The spotlight shone brightest on Sandro Tonali in Budapest as his audacious stoppage-time curler sealed a breathless 5-4 victory for Italy over Israel. In a nine-goal thriller that saw four lead changes and two own goals, the Azzurri survived a chaotic roller-coaster to keep their 2026 World Cup hopes alive.
Israel twice struck first—only for Moise Kean to ghost in off the bench and level the score before and after halftime. Matteo Politano then nudged Italy ahead in the 59th minute with a scooped finish from a Mateo Retegui assist, and Giacomo Raspadori’s crisp finish made it 4-2. But in a frenetic two-minute burst, Dor Peretz stunned the crowd with a brace to draw Israel level at 4-4.
Enter Tonali. With the clock in stoppage time, his long-range attempt threaded through a crowded box and bulged the net, sparking wild celebrations among Italy’s traveling fans and millions watching on streaming platforms across the G20. The win moves Italy into second place in Group I—three points behind Norway—and leaves a narrow path open to clinch the group’s sole direct qualifying spot for the 2026 showpiece.
Despite two own goals and some uncharacteristic errors from new Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, the Azzurri’s resilience under pressure shone through. As global fans dissect every highlight, Italy’s roller-coaster night serves as a reminder: in World Cup qualifying, no outcome is ever certain.
Reference(s):
Tonali the hero as Italy survive nine-goal thriller against Israel
cgtn.com
