France-Italy 1-3, Italian comeback and hat-trick in Paris

Luciano Spalletti’s Italy come back to win 3-1 in Paris against France in the first Nations League match. After a shocking start and a lightning goal conceded, the Azzurri scored a hat-trick that was worth their first success after the European Championship. Deschamps’ team took the lead after just 14 seconds thanks to Barcola after a sensational mistake by Di Lorenzo. Italy reacted, hit Frattesi’s crossbar and equalised with a masterpiece of Dimarco after half an hour. In the second half, Frattesi and Raspadori took care of signing the lead and closing the game.

The match

The Bleus started off strong and took the lead with Barcola stealing the ball and running down the left before converging and powerfully beating Donnarumma. It’s the fastest goal the Azzurri have ever conceded in their history, just 14 secondsThe previous record, 23″, was just three months old: the first match of the European Championship in Germany against Albania, with a goal by Bajrami.

There is a risk of a defeat but this Italy seems different, on a technical and tactical level. In the 6th minute, the Azzurri immediately have a chance to equalise: Pellegrini from the left three-quarter line looks for Cambiaso at the far post, who from the byline crosses for Frattesi who, all alone, heads the ball to the crossbar, then Retegui tries to lunge for the rebound of the woodwork, but he doesn’t find the right coordination and the ball ends up high.

However, Italy increases the intensity and takes control and equalizes in the 30th minute: Cambiaso from the right finds Dimarco on the left, who exchanges with Tonali who from the edge returns the ball into the area to the Inter player with a nice backheel. Then it is great Dimarco with a great volley to beat Maignan finding the top corner at the far post, for 1-1.

At the break Spalletti decides to change something and insert Raspadori in place of Pellegrini, bringing the formation back to 3-5-2 and in the 51st minute Italy doubles. Frattesi launches himself into pressure on Fofana who loses the ball, Raspadori advances to the edge and serves Retegui alongside him, who in turn serves Frattesi perfectly, who slides the ball first time past Maignan for the 1-2.

France tries to recover and advances in a somewhat confused way, with Italy ready to attack. In the 59th minute the Azzurri are very close to 3-1 with Frattesi’s header but Maignan rejects, with the Azzurri complaining about a penalty kick on the rebound for a contact suffered by Calafiori after a save by Koné.

In the 64th minute, France took the lead with Griezmann who found Dembélé on the left in the area on the right, who had just come on, but the attacker missed from a good position. The Bleus pushed forward but exposed themselves to the Azzurri counterattack which scored again in the 74th minute: Cambiaso switched play to Udogie who advanced on the left and entered the area, serving the insertion of Raspadori, who caught the French defence off guard and sent the ball at speed. ball behind Maignan for the 1-3 for the Azzurri.

At 77′ Griezmann tries to react by attempting a curling shot from the edge, just wide of the crossbar. Deshamps changes again and after the entries of Roma’s Konè and Dembele, Marchus Thuram, Zaire Emery and Koundé also come on. At 86′ France are still dangerous: action on the right by Mbappé who aims at Udogie and puts the ball in the middle, but Donnarumma touches the ball and then releases Di Lorenzo who closes the door, redeems himself, and gives the victory to the Azzurri.