Football Bet of the Day: European champions face tricky New Jersey test

Sunday is a fairly quiet day for football as the international break continues, but the day’s standout friendly looks like an interesting clash.

European champions Italy are in the USA for a double-header of friendlies, winning the first against Venezuela in midweek. Next up for them is a clash with an Ecuador side making real steps forward.

Italy are warming up to defend their crown at 2024, but the side has changed in the three years since their Wembley win.

Most notably, manager Roberto Mancini departed in August last year, leaving the team before they had even wrapped up a spot at this summer’s Euros.

Napoli’s title-winning coach Luciano Spalletti was a solid replacement, although the midweek win over Venezuela was his first win away from home with the national team.

Spalletti has shuffled the pack and he’s been left with a more youthful team, especially at the back. Their most capped defender is 34-year-old Matteo Darmian, with half of their defensive call-ups boasting fewer than 10 caps.

Rebuilding Italy into contenders is likely to take time for Spalletti, after all this side failed to even make the 2022 World Cup. As it stands, a few questions are hanging over this Italian team, so it’s interesting to see that they are 23/20 favourites heading into this fixture.

A big issue for the Azzurri is their lack of goalscorers. Ciro Immobile has never really translated his Serie A form to international level, but his 17-goal tally compares quite favourably to the combined 21 goals the seven forwards in this squad have netted.

Italy’s top scorer among the current squad is Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella, who has eight strikes in 52 caps. Matteo Retegui is their new hope, with the Genoa forward scoring his third and fourth international goals against Venezuela.

This is an Italian side light on leadership and cutting edge, with a manager who is heading into just his eighth match with the team. Meanwhile, Ecuador are making waves after a solid showing at the 2022 World Cup, with their focus solely on making the next.

Ecuador have made a strong start to World Cup qualifying, with their only defeat coming to Argentina. Since that defeat they’ve strung together a six-game unbeaten run, keeping a clean sheet across each of their previous four.

Ecuador are building around a younger group, led by Chelsea’s record signing Moises Caicedo and the evergreen Enner Valencia.

Ecuador have held on to experienced players in key positions as they blood an exciting group of young players. Their under-20 side won the South American title in 2019, finishing third at the World Cup that same year.

More young talents are coming through, including 16-year-old Kendry Paez, who has already scored for his country and has agreed a move to Chelsea when he turns 18 next year.

They’ve got the talent to trouble an Italian side who have managed one clean sheet across their last four. Given Ecuador’s great run, they can keep this game close and they’re good value to win either half at 13/10.