Italy continued their winning streak under Gennaro Gattuso with a 3-1 victory over Estonia in the World Cup qualifiers. This win was crucial to keep pace with Norway, who had earlier secured a 5-0 victory against Israel.
Italy is now six points behind Norway, with a game in hand and an upcoming match against them.
Moise Kean opened the scoring for Italy just four minutes into the match, curling the ball into the far corner after bypassing Marten Kuusk. Unfortunately, Kean’s time on the field was cut short due to an injury. Despite this setback, Italy had opportunities to extend their lead. Mateo Retegui won a penalty but saw his effort saved by Karl Hein.
Retegui redeemed himself in the 38th minute by scoring from Riccardo Orsolini’s assist, which stood after a VAR review for offside. In the second half, Retegui missed another chance before setting up Giacomo Raspadori, who was denied by Hein. Francesco Pio Esposito then increased Italy’s lead by converting Leonardo Spinazzola’s cross.
Estonia managed to score through Rauno Sappinen after Gianluigi Donnarumma’s error, but it wasn’t enough to change the outcome. The Italian defence held firm to secure the win. Moise Kean became only the fourth Italian player to score in at least four consecutive World Cup qualifying matches.
Under Gattuso’s leadership, Italy has scored 13 goals in three matches, more than any previous manager’s first three games. They began with a 5-0 win over Estonia and followed it with a thrilling 5-4 victory against Israel last month. This offensive surge highlights Gattuso’s positive impact on the team.
Kean’s injury is a concern for Italy as they need him fit for their remaining matches. To secure automatic qualification and avoid play-offs, they must win all their remaining games and rely on other results going their way. The team remains hopeful that Kean will recover quickly.
Italy’s recent performances have been impressive under Gattuso’s guidance. Their attacking prowess has been evident with multiple high-scoring games. As they prepare for future challenges, maintaining this form will be key to achieving their qualification goals and competing at the highest level.