Adrien Rabiot brace fires France past Italy and top of Nations League group
Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox
Adrien Rabiot celebrates after scoring the first of his two goals in France's 3-1 Nations League Group A2 win over Italy at the San Siro in Milan on Nov 17.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Follow topic:
MILAN – Adrien Rabiot said he and his teammates showed the “true face of the French national team” after he fired Les Bleus to the top of their Nations League group with a headed brace in the 3-1 win over Italy at the San Siro on Nov 17.
Former Juventus midfielder Rabiot netted from Lucas Digne’s set pieces in each half at the home of his former Milanese rivals to ensure that France leapfrogged Italy into first place in Group A2 on goal difference, with both teams already in the quarter-finals before kick-off.
Digne – like Rabiot making his 50th appearance for his country – was also crucial to France’s second goal, as it was his stunning 33rd-minute free kick which crashed off the woodwork and into the net off Italy goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.
France were on their way to top spot when Digne forced home via Vicario’s back as they needed to win by at least two goals to move above Italy.
Andrea Cambiaso’s neat first-time finish moments after Digne’s strike put Italy back on top on head-to-head record, due to their 3-1 win in Paris back in September.
But Rabiot stepped up in the 65th minute to give France a positive finish to what has been a tumultuous international break, which has seen captain Kylian Mbappe left at home with little explanation from coach Didier Deschamps and a fraught goalless draw with Israel at the Stade de France on Nov 14.
“It had been a while since we’d put in a performance like that. The fight and the team spirit should be highlighted. This is the true face of the French national team,” Rabiot told French television channel TF1.
Goalkeeper Mike Maignan added: “We wanted to win, we were out for revenge. It was about pride after losing at home against them.”
A tally of 13 points from a group that included Belgium seemed unlikely for Italy in the aftermath of their dreadful European Championship title defence in Germany. Belgium lost 1-0 to Israel in the other match on Nov 17.
The renewed enthusiasm for the Azzurri was clear among the more than 68,000 fans at the San Siro, with the majority of the empty seats located in the sparsely populated away section given to the French supporters.
“We lacked quality today, we didn’t make good choices and we made mistakes with the ball,” Italy coach Luciano Spalletti told Italian broadcaster RAI.
“You could see the team spirit out there. The defeat could cause us to lose some confidence, but it shouldn’t take away from what we’ve built.”
The last six goals Italy have conceded have come from set pieces, a fragility which is unusual for the traditionally defence-minded Azzurri and was exacerbated by an underwhelming display from Vicario.
Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Vicario started in place of captain Gianluigi Donnarumma, who was left out before kick-off, reportedly because of a stomach bug. Donnarumma has been a frequent target of fans at the San Siro since his big-money move from AC Milan to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021.
Also on Nov 17, Erling Haaland was at his destructive best with his fourth treble for Norway as they brushed aside Kazakhstan 5-0 to finish top of Group B3 ahead of Austria, who drew 1-1 with Slovenia. AFP, REUTERS
