Italy Defeats France 3-1, Marks Zidane's First Loss as Coach

In a thrilling encounter in Milan, Italy came from behind to secure a 3-1 victory over France, marking a significant milestone for coach Zinedine Zidane as he faced his first defeat since taking the helm of the French national team. The match saw Italy showcase their tenacity and skill, especially in the face of adversity, as they were able to capitalize on opportunities that their opponents could not convert.

France took an early lead when Michael Olise seized on a misplaced pass from goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to score just 10 minutes into the game. However, Italy quickly responded, with Francesco Pio Esposito leveling the score by steering in a precise pass from Nicolo Cambiaghi. Despite France's offensive efforts, which included hitting the post twice through Bradley Barcola and Rayan Cherki, the Italians maintained their composure and continued to press for a decisive goal.

The second half saw Italy take control of the match, and although Sebastiano Esposito missed a penalty, his teammates rallied around him. Davide Frattesi powered home a cut-back from Federico Dimarco, giving Italy the lead. Francesco Pio Esposito then made amends for his earlier brother’s penalty miss by converting a spot-kick after Dayot Upamecano fouled substitute Antonio Vergara, sealing the victory for the Azzurri.

The win places Italy at the top of Group A1, tied on points with France but edging ahead on head-to-head records. With both teams now sitting on 10 points, the final round of matches promises to be a decisive one, with Belgium trailing closely behind by just one point. Belgium will host Italy on Sunday while France will face Turkey, who suffered a fifth consecutive loss against Belgium.