The Italian national team seeks to make amends when it visits its Turkish counterpart in Bursa tomorrow, Monday, in the second round of the first-level competitions in the European Nations League, after starting its campaign with a loss to Belgium with two unanswered goals in Rome.
The Italian team was subjected to jeers from its fans after losing to Belgium, in Roberto Mancini's first match during his second term as coach of the team, as it seemed that the effects of failure to qualify for the World Cup were still casting a shadow over the team.
“It's something that weighs on us a little bit, but we have to get over it,” Mancini said after the loss. We cannot stop at what happened, we have to think positively, because we cannot change the past.”
The Belgian national team took the lead in the 20th minute through Mika Godets, before Dodi Lukebakio added the second goal in the second half.
Despite the defeat, Mancini refused to consider his team’s performance entirely negative, and said: “It was a difficult start.” Everyone wanted to see a different performance for the Italian national team, and the loss is painful. The first half was less than expected, and Belgium was better than us, but that was not the case in the second half.”
He added: “When you lose, boos are expected, but not everything was negative. We have five more matches in the Nations League and we will try to win them, and we cannot be frustrated by losing one or two.”
Mancini will play the next match with an incomplete roster, after he decided to keep ten players at the national training center to undergo a separate training program, while Udinese player Nicolo Zaniolo left the camp after renewing his thigh injury.
Andoni Ahanior, Nicolo Barella, Diego Coppola, Samuel Inacio, Eddie Quadio, Daniel Maldini, Gianluca Mancini, Massimo Pessina, Samuel Ricci and Muhammad Ali Zouma were absent from the Italian national team’s trip to Bursa.
For its part, Türkiye lost to France 1-0 in the first round, but it emerged with positive impressions from the match, which was confirmed by coach Vincenzo Montella, the former Italian star.
Montella said: “I saw a great team spirit, and this is something we need to continue in the upcoming matches.” “It will not be easy to recover physically and mentally so quickly, so we need this spirit before anything else.”
The scar etched on Malaysian Sivasangari Subramaniam's forehead is a daily reminder of the accident that almost claimed her life, but it seems that she has erased this nightmare from her memory. On Sunday, she defended her title at the Asian Games, and at the same time booked her ticket to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, when squash will participate for the first time in the Olympic Games.
The accident near Kuala Lumpur left Subramaniam with neck and spinal injuries and raised doubts about her ability to walk again. However; Within about a year, she wasn't just walking; Rather, she climbed the podium and won two gold medals at the “Asian Games” in the Chinese city of Hangzhou, in amazing evidence of her willpower and skill.
The 27-year-old player said after her victory over Indian Anahat Singh 3-0 in the women’s singles final at the Asian Games in Japan at the Kengo Photo Hall: “I definitely went through a difficult journey.”
She added: “The car accident happened about 4 years ago, and then (the Asian Games) made a strong comeback.”
She continued: “I believe that everything happens for a reason; as you know. I believe that there are always ups and downs. “My down period was very difficult, but I am happy that I was able to come back strong.”
She added: “Life is full of difficulties; So, I try not to think too much. “I try to live my life a little more, not put too much pressure on myself, and try to enjoy playing squash as much as possible.” She refused to let the bets on winning and qualifying for the Olympics affect her performance in the match. “I just tried to put all those external factors out of my mind,” she said. I think everyone wants to win, and everyone has the same goal; It is winning the title.”
She added: “I try to put all of this out of my mind and focus only on what I have to do on the field, and I think I succeeded in that well, and in controlling my emotions well.”
After qualifying was guaranteed, the player placed: Ranked 5th in the world, she has two goals in mind: They are: becoming number one in the world and an Olympic champion.
She added: “I want to improve my ranking by the end of the season to be among the top three in the world.” “My goal is to be ranked number one in the world and win the Olympic gold medal.”
She continued: “I still have two more seasons before the start of the (Olympic Games). “I have a lot of small goals that I want to achieve before that.”
Her compatriot In Young also qualified for the “Games” in Los Angeles after defending his men’s singles title by defeating Abhay Singh 3-0 in another Malaysian-Indian final.
