France 1-1 Italy: Zidane’s 10 men endure frustrating homecoming as Azzurri claim point

Italy were excellent value for a share of the spoils.

Nicholas McGee

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35 minutes ago • 4 min read

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France 1-1 Italy: Zidane’s 10 men endure frustrating homecoming as Azzurri claim point

UEFA Nations League, League A – 3

France FRA

1 – 1

Full Time

Italy ITA

: Stade de France
: Jesus Gil Manzano

Michael Olise 55′

Alessandro Bastoni 68′

France failed to win under Zinedine Zidane for the first time as they were held to a 1-1 UEFA Nations League draw by Italy at the Stade de France.

Zidane’s men had claimed maximum points from their games with Turkey and Belgium, but were unconvincing for long periods in his maiden home game in charge, which marked their first fixture at the national stadium since March last year.

Still, they appeared on course for all three points after a stunning free-kick from Michael Olise gave Les Bleus the lead 10 minutes into the second half.

Italy, however, played with a confidence that has so often been lacking in recent years and, after claiming their first win of Roberto Mancini’s second spell in charge in their previous fixture against Turkey, they stunned the Saint-Denis crowd as Alessandro Bastoni equalised with his second goal in as many games.

Both sides had chances to take all three points and, with France reduced to 10 men late on after Dayot Upamecano received his second booking, the Azzurri will likely be the more frustrated at failing to do so.

France stay top of Group 1 in Nations League A, with Italy three points behind them in third.

France frustrated in Zidane’s first home game

Moise Kean was guilty of an astonishing miss nine minutes into the contest, the Como forward failing to cap a brilliant Italy move with the goal at his mercy at his far post as he somehow contrived to turn Michael Kayode’s low delivery back across goal and into the arms of Mike Maignan.

France struggled to trouble Gianluigi Donnarumma for much of the first half, though Italy breathed a sigh of relief when Olise’s deflected cross looped onto the top of crossbar.

Davide Frattesi saw an effort deflected narrowly wide following a long throw as Italy caused France more problems in the closing stages of the first half, with Kean seeing a goal rightly ruled out for offside shortly before the interval.

France emerged for the second half with renewed energy and Donnarumma was forced into a stunning double save soon after the restart to deny Desire Doue and Ousmane Dembele.

The Italy goalkeeper was then equal to a curling Olise strike, but there was absolutely nothing Donnarumma could do to keep out a wondrous free-kick from Olise, who left the Manchester City shot-stopper rooted to the spot with a sublime bending strike that rattled in off the crossbar.

Italy, though, responded well and were ruthless in punishing a mistake from Como midfielder Lucas da Cunha, whose heavy touch saw him dispossessed by Bastoni.

The Inter Milan centre-back then showed superb composure on surprising foray into the box, beating Mike Maignan with a confident finish that the scrambling Jeremy Jacquet could only help into the net.

Adrien Rabiot went agonisingly close to restoring France’s lead as he saw a drive turned around the post by Donnarumma, before Kean almost atoned for his earlier miss with a looping header that Maignan was forced to tip over.

A long-range strike from Eduardo Camavinga was repelled by the brilliant Donnarumma as France pushed for a winner, but their ambition in doing so was checked somewhat after Upamecano received a second yellow for pulling down Kean.

Italy wasted a gilt-edged chance to capitalise on their extra man as substitute Nicolo Barella turned over from close range, and only the stunning reflexes of Donnarumma ensured they were not punished for that profligacy when he superbly clawed away a piledriver from Camavinga.

There was controversy late on as Olise went down under the challenge of Bastoni, but Jesus Gil Manzano’s decision that the defender got enough on the ball was upheld by VAR, with France were left to settle for a point.