Italy have made a fresh start by fielding a young but talented group of players for their friendly against Luxembourg on Wednesday that ended in a narrow 1-0 victory too.
Rising star Pio Esposito was the difference-maker for them as the Inter Milan youngster struck his fourth goal for Italy in just eight appearances to down Die Roten Lowen.
Still reeling from the disaster of missing out on a third consecutive World Cup, the Azzurri called for a massive squad overhaul with interim manager Silvio Baldini summoning an inexperienced side.
In fact, goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma is the only player in Italy's current squad with more than 10 caps to his name, as the Manchester City star remained the undisputed choice in goal and made his 82nd appearance for them.
As many as 15 players made their international debut last night, a rare feat in modern times especially for a team as glorious and decorated as Italy, who left most of their experienced and established stars behind at home.
BVB players who made their Italy debut
Borussia Dortmund have a strong Italian contingent with all three of their players called-up to the national team for this month's fixtures.
Samuele Inacio, Filippo Mane and Luca Reggiani were all in line for their international debuts with the Azzurris, but only the first two were given a chance. Reggiani remained an unused substitute on the bench.
Inacio, who made a meteoric rise to prominence with the Black and Yellows this calendar year, broke into the senior team after being subbed into the clash at the 89th minute for fellow debutant Luca Koleosho.
Although there wasn't enough time for him to make an impact, Inacio's Italy debut is still a watershed moment for the young lad who's been slowly climbing up the ladder in recent months. He could surely be given more time to express himself in the forthcoming games.
As for Mane, the midfielder replaced Pietro Comuzzo after 76 minutes and made his presence felt in defense with one tackle and interception each. The BVB player's desire to compete for the ball also saw him make two ground duels, winning one.
Reggiani coming on would have made it a perfect night of debuts for the three BVB starlets but he is perhaps made to wait for next week's friendly to Greece.
With the senior players rested this month, the current international window is an opportunity for the young players, especially the Dortmund contingent, to make a mark on the side.
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