Italy Triumphs 3-0 Over Israel to Keep World Cup Dream Alive

Match Snapshot

Italy extended their World Cup qualifying campaign with a 3-0 win over Israel on a Tuesday night in Group Nine. The Azzurri had previously defeated the same opponents 5-4 in the first leg, and they controlled the tempo from the outset, sealing the victory through Matteo Retegui’s brace and a late strike from Gianluca Mancini.

Key Moments

Italy lined up in a 3-5-2 formation, with Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Gianluca Mancini, and Kalafiouri at the back; Donnarumma guarded the goal, while Campiasso, Tonali, Locatelli, Barella, and De Marco built the midfield. Retegui opened the scoring from a late first-half penalty (45+2), and added a second in the 74th minute. Mancini capped the night with a headed goal in stoppage time (90+3), following a well-placed cross from De Marco. Earlier chances and a near-miss for Retegui punctuated a match that Italy largely dictated, despite a few checks for potential penalties that the referee did not award.

What It Means

With 15 points from six games, Italy remain second in the group, trailing leaders Norway (18 points) and ahead of Israel, who exit the current window. The Azzurri at least secure a playoff berth, yet a direct group win would require victories against Moldova and Norway coupled with Norway’s loss to Estonia in the final two fixtures. The night also showcased Donnarumma’s reliability and Retegui’s sharp finishing as Italy navigates the closing rounds toward potential qualification.

Humor Corner

Punchline 1: With performances like this, Italy might start charging admission to watch their training sessions—free applause included. Punchline 2: If the World Cup odds were a pizza, Italy just served a big, clean slice; Israel didn’t get a bite, but hey, the table is set for the rest of the course.