Italy secured an impressive 1-1 draw against France in Paris as Alessandro Bastoni cancelled out Michael Olise’s opener, while France finished with 10 men after Dayot Upamecano was sent off.
The result ended France’s perfect start to the Nations League, although Zinedine Zidane’s side remain unbeaten in the competition. Olise put the hosts ahead in the second half before Bastoni equalised with a powerful finish from the edge of the area.
Italy made two changes to the team that beat Turkiye 4-1, with Riccardo Calafiori returning at left-back and Moise Kean replacing the injured Giacomo Raspadori. Nicolo Barella was among the substitutes following Italy’s 2-0 home defeat by Belgium, while Brentford right-back Michael Kayode retained his place after scoring on his debut.
France had won both of their Nations League matches 1-0 away from home. With Kylian Mbappe injured, Como’s Lucas Da Cunha and Juventus defender Pierre Kalulu were brought into the starting line-up, with Roma midfielder Manu Kone left out. Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan and Adrien Rabiot also started.
Italy should have taken the lead after eight minutes when Kayode’s low cross found Kean at the far post, but the striker failed to make clean contact and Maignan saved.
France came close when a Desire Doue cross took a deflection off Sandro Tonali and struck the top of the crossbar. At the other end, Sebastiano Esposito missed the ball completely with a volley from a promising position.
Ousmane Dembele was offside when he tested Gianluigi Donnarumma, but Italy created two good opportunities just before half-time. Pio Esposito headed down a long Kayode throw for Davide Frattesi, whose effort deflected narrowly wide. Kean then found the net from the resulting corner, only to be ruled offside.
Donnarumma made a superb double save early in the second half, keeping out a curling effort from Doue before denying Dembele from close range. He then stopped another attempt from Olise, but France finally broke through in fortunate fashion.
Rayan Cherki’s free-kick was flicked on to Olise, whose fierce strike took a deflection off the wall before going in off the underside of the crossbar.
Italy responded after Antonio Vergara came on for his debut, with Kean moving into a central role. The substitute’s counter-attack was blocked, but Da Cunha was dispossessed by Bastoni, who advanced from defence and fired into the corner from outside the box.
It was the first goal France had conceded under Zidane and extended Italy’s run of scoring against France, who have not kept a clean sheet against them since a 0-0 draw in September 2007.
Donnarumma denied Rabiot with a fingertip save, while Maignan tipped Kean’s looping header on to the bar. Donnarumma also kept out a powerful Eduard Camavinga strike.
Upamecano received a yellow card for disputing with Kean before being booked again for wrestling him to the ground in the 85th minute. In stoppage time, Donnarumma saved another effort from Camavinga and Bastoni made a crucial tackle on Olise as France appealed unsuccessfully for a penalty.
