Italy fight back to beat France 3-1 and move top of Nations League group | Football
Italy Overcomes France 3-1 at San Siro, Pio Esposito Shines
Published on November 12, 2026
Italy secured a 3-1 victory over France, marking a significant defeat for French head coach Zinedine Zidane. The match, which took place at San Siro, propelled Italy to the top of their UEFA Nations League group.
France initially took the lead in the 10th minute when Michael Olise capitalized on an error by goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. Olise intercepted a poor pass and navigated past a defender to score his fifth goal in as many Nations League appearances.
However, Italy responded with vigor. Francesco Pio Esposito netted twice, while Davide Frattesi also contributed a goal. Esposito’s second goal came from the penalty spot after his brother, Sebastiano, had missed an earlier penalty, granting Italy a crucial advantage in the match.
Despite their early lead, France were twice thwarted by the woodwork, reflecting the match’s competitive nature. Italy now leads Group A1 with 10 points, tied with France but ahead on head-to-head record. Belgium sits in third with nine points after defeating Turkiye, who remain winless.
France played without prominent attackers Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele due to injuries but made a strong start under rainy conditions. Desire Doue nearly scored when he hit the side netting, while captain Adrien Rabiot forced a save from Donnarumma with a testing shot.
Italy’s equalizer came in the 26th minute through Nicolo Cambiaghi, who set up Esposito for a well-taken goal that energized the home crowd. Shortly after, Sebastiano Esposito almost added another but was denied by Mike Maignan.
Bradley Barcola nearly restored France’s lead, striking the post before halftime. The second half continued with fast-paced action, highlighted by Rayan Cherki’s long-range attempt, which Donnarumma saved, and a close effort from Cambiaghi that required a reaction save from Maignan.
Italy earned a penalty when Malo Gusto fouled Cambiaghi, but Sebastiano Esposito’s miss in the 60th minute appeared to be a setback. However, Italy regained momentum just minutes later when Frattesi finished from a Federico Dimarco assist.
Francesco Pio Esposito sealed the win with another penalty after a foul on Antonio Vergara by Dayot Upamecano, scoring into the bottom corner.
This victory marked Italy’s first home win against France since 1962 and extended Roberto Mancini’s unbeaten run to four matches during his second tenure as coach.
In upcoming matches, Belgium will host Italy, while France will face Turkiye in the final round of group games on Sunday.
In other action, England’s captain Harry Kane celebrated his 126th cap with a decisive penalty, leading his team to a 2-1 victory over Croatia at Wembley, thus securing a place in the Nations League quarterfinals. Kane’s goal, his 92nd for England, came as he flawlessly converted a penalty in the 64th minute following a brief lapse that had allowed Croatia to equalize.
