Italy 1-3 France – Les Bleus win to grab prime spot in UEFA Nations League group from Azzurri – Eurosport

Adrien Rabiot scored twice as France snatched prime spot in Group A2 of the UEFA Nations League with a 3-1 victory over Italy on the San Siro.

With either side’ Nations League quarter-final locations already secured, Les Bleus claimed the two-goal win they required to leapfrog the Azzurri on the group summit.

Didier Deschamps’ facet broke by after simply three minutes when Lucas Digne’s outswinging nook was glanced house by Rabiot.

Digne was concerned once more as France doubled their lead within the thirty third minute, his scrumptious 25-yard free-kick bouncing in through a deflection off Italy goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.

The hosts responded to halve the deficit two minutes later with Federico Dimarco crossing for fellow wing-back Andrea Cambiaso to volley house on the far submit.

Nevertheless, France restored their two-goal buffer simply after the hour mark. Digne and Rabiot mixed as soon as extra with the latter heading house one other excellent set-piece supply from the previous.

Italy pushed for the purpose they required to reclaim prime spot. Cambiaso flashed a shot vast from distance, whereas substitute Moise Kean known as Mike Maignan into motion in stoppage time, however the guests held out.

Though either side’ qualification for the quarter-finals was already within the bag, there was nonetheless the matter of settling first place within the group.

To be able to leapfrog Italy, who triumphed 3-1 within the reverse fixture, France wanted to match that two-goal margin to prevail on purpose distinction.

Les Bleus did simply that with a purposeful begin culminated in an early purpose that shortly settled them all the way down to concentrate on the duty at hand.

On the night time of their fiftieth worldwide appearances, it was becoming that Digne and Rabiot mixed for 2 of the objectives, whereas the full-back’s free-kick additionally led to the opposite.

It was Les Bleus’ maiden aggressive victory over the Azzurri on Italian soil, whereas Luciano Spalletti’s facet suffered their first defeat in six matches.

The left-back produced an all-action show, wherein he was concerned in all three of France’s objectives.

In addition to offered two pinpoint set-piece deliveries for Rabiot to go house, he was fairly unlucky to not be credited along with his first worldwide purpose, after his fantastic free-kick ricocheted over the road through Vicario.

On the different finish of the pitch, he received all 4 of his tackles, whereas delivering probably the most crosses for the guests (5).

Italy: Vicario 7, Di Lorenzo 6, Buongiorno 6, Bastoni 6, Cambiaso 8, Frattesi 6, Locatelli 6, Tonali 7, Dimarco 8, Barella 7, Retegui 6. Subs: Kean 6, Rovella 7, Raspadori 6, Maldini 6, Udogie 6.

France: Maignan 8, Kounde 7, Konate 7, Saliba 7, Digne 9*, Guendouzi 7, Kone 7, Rabiot 8, Nkunku 7, Thuram 7, Kolo Muani 7. Subs: Barcola 6, Pavard 6.

3′ GOAL!!! ITALY 0-1 FRANCE (RABIOT): What a begin for Les Bleus! Lower than three minutes are on the clock when Rabiot climbs to fulfill Digne’s outswinging nook, and Dimarco can’t maintain his header out on the road.

33′ GOAL!!! ITALY 0-2 FRANCE (VICARIO OG): What a surprising free-kick to double Les Bleus’ lead! Digne steps as much as the ball, and whips a scrumptious 25-yard supply into the top-right nook through the crossbar. It seems to be like his first worldwide purpose, however did go in off the again of Vicario. It has, due to this fact, gone down as an own-goal.

35′ GOAL!!! ITALY 1-2 FRANCE (CAMBIASO): The Azzurri are again in it! As he does so usually for Inter on this turf, Dimarco will get ahead from left-back to assist his facet’s assault. He whips a cross in the direction of the far submit, the place the unmarked Cambiaso volleys house.

58′ GOOD EFFORT: Area opens for Nkunku to let fly from the sting of the field, and Vicario has to get down and make a powerful block at his bottom-right nook.

65′ GOAL! ITALY 1-3 FRANCE (RABIOT): One other Digne supply. One other Rabiot header. One other purpose for Les Bleus! The 2 former Paris Saint-Germain team-mates mix as soon as extra, with Digne’s outswinging free-kick guided in brilliantly by Rabiot. France restore their two-goal lead.

69′ JUST WIDE: Italy search a response with Cambiaso seeking to full his brace. The Juventus man unleashes a fierce, sweeping effort from the sting of the realm that flashes marginally vast of Maignan’s proper submit.

90+4′ WHAT A SAVE: A hopeful ball is lofted into the French field, and drops properly for Kean. Nevertheless, Maignan does brilliantly to push away the substitutes’ fierce instinctive strike.

France have crushed Italy away in a aggressive match for the primary time.

Italy have suffered their first defeat in six matches.