Italy Clinches Surprising Comeback Victory Over France

Italy achieved a surprising 3-1 victory over France in their Nations League opener, despite an early setback with the injury of Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori. Calafiori was hurt in an unusual collision when Ousmane Dembele, after being tackled, accidentally caught Calafiori's leg with his studs. He initially tried to continue but was eventually substituted. This is prepared by SSP.

France struck first, with Bradley Barcola netting a goal just 12 seconds into the match by intercepting an Italian pass and making a direct run into the box. Italy responded quickly but saw Davide Frattesi's header hit the bar and Mateo Retegui miss the rebound. However, Italy drew level through a spectacular volley from Federico Dimarco, set up by a fine flick from Sandro Tonali. This marked Tonali's first international match since a gambling ban kept him out for 10 months.

Early in the second half, Frattesi scored to put Italy ahead, connecting with a precise ball from Retegui. Despite France gaining significant ball possession, Giacomo Raspadori extended Italy's lead, showcasing skillful control of a Destiny Ugodie pass and finishing adeptly.

In a fruitful but intense match for the Italians, Antoine Griezmann nearly trimmed the deficit for France with a late attempt that narrowly missed, prompting boos from the home crowd as the final whistle blew. Italy will now face Israel in their next match, while France, under pressure, will host Belgium. Notably, this game was Italy's first win against France at Parc des Princes, breaking a run of less favorable historical results at the venue.