France were held to a 1-1 draw by Italy in their UEFA Nations League Group A1 match on Friday, with Michael Olise scoring a superb goal for Les Bleus. The match was the first home game for France coach Zinédine Zidane since his appointment, and he was unable to secure a win. Olise's goal came in the second half, but Italy equalized through Alessandro Bastoni. The draw means France lead the group with seven points, while Italy have four points.
The match was played in front of a packed crowd of 77,118 at the Stade de France, with Zidane being the focus of attention. The 54-year-old former Ballon d'Or winner was making his first appearance at France's national stadium since 2006. Zidane expressed his delight at being back at the Stade de France, but was disappointed with the result. He praised his players' performance, but acknowledged that they had missed chances to score a second goal.
Italy coach Roberto Mancini was pleased with his team's performance, describing it as a "great performance" against one of the best teams in the world. He highlighted the positive aspects of the team's play and expressed optimism about their chances of qualifying for future tournaments. Mancini noted that Italy had failed to qualify for the last three World Cups, but believed that his team was on the right road.
The match saw several notable performances, including a goal from Olise and a number of saves from Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. Donnarumma, formerly of Paris Saint-Germain, produced a number of impressive saves to keep Italy in the game. France defender Dayot Upamecano was sent off late in the game, but the draw had already been secured by that point.
The result means that France will face Belgium on Monday with a chance to secure top spot in the group. Belgium currently have six points, one point behind France. Italy, meanwhile, will host Turkey in their next match, with both teams looking to improve their chances of progressing in the competition.
Zidane was without captain Kylian Mbappe for the match, who had returned to his club after suffering a knee injury. Olise, who plays for Bayern Munich, was one of six changes made to the France team from their previous match. Italy, meanwhile, are rebuilding under Mancini, who has returned for a second spell as coach.
The draw was a fair result, with both teams creating chances throughout the game. France had chances to score a second goal, but were unable to capitalize. Italy, meanwhile, were grateful to Donnarumma for keeping them in the game, and will be pleased with the point secured.
Key points
- France lead UEFA Nations League Group A1 with seven points.
- Italy have four points in the group.
- Zidane was making his first home appearance as France coach since 2006.
