Belgium fight back to draw with 10-man Italy in Nations League
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Italy's midfielder Davide Frattesi and Belgium's midfielder Maxim De Cuyper fight for the ball during the match.
PHOTO: AFP
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ROME – Italy coach Luciano Spalletti blamed bad luck, as Belgium bounced back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with his 10-man side in Rome on Oct 10 to boost their hopes of reaching the Nations League quarter-finals.
Maxim de Cuyper and Leandro Trossard got the goals as Belgium, in third place, pulled to within three points of League A Group 2 leaders Italy, who lost Lorenzo Pellegrini to a straight red card just before half-time.
“Sometimes there are matches which aren’t decided by what the players put out on the pitch,” said Spalletti to RAI.
“We didn’t concede many chances in front of (Gianluigi) Donnarumma because we didn’t struggle that much. We were punished at set pieces where they were also a bit lucky.”
Italy were deservedly two ahead when Pellegrini was sent off for a dangerous foul on Arthur Theate.
From the resultant free-kick, Youri Tielemans found Trossard, who teed up de Cuyper to halve the deficit in the 42nd minute with a brilliant long-range strike.
Italy had opened accounts through Andrea Cambiaso’s first international goal with 61 seconds on the clock and Mateo Retegui tapped in the hosts’ second midway through the first half.
But Belgium, missing the injured Kevin de Bruyne and the unfit Romelu Lukaku, took a point thanks to Trossard’s flicked finish in the 61st minute after a corner was headed into his path by Wout Faes.
And Domenico Tedesco’s team were stunned when Alessandro Bastoni’s clumsy challenge on Lois Openda was not punished with a penalty which could have completely shaken up a tight group.
But Tedesco refused to blame the referee. He said: “You can’t look at one incident and then judge the referee. It wasn’t an easy match to officiate.”
Belgium host second-placed France on Oct 14 knowing a win will put them above Les Bleus and into one of the two places which ensure a spot in the last eight.
Italy will face Israel in Udine and are heavy favourites to maintain top spot in the group after playing some excellent football while still with 11 men on the pitch.
Spalletti’s Azzurri also showed great spirit to not collapse after Trossard equalised.
Both their goals came at the end of fine passing moves with wing-backs Federico Dimarco and Cambiaso at the heart of the play for a team who look revitalised after a humiliating title defence at Euro 2024.
France, meanwhile, shrugged off Kylian Mbappe’s absence and Antoine Griezmann’s retirement to easily beat Israel 4-1.
Eduardo Camavinga and Christopher Nkunku set France on their way with first-half goals in Budapest, where Israel are playing all their home games due to the security situation in the Middle East.
Les Bleus were then rewarded for a flurry of late attacks with goals from substitutes Matteo Guendouzi and Bradley Barcola.
Didier Deschamps’ side, who had beaten Belgium after an opening loss to Italy, are second in the group, one point behind Italy.
Deschamps said: “I’ve got a positive analysis – four goals, it’s been a while since we did that.”
AFP, REUTERS
