Udine, Italy – October 14: Matteo Letegui of Italy celebrates after scoring his team’s first goal during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier match between Italy and Israel on October 14, 2025 at the Stadio Friuli in Udine, Italy. (Photo by Marco Ruzzani/Getty Images)
Italy defeated Israel 3-0 in an unusual atmosphere, with Matteo Letegui scoring twice and Gianluca Mancini’s header sealing their place in the World Cup play-offs, but it was a far from convincing performance.
The Azzurri won a chaotic match 5-4 last month, setting up a head-to-head showdown with the team in second place behind leaders Norway. After the 3-1 win over Estonia, Alessandro Bastoni was suspended and Moise Kean was injured, so Gianluca Mancini and Manuel Locatelli replaced him, and Giacomo Raspadori was moved into the centre-forward role, creating a 3-5-2. Israel was without Idan Nahmias after their 5-0 loss to Norway.
See how it all unfolded in our live blog.
Andrea Cambiaso and Raspadori received some quick passes and found the back of the net, but Oskar Grouf also curled inches past the post after Anan Khalili got past Riccardo Calafioli on the right.
Gianluigi Donnarumma needed a great fingertip save to force Manar Solomon’s shot over the bar in a quick counter that started after an obvious foul on Raspadri.
Retegui insisted on stepping up again a few days after missing the game against Estonia after getting in front of Matan Bartaksa and receiving a penalty after getting caught on the back of the ankle. In Tallinn, the finish was poor after a sluggish run-up, but here Retegui smashed his finish into the roof of the net.
Inter striker Francesco Pio Esposito, who had just scored his first first-team goal for Italy, replaced Raspadori in the second half. Nicolo Barella’s volley went just over the bar and helped lay the ball off, but Ty Balibo squandered a promising counter-attack by shooting too high and wide.
Donnarumma was called for his second big save after a poor pass from Giovanni Di Lorenzo sparked a fightback before he dropped low and fended off Grouke’s daisy cutter with one hand on his glove.
Cambiaso fired the ball into the net in the 66th minute, but was clearly offside after being assisted by Pio Esposito.
Retegui doubled Italy’s lead and his own tally with a solo goal, taking substitute Staf Toriel in the final third and immediately curling a superb right-footed curler from the edge of the area into the top corner, giving the goalkeeper no chance. This was his fifth goal in his last four games at the Nazionale.
After Donnarumma and Calafioli collided, Solomon could only swing into the side netting from an angle. There was a similar scenario on the opposing team, where Retegui intercepted Glazer’s pass and tried to roll toward Esposito, but the goalie and teammates made a desperate block.
Calafiori’s header from Tonali’s corner was cleared on the goal line, followed by Mancini’s acrobatic shot. Moments later, Mancini headed in another corner kick for his third goal, his first as a senior at the Nazionale.
Roberto Piccoli and Nicolo Cambiaghi also made their senior debuts.
Italy 3-0 Israel
Letegui Pen 45+1 (It), 74 (It), Mancini 93 (It)
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