Israel against Italy – this game of the World Cup qualification, which ended 4: 5 (1: 1), will be remembered for a long time. Because of nine goals, incredible comebacks and an inexplicable wrong decision that the spectacle had opened.
The scene, which is likely to shake heads in Israel for a long time, occurred in the 4th minute. After a corner kick, Gianluigi Donnarumma dodged towards the ball and fisted him into his own goal – but for everyone surprisingly, referee Slavko Vincic whistled the scene and decided on a foul by Israel’s Stav Lemkin.
A very clear misjudgment because there had only been a little touch and which also went from Italy’s goalkeeper. But no problem, since the video referees still had to look at the situation and would have no choice but to make a correction – but then one of these moments came again that harm the VAR. The German duo Christian Dingert and Sascha Stegemann actually confirmed the wrong decision, it remained 0-0.
Israel takes the lead “late”
The game had its first big story – and then it offered a lot of spectacle. In Hungarian Debrecen (Israel cannot currently play his home games in their own country because of the arguments with Hamas), the “hosts” remained on the trigger. And they rewarded themselves with another own goal, against which there were no objections from the referee team. Manuel Locatelli grabbed a cross into the Italian housing (16th).
Israel had more than earned this lead and almost expanded it after Donnarumma undergone a free kick flank and lucky that Raz Shlomo only promoted the ball to the outside network (27th). It was shortly later on the other side, Locatelli banged Volley on the crossbar (31st) – and opened the Italian offensive game.
The double Kean helps Italy again
For them it was Moise Kean the door opener again. Against Estonia (5-0) the striker had already achieved the redeeming 1-0 in the second half, now he was successful in the 40th minute with a low shot from 18 meters. After the break, however, it became clear that not all of his colleagues have the quality of Kean. Israel once again played through the defensive of the “Squadra Azzurra”, in the end the Dor Peretz used with a remarkable conclusion to the angle (52nd).
But Israel’s lead only lasted two minutes – and that was back to Kean. As with his first goal, the 25-year-old harmonized with his co-attacker Mateo Retegui, they ensured that their tasting team did not fell, but was back (54.). And then there was the triple pack for one of the two – namely for Retegui the assist trial pack. Four minutes later he put on the 3-2 of the Italians by Matteo Politano (58th).
Israel awards chances of 3: 3
Then a little calm came, but in the 74th minute there was a moment when Donnarumma could show that he was a really good goalkeeper at least on the line. A deflected flank from Manor Solomon fished the newcomer from Manchester City from the long corner.
But after that it got even more difficult for him. With a deep ball, Donnarumma fell out and dropped the ball forward, he could not parry the margin, but Gianluca Mancini blocked behind him – and then Donnarumma was on hand with his foot in the third Israeli attempt (76.).
The hosts missed the chance to equalize several times, and Italy then used the first on the 4-2. After a great pass from Davide Frattesi, Giacomo Raspadori, who had substituted for Kean, pushed the ball past HSV keeper Daniel Peretz, who, as with the previous goals, was powerless (81.).
Wild final phase lets Italy cheer
The decision? Not up, because after that the game made a very wild course. With the second Italian own goal of the evening, Alessandro Bastoni ensured the connection (87th), Dor Peretz then even equalized (89.). But Italy struck again, Tonali fled the ball through the multi -legged Israeli defensive into the far corner (90.+1).
And that was actually the end of an incredible evening. And that is hard to beat for Italy. Gennaro Gattuso (“Today was a nightmare. We are crazy because we got ridiculous goals. It was terrible, but we fought ourselves back”) celebrates a perfect start with the second win in his second game.
And he gets the “Squadra Azzurra” the chance of direct qualification for the 2026 World Cup. But this also takes two victories in Estonia (October 11) and against Israel (October 14).
