Zidane's France held to 1-1 draw by Italy in Nations League
In a UEFA Nations League match at the Stade de France, Zinedine Zidane's perfect start as France manager was halted as France drew 1-1 with Italy on October 2, 2026. Michael Olise opened the scoring for France shortly after half-time with a remarkable free-kick.
However, Alessandro Bastoni equalized for Italy in the 68th minute after a defensive error by France. France had dominated possession but struggled to convert it into clear chances.
Italy's Moise Kean had an early opportunity, while France's Olise hit the crossbar. Gianluigi Donnarumma made several crucial saves to keep Italy in the game.
France's situation worsened when Dayot Upamecano received a second yellow card, leaving them with 10 men. Despite the numerical advantage, Italy could not capitalize, and the match ended in a draw.
France remains at the top of Group A1 with seven points, while Italy sits fourth with four points.
Plus234Feed summary based on reporting from Punch Newspapers. Read the original report below.
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