Italy staged a remarkable comeback at the San Siro on Jeudi, overcoming an early deficit to secure a 3-1 victory over France, handing Zinedine Zidane his first defeat as the French national team head coach. This result propelled Italy to the top of their Nations League Group A1, tied on points with France but leading on their head-to-head record.
The match began with France taking an early lead after just 10 minutes when Michael Olise capitalized on a costly error by Italy’s goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. Donnarumma’s misplaced pass fell directly to Olise, who skillfully evaded a defender before slotting home his fifth Nations League goal — a tally only surpassed by England’s Harry Kane with seven goals in the competition.
Despite the weather conditions, with rain pouring down in Milan, France started strongly. They created several early opportunities, including a near miss from Desire Doue, a challenging shot from captain Adrien Rabiot, and a powerful half-volley from Lucas Da Cunha that narrowly missed the target. However, Italy gradually grew into the match and responded before halftime.
Esposito’s Brace Seals Italien Comeback
Francesco Pio Esposito, the Inter Milan striker, emerged as the hero for Italy by scoring twice. His first goal leveled the score in the 26th minute, restoring parity before the break. Later, Esposito converted a penalty to give Italy the lead, after his brother, Sebastiano Esposito, had earlier missed a spot-kick. The penalty moment highlighted the drama of an entertaining encounter, which also saw France hit the woodwork twice, denying them further goals.
Italy’s resurgence was powered by the combination of youthful energy and clinical finishing, while France, missing injured stars Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele, were unable to regain their early momentum. The victory lifted Italy to 10 points in the group standings, equal with France but ahead due to their head-to-head advantage.
Meanwhile, Belgium sit third in Group A1 with nine points after securing a fifth consecutive win against bottom-placed Turkey, extending the latter’s losing streak. This reshaping of the group standings sets up an intriguing battle for qualification as the Nations League progresses.