Sandro Tonali salvaged a thrilling 5-4 victory for Italy against Israel on Monday in a 2026 World Cup qualifying clash, scoring the decisive goal in stoppage time to rescue the Azzurri from a near-collapse.
The Newcastle United midfielder’s speculative effort, which deflected through a crowd of players, sealed a rollercoaster encounter in Debrecen, Hungary, as Italy appeared to be squandering a 4-2 lead late in the match.
Italy, who have missed the last two World Cups, had looked in control after substitute Giacomo Raspadori quickly converted shortly after replacing the impressive Moise Kean, who netted the opening two goals. However, a clumsy own-goal from Alessandro Bastoni and a Dor Peretz header drew Israel level, forcing Tonali to step up with his last-gasp strike.
The result lifts Italy to second place in Group I, level on nine points with Israel, who have played one more game, keeping the Azzurri in the playoff spot.
“We’ll take the win, which was crucial, but we’re completely nuts because we conceded some absurd goals,” said Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso. “We need to work on that because we’re too fragile. The boys know that, but this is my problem to fix. You have to give credit to the boys because every time they took a slap, they had the courage to react and fight back.”
Italy trail group leaders Norway by three points but still have a chance to claim the top spot and the group’s sole direct qualifying position. Gattuso now turns his focus to October’s return fixtures against Estonia and Israel, which were marred by tragedy as Israeli players wore black armbands in memory of victims of a deadly shooting in east Jerusalem earlier Monday.
The match itself was dramatic from the start. Italy fell behind when Manuel Locatelli inadvertently scored an own-goal, before Dor Peretz restored Israel’s lead in the 52nd minute.
Kean pulled Italy level twice with precise low strikes, followed by Matteo Politano’s volley to put the visitors ahead. Raspadori’s quick finish seemed to seal the win, but Israel’s late fightback left the outcome uncertain until Tonali’s decisive strike.
Monday’s fixture was also overshadowed by political tension due to Israel’s ongoing offensive in the Gaza Strip. A small group of Italian fans turned their backs during the Israeli national anthem and held banners reading “stop,” while boos echoed across the largely empty Nagyerdei Stadium.
Despite the off-field tension and defensive lapses on the pitch, Italy managed to secure the win, leaving Gattuso with plenty to reflect on ahead of the next round of qualifiers.