Italy close in on Nations League quarter-finals with win over Israel

Italy closed in on a place in the Nations League quarter-finals with a 4-1 win over Israel in Udine.

France’s victory away to Belgium means the unbeaten Azzurri, leaders of Group A2, need just a point from their remaining two matches to make sure of a top-two finish.

Mateo Retegui had put Italy ahead from a penalty just before half-time, with captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo scoring twice in the second half either side of Davide Frattesi’s goal. Israel had pulled a goal back when Mohammad Abu Fani scored straight from a corner.

Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario – who started his career at Udinese, but never played a first-team match – made his competitive debut.

Israel – who had lost all of their matches after being promoted to the top tier – created an early chance when Oscar Gloukh robbed Nicolo Fagioli and drove towards the Italy penalty area, but dragged his low shot just wide.

Italy, though, had soon upped the tempo, as Atalanta forward Retegui then got in on the overlap down the right, but Israel goalkeeper Omri Glazer was out quickly to narrow the angle.

Glazer again denied Retegui after a flowing one-touch Italy move cut through the centre of the Israel defence before then standing up at the near post to save from Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali.

Federico Dimarco scampered clear down the left and his ball across the six-yard box was just out of reach for Frattesi before Retegui fired an angled drive into the side netting.

Having soaked up so much pressure, Israel almost broke the deadlock in the 31st minute when Dor Peretz took down a long ball into the Italy box and laid it back for Glazer, who blazed his shot high over the bar.

Italy were awarded a penalty in the 38th minute when Peretz was late as he jumped into a challenge on Tonali.

Retegui fired the spot-kick into the top right corner for a fifth goal in his last three games, having scored a hat-trick in the Serie A win over Genoa before the international break.

Italy doubled their lead soon after the restart when Di Lorenzo headed in from a precision free-kick out on the left by his Napoli team-mate Giacomo Raspadori.

Israel reduced the deficit in the 65th minute when Abu Fani scored direct from a corner, his curling ball in flying past Vicario as he was under pressure from Matan Baltaxa on the line. Despite the Italian protests, the goal was allowed to stand following a VAR check.

Italy almost made an immediate response when Alessandro Bastoni’s towering header from a corner was clawed away by Glazer at full stretch.

With 18 minutes left, Frattesi swept in a low cross from Inter left-back Dimarco.

Raspadori was then replaced by midfielder Daniel Maldini – son of Paolo, who was watching in the stands – to make his senior Italy debut.

Di Lorenzo drilled in his second with a low effort from just inside the penalty area to finish off another slick Italian passing move.

The home crowd were in full voice again when Udinese forward Lorenzo Lucca replaced Retegui for the closing stages of a memorable night at the Stadio Friuli.

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