TEL AVIV, September 8, 2025 -In what Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso described as “the craziest game I’ve been involved with as a coach,” the Azzurri emerged victorious from a nine-goal thriller against Israel in their World Cup qualifying match, securing a hard-fought 5-4 win.
The match, which saw seven goals in the second half alone, was a rollercoaster of emotions for both teams and spectators alike. Italy initially fell behind after a Manuel Locatelli own goal gave Israel an early lead, before Dor Peretz put the hosts 2-1 up.
Moise Kean proved to be Italy’s savior, scoring twice to level the match, before Matteo Politano fired the Azzurri ahead after a clever back-heel assist from Mateo Retegui. Even after establishing a seemingly comfortable 4-2 lead, Italy’s defensive frailties were exposed as Israel managed to claw back to 4-4, setting up a tense finale.
The decisive moment came when Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali’s wayward cross-shot found its way through a sea of legs and into the net, securing three vital points for Italy in their 2026 World Cup qualification campaign.
“It was murder today,” an exhausted Gattuso told reporters after the match. “We’re a crazy team because we are too fragile; we concede ridiculous goals too easily. The lads know that, but this is my problem, not theirs.”
Despite the defensive concerns, Gattuso praised his team’s mentality and resilience: “The lads deserve credit for always reacting to every slap in the face. The mentality is the best part, as even though we weren’t having a great night, we showed heart and the desire to react.”
The victory moves Italy into second place in their qualifying group behind Norway, with remaining fixtures against Estonia, Israel, Moldova, and Norway to come.
Gattuso, who took over as Italy coach earlier this year, concluded: “These have been eight incredible days. I thank the lads for their efforts, but if we want to do something important, we’ve got to improve. We already knew that.”
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