The Italian national team suffered, celebrated, and finally breathed a sigh of relief in a breathtaking clash against Israel that felt straight out of science fiction. At the Nagyerdei Stadion in Debrecen, the Azzurri secured a wild 5-4 victory, a rollercoaster filled with twists, mistakes, and last-gasp heroics.

What happened in the Italy vs Israel showdown?

Italy had a nightmare start as Manuel Locatelli scored an own goal to put Israel ahead. But Moise Kean equalized before halftime to calm the storm—at least temporarily.

In the second half, Matteo Politano and Giacomo Raspadori struck to give Italy what looked like a commanding lead. Yet Israel roared back with a quick-fire brace to level the match at 4-4, leaving Italian fans stunned.

Just when the drama seemed destined to end in heartbreak, Sandro Tonali turned a late corner into gold, scoring the winner in stoppage time to seal a 5-4 thriller that shook European qualifiers.

What does this result mean for the group?

Both sides remain hot on the heels of Norway, who lead Group I by just three points. The victory keeps Italy firmly in contention for a direct ticket to the 2026 World Cup—their first since 2014—or at least a playoff spot. Israel, meanwhile, continues to apply pressure with an impressive qualifying run.

How did Italy prepare for this key match?

In only his second match as Italy’s head coach, Gennaro Gattuso made bold changes to the lineup: Alessandro Bastoni and Riccardo Calafiori in defense, an intense midfield duo of Nicolò Barella and Tonali, and a front line spearheaded by Raspadori, supported by Politano, Andrea Cambiaso, and Kean.

The setup, a 4-2-3-1 variation of Italy’s usual 4-3-3, aimed to balance control with verticality—and while the defense looked shaky, the Azzurri’s attack delivered in dramatic fashion.