In a wild contest, Italy narrowly defeated Israel 5-4 in their UEFA World Cup qualifiers, keeping their hopes alive for a spot in the 2026 tournament. The match, held at a neutral venue in Hungary, was a rollercoaster of emotions for the Italian side, which twice came from behind and scored two own goals before securing a last-minute victory.
The first half ended in a stalemate, but the second half exploded with seven goals. Italy's victory was a hard-fought one, coming after a stunning 3-0 loss to Norway in June that put their qualification campaign in jeopardy. Coach Gennaro Gattuso acknowledged the chaos after the match, telling reporters, "It was murder today. It’s the craziest game I’ve been involved with as a coach." He admitted that the team's relentless attack, which Israel countered with ease, was a major issue.
The Italian team, under Gattuso's new management, managed to find their way back into the game through the efforts of Moise Kean, who scored twice to level the score on two separate occasions. Matteo Politano and Giacomo Raspadori also scored to give Italy a 4-2 lead, which seemed to put the game out of reach. However, Israel fought back with two goals in two minutes, including a second from Dor Peretz, to level the score at 4-4.
It was decided in stoppage time when Sandro Tonali hit a speculative curling shot that found its way through a crowd of players and into the back of the net, giving Italy a crucial three points. The win moves Italy into second place in Group I, just three points behind leaders Norway, giving them a clear path to the playoffs.
The match also took place amid a sensitive backdrop. The Italian Soccer Coaches' Association had previously called for Israel to be suspended from the tournament due to the ongoing war in Gaza. Gattuso had also expressed his concern over the conflict before the game, “It is heart-breaking to see children and civilians enduring what they are going through. We were simply unlucky to be in the same group as Israel, there is little we can do about that, what we see is painful, that’s all I can say”