Vergara Reflects on Italy Debut: Thrilled but Aiming for Victory
Napoli winger Antonio Vergara expressed his immense satisfaction with his debut for Italy, which ended in a 1-1 draw against France. "We leave here unhappy with a draw, and that speaks volumes," he stated.
The match saw Michael Olise's free kick find the net after a deflection off the wall and the crossbar. Italy equalized when Alessandro Bastoni dispossessed Lucas Da Cunha, a midfielder for Como, and scored.
Vergara, who had not previously represented Italy at any youth level, made his senior debut as a late substitute for Napoli. He entered the game with confidence and made a noticeable impact off the bench.
"I am incredibly happy with my debut, but this is simply how I play; a debut is just another game for me," Vergara said on RAI Sport. "The coach told me to stay calm and to take on defenders down the wing when the opportunity arose."
France had secured wins in their previous two Nations League group matches, both by a 1-0 scoreline, against Turkiye and Belgium. However, Italy pressed hard for a winning goal, particularly after Dayot Upamecano received a red card.
"We regret not securing the win, especially when we had an advantage in players. Our aim is to play open, attacking football against any opponent," Vergara affirmed. "The fact that we are leaving here disappointed with a draw says a lot about our current mindset and ambition."
Vergara hopes for more game time in the upcoming Nations League fixture. Italy will host Turkiye on Monday evening, presenting an opportunity to overtake Belgium in second place in the group standings.
Earlier in the day, Belgium defeated Turkiye 3-0. The victory included goals from Vergara's Napoli teammate Kevin De Bruyne and former teammate Romelu Lukaku.
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