Italy survived a chaotic night in Debrecen to beat Israel 5-4 and claim a second straight win under Rino Gattuso, drawing level with Ben Simon’s side on nine points in Group I. Moise Kean scored twice, Matteo Politano and Giacomo Raspadori added second-half goals, and Sandro Tonali delivered the stoppage-time winner after Israel had forced a late turnaround.
Israel were the sharper side for long spells and led on 16 minutes when Manuel Locatelli diverted into his own net. Italy improved once Gattuso adjusted shape and tempo, and Kean levelled on 40 minutes from Mateo Retegui’s lay-off. The hosts went back in front on 52 minutes through Dor Peretz, who would later complete his brace, but Italy replied within two minutes as Kean equalised again from another Retegui combination. The Azzurri then struck twice in a fluent spell: Politano finished on 58 minutes after a quick throw-in and a deft Retegui back-heel, and substitute Raspadori made it 4-2 on 81 minutes at the end of a sweeping, right-to-left move sparked by Andrea Cambiaso.
The finale was breathless. On 87 minutes, Alessandro Bastoni turned a driven cross past Gianluigi Donnarumma to pull Israel back into it, and Peretz made it 4-4 on 89 minutes after Italy switched off at a set-piece. Moments later, Tonali, prominent since his left-sided switch, sent a curling, back-post delivery that drifted inside the far upright for 5-4, sparking touchline celebrations and bedlam in the away end.
Across a wild, momentum-swinging contest, Israel’s aggression, quick combinations and the threat of Manor Solomon down the left troubled Italy, who relied on Locatelli’s recovery work and the direct, front-pair understanding between Retegui and Kean to stay in it. Gattuso’s in-game tweaks brought greater control, yet defensive slackness nearly cost Italy the points before Tonali’s late intervention. The result keeps Italy firmly in the top-two chase; Israel’s attacking promise was clear, but their game management slipped at the decisive moments.
