they needed the crossbar to come to their rescue with just four minutes remaining of the first half when Domenico Criscito’s effort came back off the woodwork.
Italy continued to look the more likely to add to the scoring in the second half, and they perhaps should have done 11 minutes after the restart when Pellegrini again failed to make the most of a presentable chance, firing narrowly over from inside the box.