Goals galore for Gennaro Gattuso’s Italy in World Cup qualifier against Estonia
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Italy forward Mateo Retegui (left) celebrates with teammates after scoring his team's second goal, his first of the night.
PHOTO: AFP
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- Italy defeated Estonia 5-0 in a World Cup qualifier, with Retegui scoring twice and Kean, Raspadori, and Bastoni also finding the net. Gattuso praised the team's "hunger, hard work and humility".
- France beat Ukraine 2-0 with goals from Olise and Mbappe, who equalled Thierry Henry's international record with his 51st goal. Deschamps highlighted the team’s attacking quality.
- France faces Iceland next, while Italy is set to play against Israel in Hungary. Both teams are aiming to secure spots in the upcoming World Cup tournament.
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BERGAMO – Gennaro Gattuso praised his players’ attacking mindset as he enjoyed his start to life as Italy coach on Sept 5, when the Azzurri beat Estonia 5-0 to get their World Cup qualifying campaign back on track.
Elsewhere, Kylian Mbappe struck as France also began their bid to win the 2026 tournament with a 2-0 victory over Ukraine.
A World Cup winner as a combative midfielder in 2006, Gattuso was brought in as coach in June to stop Italy’s slide towards a third consecutive missed World Cup Finals.
His tenure started in style as second-half strikes by Moise Kean, Mateo Retegui – who netted twice – Giacomo Raspadori and Alessandro Bastoni fired Italy to three points and had fans chanting the coach’s name in Bergamo.
Italy are third in Group I after three matches, six points behind leaders Norway who have played one game more, and boast a superior goal difference.
“We played well and it was all down to the way the boys have conducted themselves this week,” said Gattuso.
“We’ve worked hard and there’s been a good atmosphere around the squad.
“When you play as attacking as we did tonight you expose yourself to risks.
“But today we were up against a side that had a bit less than us, so it was the right thing to do to be so attack-minded.”
Three points separate Italy from second-placed Israel and the group’s play-off spot – which is the likelier route for a place in the Finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico with only first place offering direct qualification.
Israel prepared for next week’s meeting with Italy in Debrecen, Hungary with a win of their own, as they beat Moldova 4-0.
In Wroclaw, Michael Olise’s early strike and Mbappe’s 51st goal for Les Bleus handed the 2018 World Cup winners a win over Ukraine as Group D got under way.
“It was an important match because of the limited number of games (to qualify) against a quality team. We could have sealed the deal in the first half because we were in control and created a lot of chances,” said coach Didier Deschamps.
“We faltered for four or five minutes in the second half, but the main thing is that we got the result.”
Italy’s Moise Kean (centre) shoots past Estonian goalkeeper Karl Hein to score Italy’s first goal.
PHOTO: AFP
He also had praise, in particular, for Olise who netted his third goal in nine outings for Les Bleus.
“Michael is brilliant in everything... his movement, his combinations, his passing quality,” he said of the Bayern Munich striker.
After the first match day, France sit second in the four-team group behind Iceland, who beat Azerbaijan 5-0 in Reykjavik.
Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso and Mateo Retegui after the match.
PHOTO: REUTERS
In Copenhagen, Denmark and Scotland played out a goal-less stalemate as Group C started, with Greece topping the pool following their 5-1 victory at home to Belarus.
Switzerland opened Group B with a 4-0 win over Kosovo as group rivals Sweden and Slovenia drew 2-2 in Ljubljana.
Former World Cup runners-up Croatia struggled to a 1-0 win away to Faroe Islands to stay second in Group L.
Pool leaders Czech Republic beat third-placed Montenegro 2-0 to remain three points ahead of the Croats, who have two games in hand. AFP
France’s Kylian Mbappe (bottom right) scores his team’s second goal against Ukraine.
PHOTO: AFP
