Rugby, Italy suffers but tames a cheering Portugal

More hard-fought victory than expected for the Azzurri

Italy beat Portugal 38-31 in the senior national team’s first summer test match in Lisbon.

It was a very suffered match by Kieran Crowley’s Azzurri, who despite the technical (and ranking) gap allowed ample space to the hosts’ plays, closing the first half under 17-10 and starting the last 15′ of the game under 31-24 and with a man down due to yellow to Da Re.

In the final, Traoré’s heavy marking (73′) converted by Padovani and a free kick goal (practically at the expiration) allowed them to come back and avoid a defeat that would have been historic (the only knockout with the Portuguese dates back to 1973).

The Azzurri’s previous goals bore the signatures of Fusco, Padovani and Lucchesi, all converted by Da Re. Portugal did not need an excellent Marta, author of two goals.