Italy staged a commanding comeback at a rain-soaked San Siro on Thursday, November 12, 2026, defeating France 3-1 to climb to the top of UEFA Nations League Group A1 and hand France head coach Zinedine Zidane the first defeat of his tenure.
Despite missing injured stars Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé, Les Bleus struck first in the 10th minute when Michael Olise capitalized on a misplaced pass from Gianluigi Donnarumma to net his fifth goal in five Nations League appearances.
However, Roberto Mancini’s Azzurri responded in the 26th minute through Inter Milan forward Francesco Pio Esposito, who converted Nicolò Cambiaghi’s cutback.
Although his older brother Sebastiano Esposito fired a penalty wide on the hour mark, Italy surged ahead three minutes later when Davide Frattesi drilled home a Federico Dimarco cross before Francesco Pio Esposito sealed the victory from the penalty spot late on.
The result moves Italy to 10 points—ahead of France on head-to-head record—and secures the Azzurri's first home triumph over France since 1962 ahead of Sunday's final group fixtures, where Italy travel to third-placed Belgium and France host bottom side Türkiye.
Group A1 Standings / Match Details | Summary |
Final Score | Italy 3 – 1 France (San Siro, Milan) |
Goalscorers | Francesco Pio Esposito (26', pen), Davide Frattesi (63') — Michael Olise (10') |
Group A1 Top Three | 1. Italy (10 pts) • 2. France (10 pts) • 3. Belgium (9 pts) |
Key Milestone | Italy's first home win against France since 1962; Zinedine Zidane's first loss as France boss |
"Francesco Pio Esposito struck twice to inflict a first defeat on Zinedine Zidane as France’s head coach, while Italy stormed back to win 3-1 at San Siro and top their Nations League group." — UEFA Nations League Match Report
#ItalyVsFrance #NationsLeague #Azzurri #LesBleus #ZinedineZidane #PioEsposito #SanSiro #QubesSports
Published by Qubes Magazine
Founder & Editor-in-Chief: Okwudili Onyido
Stay informed and ahead with breaking news, entertainment, and exclusive updates from Qubes Magazine—your trusted source for digital journalism.
Contact: info@qubesmagazine.com.ng
© 2026 Qubes Magazine. All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from the publisher.
Post a Comment