With two goals from Retegui (on a penalty at 45+2′ of the first half and at 74′) and one from Mancini (at ’93) Gattuso’s Italy beat Israel 3-0 and arithmetically ensured at least the playoffs for qualification for the 2026 World Cup. On the pitch, an Italy that knows how to score and take a small step forward towards the American World Cup. But it is also Italy that gives the idea of not yet being as solid as Gennaro Gattuso would like. The arithmetical certainty of the second place in the group which qualifies for the playoffs is accompanied by Retegui’s brace, Mancini’s first Italian goal and some fragility: it ends 3-0 against Israel in front of 9,965 spectators in Udine in a ‘Friulì armored due to the protests of the pro-Pal movements, which also partially manifested themselves in the stands with the whistles at the time of the guests’ anthem. It is the fourth consecutive victory as coach for Gattuso, certainly the most important so far, even if first place seems to be firmly in the hands of a Norway dominating Group I with 18 points and a goal difference of +26. Italy is three points behind and knows well that the direct clash on November 16th at San Siro will hardly give away the first place useful for direct qualification. For now the coach is enjoying the qualities of his Azzurri: the maneuver, the re-aggression and the offensive production (16 goals scored in 4 matches).
ITALY-ISRAEL 3-0
Scorers: 46′ pt Retegui (rig); 29′ st Retegui, 48′ st Mancini.
ITALY (3-5-2): Donnarumma 7.5; Di Lorenzo 6, Mancini 7, Calafiori 6; Cambiaso 6.5 (40′ st Spinazzola), Barella 6.5, Locatelli 6 (40′ st Cristante), Tonali 6 (46′ st Cambiaghi sv), Dimarco 6; Raspadori 5.5 (1′ st Esposito 5.5), Retegui 8 (46′ st Piccoli sv). On the bench: Meret, Vicario, Gabbia, Udogie, Orsolini, Frattesi, Coppola. Coach: Gattuso 6.5.
ISRAEL (4-2-3-1): Glazer 6; Dasa 6 (44′ st Mizrahi sv), Baltaxa 4.5, Blorian 6, Revivo 6; E. Peretz 6 (30′ st Abu Fani 6), Khalaili 6 (27′ st Toriel 4.5); Biton 6, Gloukh 6, Solomon 6 (44′ st Shua sv); Baribo 5 (27′ st Turgeman 5.5). On the bench: D. Peretz, Tzur, Gandelman, Azoulay, Noy, Gropper, Stoinov. Coach: Ben Simon 5.
REFEREE: Turpin (Fra) 6.
NOTES: clear evening, soil in good condition. 9,965 tickets issued for a revenue of 174,113 euros. Booked: Biton, Tonali, Barella. Corners: 4-3 for Italy. Recovery: 1′; 4′.