Italy 3-0 Israel: Retegui double, Mancini scores, Azzurri still hope | OneFootball

While moments of tension were recorded outside the Stadio Friuli in Udine between protesters and law enforcement, on the field, Italy responded with a clear and convincing victory. Rino Gattuso's Azzurri defeated Israel 3-0, securing a spot in the March playoffs for USA 2026, while still keeping alive a faint hope of qualifying directly for the next World Cup.

Italy, Retegui leads Gattuso's National Team: the World Cup chase continues

The evening began in a tense atmosphere, with the team struggling to assert itself in the first half against a well-organized and counter-attacking Israeli side. In the opening minutes, Donnarumma was decisive on two occasions, first against Gloukh and then against Solomon, preventing the visitors from taking the lead. Although Italy maintained possession, they couldn't break through the opposing defense, with Cambiaso and Barella attempting to be dangerous with two shots just wide. Only in the first-half stoppage time did the episode that changed the face of the match occur: Retegui, brought down in the area, won and then coolly converted the penalty for 1-0, sending Glazer the wrong way with a powerful and precise shot.

In the second half, the Azzurri took full control of the game, increasing the pace and intensity. Retegui, the absolute protagonist of the evening, doubled the lead in the 74th minute with an authentic gem: recovering the ball at the edge, a sharp acceleration, and a right-footed shot into the top corner, unstoppable for the Israeli goalkeeper. A liberating celebration that ignited the Friuli crowd and sealed his brace after missing a penalty in the previous match. In the final moments, Gianluca Mancini also celebrated his first goal for the National Team, scoring the 3-0 with a header from a corner kick, definitively closing the match.

A victory that restores confidence and calm to Gattuso and his group, appearing more balanced and incisive compared to recent outings. However, the success is not yet enough to guarantee a direct pass to the World Cup. Italy will have to hope for a favorable combination of results: either Norway falls in the next match against Estonia, with a subsequent Italian victory in Moldova awaiting the final clash against the Scandinavians, or, alternatively, attempt the feat of closing the goal difference gap. An almost impossible mission, considering the Norwegians boast a +26 (29 goals scored and only 3 conceded) against Italy's +10 (18 goals scored and 8 conceded). Numbers that tell the difficulty of the journey but do not completely extinguish the hopes of Gattuso and his team.

On the sporting front, the Friuli night returns an Italy that, despite difficulties and uncertainties, shows signs of growth. The next stop will be on November 13 away against Moldova, the last hurdle before the direct clash with Norway, which will definitively decide the fate of the group. While waiting to understand if the qualification will come through the main door or if the playoffs will determine the National Team's fate, Gattuso can enjoy a recovering group and a forward, Retegui, increasingly becoming the offensive leader.

Andrea Alati

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.