Game is over and the final score is Italy 4-1 Israel. Here is the match report.
2024/2025 UEFA Nations League
4-1
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
8' Gloukh right footed shot from outside the box is close but misses to the left!
12' Giacomo Raspadori's right footed shot from outside the box is blocked!
15' Retegui's header from the left side of the six yard box misses to the left!
18' Mateo Retegui's right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved!
20' Sandro Tonali's right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved!
30' Retegui's shot from a tough angle is close but goes right!
40' Penalty Goal! Mateo Retegui gives the Azzurri the lead! Italy 1-0 Israel
54' GOAL! Di Lorenzo's header to the top right corner! Italy 2-0 Israel
66' GOAL! Abu Fani's right-footed shot from very close range! Italy 2-1 Israel
73' GOAL! Davide Frattesi makes it three! Italy 3-1 Israel
79' GOAL! Italy 4-1 Israel (Giovanni Di Lorenzo)
Match Report
Italy moved within touching distance of the Nations League quarter-finals after Giovanni Di Lorenzo's double powered them to a 4-1 triumph over Israel on Monday.
Luciano Spalletti's side will need just a point from either of their last two matches in November to secure progression after a convincing victory in Udine that pushed Israel further towards relegation.
Israel goalkeeper Omri Glazer provided stern resistance in the first half before Mateo Retegui's penalty, awarded for a foul by Dor Peretz on Sandro Tonali, broke the deadlock four minutes before the interval.
Captain Di Lorenzo doubled his side's advantage before the hour, powering a header in from close range after Giacomo Raspadori's inviting free-kick, though Israel halved the deficit with 24 minutes remaining.
Mohamed Abu Fani's corner sneaked past all inside the area, including Guglielmo Vicario, whose appeals for a foul by Dor Peretz were ignored by the officials.
That visiting hope was short-lived, however, as Davide Frattesi swept home a first-time finish from Federico Dimarco's low cross just six minutes after Abu Fani's bizarre goal.
Di Lorenzo capped the scoring 11 minutes from time, profiting from Destiny Udogie's powering run before receiving possession on the edge of the area and drilling into the bottom-left corner.
Leading by example #ITAISR #NationsLeague #Azzurri #VivoAzzurro pic.twitter.com/tTswu8jht6
— Italy (@Azzurri_En) October 14, 2024
Data Debrief: Superior finishing the difference
Spalletti will be delighted by his side finishing the game when in control, unlike what they were able to do in Thursday's 2-2 draw with Belgium, largely thanks to the excellence of Di Lorenzo.
The Italy captain scored twice from just two attempts that were worth 0.28 expected goals (xG), suggesting Di Lorenzo's quality of finishing far exceeded the chances on offer.
Since his first goal with the Azzurri, in September 2021 against Lithuania, Di Lorenzo's five goals are also the most by an Italy defender in that period with Dimarco next on three.
Line-ups
Italy XI: Di Lorenzo, Dimarco, Guglielmo Vicario, Bastoni, Frattesi, Giacomo Raspadori, Tonali, Mateo Retegui, Nicolò Fagioli, Calafiori, Andrea Cambiaso
Subs: Donnarumma, Bellanova, Gabbia, Michele Di Gregorio, Zaniolo, Buongiorno, Lorenzo Lucca, Samuele Ricci, Okoli, Destiny Udogie, Maldini, Niccolò Pisilli
Israel XI: Dor Peretz, Matan Baltaxa, Omri Glazer, Dolev Haziza, Gabi Kanichowsky, Mohammed Abu Fani, Idan Nachmias, Liel Abada, Ilay Feingold, Oscar Gloukh, Elad Madmon
Subs: Ramzi Safuri, Yoav Gerafi, Dan Biton, Eliel Peretz, Tai Baribo, Denny Gropper, Ethane Azoulay, Doron Leidner, Sharif Kaiuf, Mahmoud Jaber, Anan Khalaili, nikita stoioanov