Croatia U19 vs Italy U19 Prediction 02.07.2026 | UEFA Under-19 Euro

Croatia arrived in North Wales surrounded by considerable optimism following an encouraging build-up to the UEFA European Under-19 Championship, but much of that early excitement quickly evaporated on Monday as they suffered a sobering 3-1 defeat to Ukraine in their opening Group B encounter, leaving them with little margin for error heading into Matchday Two.

Sinisa Orescanin's side displayed admirable character to fight their way back onto level terms before the interval after falling behind early, yet a dramatic defensive collapse after the restart ultimately proved their undoing, as Ukraine ruthlessly punished a series of costly lapses to condemn the Young Vatreni to an opening-day defeat and leave them with a damaging two-goal deficit in the goal-difference column.

With another loss on Thursday likely to leave their hopes of securing a top-two finish hanging by the thinnest of threads, Croatia know they must produce a far more convincing attacking display, particularly given that they have now failed to score more than once in each of their last six matches, a worrying trend they can ill afford to carry into such a pivotal contest.

Orescanin's decision to make a triple substitution before the hour mark against Ukraine highlighted his dissatisfaction with large parts of his team's performance, and further alterations to the starting lineup appear highly probable as Croatia look to reignite their qualification ambitions against an Italy side capable of punishing even the slightest defensive lapse.

In contrast, Italy Under-19 could hardly have asked for a more convincing start to their pursuit of continental glory, as they underlined their regional pedigree with a composed and thoroughly deserved 2-0 victory over a resilient Serbia side in Caernarfon, producing a mature display that immediately established them as one of the standout contenders for this year's title.

That opening-day success extended the Azzurrini's unbeaten run to seven matches across all competitions, a sequence that has now produced five victories, and another strong result on Thursday would officially secure their place in the semi-finals with a game to spare, further reinforcing the growing belief that Alberto Bollini's side possess all the necessary qualities to challenge for the European crown.

Bollini continues to benefit from the continuity of a talented core that has remained together since lifting the UEFA European Under-17 Championship title two years ago, and with that invaluable experience and understanding still evident throughout the squad, Italy will be fully confident of controlling possession, imposing their physical presence and dictating the tempo from the opening whistle against Croatia.

Having been delighted with every aspect of his team's performance in the opening fixture, the Italy head coach is expected to resist the temptation to make unnecessary alterations, with the same starting eleven likely to be entrusted with the opportunity to preserve their perfect record and officially book their place in the knockout stages.