15 October 2014
With Wednesday’s action about to bring the curtain down on this October international break, five Bianconeri took to the field for their nations in Tuesday night’s games.
Arturo Vidal converted a penalty deep into injury time as Chile ensured their seven-year unbeaten run at home remained intact with this morning’s 2-2 friendly draw against Bolivia in Antofagasta.
Earlier on Tuesday, Roberto Pereyra’s Argentina brought their Asian tour to a close with a 7-0 victory over Hong Kong. The 23-year-old entered the fray when he replaced Benfica’s Enzo Perez on the 73rd minute mark.
Euro 2016 hosts France kept up their excellent post-World Cup form with a 3-0 victory away at Armenia. Paul Pogba played the entire second-half and was fouled in the area for Les Bleus’ second goal which saw Marseille’s André-Pierre Gignac dispatch the resulting spot-kick. Patrice Evra remained on the bench as an unused substitute.
Stephan Lichtsteiner completed 60 minutes as his Switzerland side got their first points on the board with a resounding 4-0 away win over San Marino. The result hauls the Swiss into fourth position in Euro 2016 qualifying Group E.
Commiserations go out to starlets Kingsley Coman and Alvaro Morata whose respective Under-21 sides both lost their crucial Euro 2015 second-leg play-offs. The results mean neither outfit will be gracing next year’s tournament in the Czech Republic.
Coman played the final 25 minutes of France’s 4-1 defeat to Sweden in Halmstad whilst Morata watched on from the sidelines due to suspension as reigning champions Spain succumbed to a 2-1 home defeat by Serbia in Cadiz.
Kwadwo Asamoah wraps up the Bianconeri’s involvement in this October international break when his Ghana side face Guinea in Tamale on Wednesday evening. The two teams had already met on Saturday in Casablanca, playing out a 1-1 draw.
