Italy beat Israel to top Nations League group

Italy continued their post-Euro 2024 recovery on Monday with a tight 2-1 Nations League win over Israel in Budapest which put the Azzurri top of Group A2.

Goals in each half from Davide Frattesi and Moise Kean were enough for Italy to win in a subdued atmosphere at the Bozsik Arena which hosted the Israel home fixture due to the security situation in the Middle East.

Luciano Spalletti’s team have reacted well to their disastrous European Championship title defence, which ended at the last-16 stage, and deserved their second win in a matters of days.

Monday’s victory on a soaking night in the Hungarian capital, and France beating Belgium 2-0 in Lyon, allowed Italy to take top spot in their group on a perfect six points, three ahead of both Les Bleus and the Red Devils.

The crowd of 2,000 fans meant Monday’s match did not have the feel of a senior international match, with the main off-pitch event coming during Israel’s national anthem ahead of kick-off, when a small group of Italy fans turned their backs to the pitch.

The Azzurri were slow starters as they were in Friday’s stunning 3-1 win over France in Paris, but were not punished by Israel and grew into the match.

By the time Frattesi chested home Federico Dimarco’s pinpoint cross in the 38th minute, his sixth international goal since Spalletti replaced Roberto Mancini just over a year ago, Italy were firmly on top.

Sagiv Jehezkel should have levelled for Israel just after half-time when he failed to divert Dor Peretz’s scuffed shot past Gianluigi Donnarumma from close range.

But in the 62nd minute Fiorentina striker Kean scored his first Italy goal in almost exactly three years to seal the points, with Mohamed Abu Fani’s strike in the final minute too late for Israel to mount a comeback.