France held 1-1 by Italy in Zidane home debut after Olise stunner | Football
Bastoni Equalizes for Italy in 1-1 Draw with France in UEFA Nations League
Saint-Denis, France — Italy’s Alessandro Bastoni canceled out a stunning opener by France’s Michael Olise in a 1-1 draw in the UEFA Nations League on Friday evening. The match marked Zinedine Zidane’s first home game as the head coach of the French national team.
Olise, who had impressed in Belgium on the previous matchday, opened the scoring with a remarkable free kick just after halftime. The Bayern Munich forward struck the ball that ricocheted in off the crossbar, giving France a 1-0 lead.
However, the Italian side responded midway through the second half when Bastoni capitalized on a defensive error by Lucas Da Cunha. The Inter Milan defender seized possession just outside the penalty area and slotted home the equalizer.
Despite a valiant effort, including a late red card shown to French defender Dayot Upamecano in the 85th minute, France remained atop UEFA Nations League Group A1 with seven points. Belgium trails closely with six points after a decisive 3-0 victory over Turkiye. France and Belgium are scheduled to meet again on Monday as the two-week international window comes to a close. Italy, with four points, is set to host Turkiye in their next match.
The game drew a crowd of 77,118 to the Stade de France, where Zidane, a Ballon d’Or winner, looked to establish his influence on the team as they prepare for Euro 2028. This match was significant not only for Zidane’s coaching debut but also because the opponents were the same team he faced in his final professional match, the 2006 World Cup final.
France played without captain Kylian Mbappe, who is recovering from a knee injury sustained last week. Olise returned to the starting lineup, making one of six changes from the previous game against Belgium. New players, including Liverpool’s Jeremy Jacquet and Como midfielder Lucas Da Cunha, also featured prominently.
Italy, under the guidance of coach Roberto Mancini, sought to build on a foundation as they work towards future competitions after failing to qualify for the last three World Cups. The Azzurri benefitted significantly from their goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who made several key saves, particularly in the second half, keeping Italy in the match.
Moise Kean almost put Italy ahead early in the match, but his effort was thwarted by French goalkeeper Mike Maignan. Italy also had a goal disallowed for offside, while Olise’s earlier attempt off the crossbar represented France’s best chance until his goal.
As both teams move forward, this result serves as a point of encouragement for Italy and a reminder for France of the challenges that lie ahead as they transition under Zidane’s leadership.
