Italy, world playoffs clinched: 3-0 over Israel in Udine
Italy beats Israel 3-0 in Udine in the sign of Mateo Retegui, author of a double, and of Gianluca Mancini who with his first goal in Azzurro closes the game. Just enough to have the arithmetic certainty of at least playing in the playoff for the 2026 World Cup, with the second place in Group I of the qualifiers in the safe behind the leader Norway. Which moreover, again arithmetic in hand, is still surmountable.
Chief coach Gennaro Gattuso opts for a more cautious version of his Italy than the formations seen in recent outings, with much recourse to a three-man defense and Giacomo Raspadori up front alongside Retegui in place of the unavailable Moise Kean. The Azzurri started off on the right foot, however, but the conclusions of Retegui, Cambiaso and Raspadori were off the mark. Israel, however, did not just watch, as shown by the chances created by Gloukh and especially Solomon, on which Donnarumma was providential.
Italy’s game seems to be getting complicated, but at the end of the first half Retegui gets a penalty for a foul in the Baltaxa box. He goes to the penalty spot himself, scoring as the clock strikes 47 minutes. The’mistake against Estonia is already forgotten. After halftime, Gattuso immediately calls on Francesco Pio Esposito, who is immediately dangerous in a multiple chance that not even Barella after him manages to materialize.
Peretz and Gloukh appear in front of Italy’s goal, but Di Lorenzo first and Donnarumma then prevent trouble. Then an offside denied Cambiaso the joy of doubling, which eventually came once again thanks to Retegui, who at 74′ stole the ball from Toriel and dumped the ball into the net with a great right-footed shot. Esposito gobbled up the tic-tac-toe, which instead came on Dimarco’s crossover and Mancini’s ensuing winning strike at 93′.
