Francia had to row a lot if it wanted to take the lead of the group… and it dealt a blow to Italy in San Siro without Mbappé and the suspended Camavinga thanks to the unexpected Digne-Rabiot connection. ‘Les Bleus’ won 1-3 and stole first place from the ‘Azurra’… by overall goal difference due to the draw in particular after what happened in September in Paris. It was necessary to take out the calculator to know the outcome.
France jumped into a temple like San Siro with clear calculations in his head and everything turned against him from the opening whistle. Digne put a ball with music from the corner that Rabiot took advantage of to prevail in the area and beat Vicario after two minutes. Unbeatable setting.
By no means did Italy go ‘crazy’, which showed the personality to manage the pace of the match at will in the face of the passivity of a French team aware that they only needed one more goal to take first place. Everything seemed under control in the ‘Azurra’… until Digne once again showed off the glove he has for his left foot to nail a free-kick that Vicario scored for himself after hitting the crossbar.
The scenario changed completely for Spalletti’s team, who couldn’t have had a better reaction. And the fact is that, just two minutes later, the partnership between Dimarco and Cambiaso once again paid off for Italy as it did a month ago against Belgium at the Olympic Stadium. The lead was theirs again before heading to the locker room.
An unexpected connection
Italy had an aggressive start to the second half, advancing the pressure several meters to accompany a Retegui who was breaking down. But they quickly began to lose meters seeing how Nkunku began to flutter freely behind Locatelli’s back. However, it was in a lateral foul where France found the score at 1-3 in the 65th minute. Digne put it in again… and again Rabiot finished off with an unappealable header.
France once again had the lead in its hands and ceded all the initiative to Italy, which could not find a way to put Maignan in trouble. Even so, Spalletti’s men had it with a volley from Moise Kean on the turn that was thwarted by the Milan goalkeeper. Deschamps’ team had a difficult time… but they achieved their revenge and managed to leave San Siro with the lead of the group under their arm towards the quarter-final draw.
Belgium
