On This Day: August 18

The return of football is often in the air by August 18. While sometimes this comes in the shape of European qualifying ties, there are a range of other matches that Italy's sides have found themselves involved in, with varying degrees of success. 1943 – Gianni Rivera is born in Alessandria. Before joining AC Milan and becoming the much feted ‘Golden Boy’ of Italian football, the forward plays a single season with his home town side. He goes on to play more than 500 games for the Rossoneri, winning three Scudetti and two European Cups at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza. 2004 – The Azzurri travel to Reykjavik to face Iceland for the first time. Marcello Lippi’s side are stunned by an early Eidur Gudjohnsen strike, only to see Gylfi Einarsson double the hosts’ lead just two minutes later. Unable to fight back, Italy lose 2-0 and have yet to beat Iceland. 2011 – Inter win the Trofeo Tim after defeating Milan 1-0 in the final of the round robin competition. The Nerazzurri open their campaign with a penalty shootout victory over Juventus, with Walter Samuel converting the winning kick, before another Argentinian, Diego Milito, scores the only goal of the game in the Derby della Madonnina. 2015 – A stunning individual strike from substitute Keita Balde gives Lazio a 1-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen in their Champions League playoff first leg. Stefano Pioli’s side absorb huge amounts of pressure during the match, but are able to take a lead to Germany for the return tie.

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