Buoyed by its fifty-year-olds, France steals 1st place from Italy

A great last one to end the year. The French team traveled to the San Siro pitch this Sunday evening to face Italy as part of the sixth and final day of the group stage of the Nations League. A meeting which saw the Blues win by a score of three goals to one, including an exceptional free kick from Lucas Digne shortly after the half-hour mark. Thanks to this success, Didier Deschamps' men finished in head of their hen.

Digne and Rabiot, fifty-year-olds in the prime of their lives

The visitors will impose a lot of pressure from the first moments. Adrien Rabiot will get a corner in the second minute of play. Magnificently kicked by Lucas Digne, the Olympique de Marseille midfielder clears his head perfectly and opens the scoring. Ironically, the two internationals are celebrating their fiftieth selection this Sunday evening. After conceding the opener, Italy will then begin to return to their game. In the ninth minute of play, Nicolo Barella tries from outside the area but comes up against Mike Maignan, who grabs the leather in two steps. The French team is now in tough conditions and is suffering from the transalpine waves.

In the 18th minute of play, Jules Koundé serves Mattéo Guendouzi behind but the latter completely misses his shot. Enough, however, to sound the wake-up call for its partners. The two teams will compete for control of the ball in the middle. In the 33rd minute of play, the Blues will obtain a free kick 25 meters away, full axis. Lucas Digne takes care of it and sends a simply majestic shot under the bar of Guglielmo Vicario, who deflects it with his back into the back of his net. The Squadra Azzura will immediately react and reduce the gap a few seconds later. Federico Di Marco presses well in the last opposing meters and combines with Sandro Tonali. Andréa Cambiaso is found alone at the far post and resumes as he should. Mike Maignan can't do anything about it. San Siro will then find voice and push Luciano Spalletti's men. The two nations will return to the locker room with a score of two goals to one for France.

The duo does it again in second

The match will resume in a rather disjointed manner, like the end of the first 45 minutes of play. We will have to wait until the hour mark to see another great opportunity. The work of a Blue! Indeed, Christopher Nkunku will take his chance from outside the area. The Chelsea striker, however, came up against a very good save from the Tottenham goalkeeper. In the process, Italy will try to be dangerous. Di Marco is found on his left foot and sends a half-volley, which however ends elsewhere than in Mike Maignan's top corner. As was the case two months ago at the Parc des Princes. In the 64th minute of play, Marcus Thuram will do his partners a world of good by covering many meters, alone against everyone. The Inter Milan striker, who plays in his stadium, will thus obtain a free kick.

A few seconds later, the fifty-year-old duo will once again prove decisive. From a free kick Lucas Digne places another ball on the head of Adrien Rabiot. The Olympique de Marseille midfielder crosses magnificently and lobbies the Italian goalkeeper. On the commitment, the Squadra Azzurra will present itself with three new players. And Cambiaso will come very close to relaunching his homeland in the process, his shot finally passing the foot of the post of a Mike Maignan beaten on this shot. The French team will then leave the ball to their evening opponent, without being particularly endangered. The score will no longer move. The Blues finished at the top of their group.