Nations League | France 1-3 Italy: Amazing Azzurri comeback
Italy conceded after just 14 seconds in Paris, but fought back to stun France 3-1 in the Nations League with a spectacular Federico Dimarco volley, Davide Frattesi and Giacomo Raspadori goals.
Neither side had a good EURO 2024 and were eager to kickstart a new era. Nicolò Barella and Nicolò Zaniolo were injured, but it was a 3-5-1-1 formation with Mateo Retegui as the only striker. Sandro Tonali returned after a 10-month ban for breaching betting regulations. The hosts lost Wesley Fofana, Ferland Mendy, Aurelien Tchaouameni and Loic Bade, but gave Michael Olise his senior debut and used Kylian Mbappé in a more central role. Milan trio Mike Maignan, Theo Hernandez and Youssouf Fofana all started.
See how it all unfolded on the LIVEBLOG.
Italy conceded the fastest goal in their history against Albania in EURO 2024, but managed to do much worse here, as Giovanni Di Lorenzo was caught napping by Bradley Barcola, who burst down the left and swept into the far top corner with his right foot after 14 seconds.
The Azzurri did try to fight back and came very close, as Davide Frattesi’s header thumped the crossbar and Mateo Retegui turned the rebound over.
Gianluigi Donnarumma got down to parry the Kylian Mbappé angled drive and Michael Olise strike, but Italy got their way back into the game with a moment of sheer magic.
Federico Dimarco burst down the left, combined with Tonali for an aerial back-heel flick, then volleyed in the rebound with his left foot from a tricky angle into the far top corner. He became the first Italy player to score in a competitive match against France since Daniele De Rossi at EURO 2008.
Retegui nodded the Samuele Ricci cross over and Barcola’s deflected effort skimmed the upright.
Giacomo Raspadori came off the bench and immediately had a chance to score, but scuffed the finish from the edge of the area on a Tonali assist when he had plenty of other options.
It was a warning, as Italy did turn the game around with a well-worked move. Retegui’s high press robbed Milan’s Youssouf Fofana in midfield, he combined with Ricci and rolled across from the right for Frattesi to come sliding in from 12 yards.
Saliba made a decisive interception to deflect Retegui’s looping header from a Dimarco cross and on the resulting corner, Frattesi got his head to the Dimarco assist, forcing a desperate save from Mike Maignan.
Ousmane Dembele horribly shinned a volley from 14 yards, then went on a strong run and when tackled by Alessandro Bastoni, accidentally crashed into Riccardo Calafiori. The Arsenal defender tried to continue, but had to be substituted.
The Nazionale were under pressure, but added a third with the Ricci cross-field pass finding Destiny Udogie down the left, he cut inside Clauss and passed for Raspadori, who skipped away from Saliba to sweep into the far bottom corner.
It was the first time since the 2022 World Cup Final that France had conceded three goals.
Griezmann’s curler skimmed the woodwork from the edge of the box and Mbappé tested Donnarumma at the near post.
Tonali, who had not played for 10 months, out-sprinted substitute Warren Zaire-Emery at the 83rd minute to pull back from the by-line.
Dembele fired straight at Donnarumma and Kone smashed a scorcher inches wide from the D in stoppages.
Barcola 1 (F), Dimarco 30 (I), Frattesi 50 (I), Raspadori 74 (I)
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