Brief
France draw 1-1 with Italy as Zidane’s debut ends with ten men
Zidane praised his side despite the draw, while Mancini hailed Italy’s performance.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Zinedine Zidane’s first home game in charge of France ended in a 1-1 draw with Italy at the Stade de France on Friday, according to the Guardian.
What happened
France took the lead in the 55th minute when Michael Olise curled a shot from a short free‑kick by Rayan Cherki that struck the crossbar before going in. Italy equalised midway through the second half when Alessandro Bastoni ran onto a low pass and slotted the ball inside the right post. Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma made several crucial saves, including a double save from Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué, and a low save from Adrien Rabiot after Italy’s goal. Dayot Upamecano received a second yellow card late in the match and was dismissed, leaving France with ten men. Donnarumma also denied Eduardo Camavinga in stoppage time to preserve the point.
What the reports add
The Guardian noted that Moïse Kean missed a close‑range chance early for Italy, shooting straight at Mike Maignan. It also highlighted that Italy’s manager Roberto Mancini called the performance “great” and said the team was “on the right road.” The report added that France remain top of Group A1, a point ahead of Belgium, who beat Turkey 3‑0 in Liège.
What was said
“We would have liked to win for our fans tonight but I was obviously really touched and delighted to be back at the Stade de France,” Zidane said, as quoted by the Guardian. “I am happy with the performance albeit not with the result. We had chances to score a second goal and we didn’t do it. But I am really proud of my players.” Mancini said, “I think this was a great performance tonight against one of the best teams in the world, with very positive aspects to it. We are on the right road, and we need to keep playing this way.”
How it came about
Zidane’s appointment followed Didier Deschamps’ departure after the 2026 World Cup, with his first match against Turkey on 25 September and a reshuffled squad against Belgium on 28 September, as reported in earlier Felo News pieces. Italy entered the match after a 4‑1 win over Turkey on 28 September, a result covered by Felo’s analysis of Mancini’s early tenure.
Key facts
- France drew 1-1 with Italy in the Nations League at the Stade de France. (theguardian.com)
- Michael Olise scored for France after a short free‑kick by Rayan Cherki. (theguardian.com)
- Alessandro Bastoni equalised for Italy with a low shot inside the right post. (theguardian.com)
- Dayot Upamecano was sent off with a second yellow card. (theguardian.com)
- Gianluigi Donnarumma made multiple key saves, including from Camavinga in stoppage time. (theguardian.com)
Sources
- [1] theguardian.com — originally reported as “Nations League: Italy earn draw against 10-man France, Northern Ireland stun Ukraine”
