England’s winless start to their Nations League campaign continued as they drew 0-0 with Italy at Molineux.
The behind-closed-doors match took place in front of 2,000 children, as a result of the scenes seen at the Euro 2020 final last summer at Wembley when these two sides last met.
Both sides had a number of big chances, with Mason Mount hitting the woodwork and Raheem Sterling unable to keep his effort down from close range, while Davide Frattesi and Sandro Tonali were guilty of wastefulness for the Italians.
The draw follows an opening defeat to Hungary and then a draw in Munich against Germany for Gareth Southgate’s side, leaving them bottom of the group. They will get the chance for revenge against Hungary at Molineux on Tuesday night.
England made six changes from the side that drew to Germany, with Jack Grealish, Aarom Ramsdale and Tammy Abraham among those earning starts.
It was a frantic start to the match, as Frattesi missed a massive chance to put Italy in front inside two minutes before Tammy Abraham nearly capitalised on a terrible pass out from Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Mount was played through inside the box by Sterling and saw his first-time effort smack back off the bar, and the Chelsea man had a couple of other shots comfortably saved by the goalkeeper.
Midway through the first half it looked certain that Italy would take the lead when Tonali found himself free at the back post, but Ramsdale made a superb save to deny the midfielder. The Arsenal ‘keeper had to be alert just before the break too to tip Matteo Pessina’s strike over the bar.
It was more of the same immediately after the break as the chances continued to come for both sides. Sterling should really have scored when he got on the end of a superb low cross from Reece James, but the England captain ballooned his effort over the bar from a matter of yards.
Jarrod Bowen and Harry Kane were introduced with 25 minutes remaining, as Southgate pushed to break the deadlock.
There was little action for the rest of the second-half, before Kane almost fashioned a chance for himself out of nothing but he could only poke the ball over the bar as it fell at his feet.
Neither side was able to find a late winner, as England made it 270 minutes without a goal from open play at the end of a long club season.
