Italy were held to a 2-2 draw by Belgium after Lorenzo Pellegrini was sent off and they squandered a 2-0 lead but remained top of the UEFA Nations League Group A2. Italy lead the standings on seven points, one ahead of France who beat Israel 4-1 with Belgium third on four.
At the Stadio Olimpico, Italy scored in the first minute when winger Federico Di Marco fired a low cross into the box and Belgium keeper Koen Casteels saved the first shot from Andrea Cambiaso who bundled in the rebound.
Italy doubled the lead in the 24th minute when Di Marco volleyed the ball across the field to Cambiaso who was denied a second by Casteels before striker Mateo Retegui knocked in the loose ball.
Coach Luciano Spalletti’s team were cruising until midfielder Pellegrini was sent off for hitting Belgium defender Arthur Theate at the end of the first half, following a VAR review. The red card galvanised the Belgians and they immediately hit back through Maxim de Cuyper who halved the deficit with a curling shot from the edge of the box after a clever free-kick routine.
“There are episodes that change the games,” Spalletti said, referring to the red card. Belgium started the second half strongly and equalised in the 61th minute when Leandro Trossard poked home from close range following a header by Wout Faes.
Belgium, who were without injured captain Kevin De Bruyne and striker Romelu Lukaku, face a key clash with France on Monday, when Italy face Israel.
Theate said Belgium still had chances to finish in the top two and qualify for the Nations League quarter-finals. “We should have won with 10 against 11, we didn’t do it but we have a [key] game with France now,” he said.
Christopher Nkunku celebrated his return to the France team with a goal in a 4-1 victory over Israel in the Nations League as Les Bleus edged closer to Italy. Nkunku’s maiden goal for France, almost 10 months after his last cap, helped France to six points from three games.
The Chelsea forward struck midway through the first half after Omri Gandelman had cancelled out Eduardo Camavinga’s early opener before Mattéo Guendouzi and Bradley Barcola sealed the win in the closing stages.
France were without regular captain Kylian Mbappé, who skipped the double header with Israel and Belgium, away on Monday, while fit to play with Real Madrid.
“It’s always good to win. The atmosphere around the squad is not exactly pleasant,” coach Didier Deschamps said, referring to the criticism Mbappé faced for missing the games and a poor performance against Italy last month.
“It’s not perfect, we’re in a transition period but there are some good things, with players who have qualities and now need to confirm.”
