Headline: France Suffers First Defeat Under Zidane as Italy Claims Victory in UEFA Nations League
France faced a disappointing outcome in their UEFA Nations League match at Milan’s San Siro, conceding three goals to Italy after an early opener by Michael Olise. This defeat marks Zinédine Zidane’s first loss as the manager of Les Bleus, intensifying the competition for a place in the quarter-finals.
In this critical match, France needed only a draw to secure their advancement, especially following Belgium’s win against Türkiye. However, missing key players Ousmane Dembélé, Marcus Thuram, and Kylian Mbappé, Zidane opted for Désiré Doué to spearhead the attack.
France wasted no time in striking first, taking the lead just ten minutes into the game. Gianluigi Donnarumma, who had previously shone against France, misplayed a pass that set up Olise for a dribble past Alessandro Bastoni before finishing with confidence.
Despite controlling midfield play, France struggled to capitalize on their dominance. Captain Adrien Rabiot played a strong match, but the team’s inexperience in attack was evident as they missed several clear opportunities. Italy took advantage of their first chance to equalize, with Nicolo Cambiaghi outpacing Malo Gusto and assisting Pio Esposito, who scored with ease.
France continued to create chances, with Barcola coming close to restoring the lead in a team move that saw a strike hit the woodwork. However, the team could only manage three shots on target from ten attempts in the opening half, a reflection of their wastefulness in front of goal.
The visitors faltered further after conceding a penalty. Cambiaghi again outmaneuvered Gusto, leading to Sebastiano Esposito’s failed spot-kick attempt. But Italy converted shortly after, as Di Marco’s cross found an unmarked Davide Frattesi to put them ahead.
Things took a turn for the worse when Dayot Upamecano fouled Antonio Vergara inside the area, allowing Pio Esposito to score his second goal of the match, bolstering Italy’s lead. France’s defense struggled throughout, with Zidane giving international debuts to Senny Mayulu, Saël Kumbedi, and Eli Junior Kroupi in an attempt to shake things up.
This loss marks France’s first away defeat to Italy since 1962 and places them second in their group. They now prepare for an important home fixture against Türkiye on Sunday.
France Player Ratings:
- Mike Maignan, 4
- Adrien Truffert, 4
- Jérémy Jacquet, 3 – Lacked the confidence seen in earlier matches, failing to prevent two goals.
- Dayot Upamecano, 3 – Struggled to match his club form, lacking quick reactions.
- Malo Gusto, 2 – Failed to defend effectively, contributing to the team’s downfall.
- Adrien Rabiot, 5
- Lucas Da Cunha, 4
- Rayan Cherki, 4
- Bradley Barcola, 4
- Désiré Doué, 4
- Michael Olise, 6 – The standout performer with early goal contributions.
