Italy Halt Zidane’s Start in Paris with Thrilling Draw Against France in Nations League
Zinedine Zidane’s perfect start with the France national team came to a halt against Italy, as the Azzurri held the hosts to a 1-1 draw on Friday evening, October 2, 2026, in the third round of the UEFA Nations League. The match featured a French lead, an Italian response and a late red card.
France entered the match seeking to continue its winning run under Zidane, who was taking charge of his first home game since assuming the role. Italy, however, showed great ability to fight back after falling behind, earning an important point from a hard-fought encounter in League A’s Group 1.
Olise Gives France the Advantage
After a balanced first half, France opened the scoring in the 55th minute. The goal came through Michael Olise, who finished a move resulting from a short free kick taken by the French with a superb technical touch that struck the underside of the crossbar before settling in the net.
The hosts had created several chances before the goal, while French goalkeeper Mike Maignan saved a dangerous attempt from Italian striker Moise Kean. According to the UEFA match summary, France pressed in search of a second goal, but Italy stayed in the game and did not lose its composure.
Bastoni Brings Italy Back into the Match
Italy’s response came through defender Alessandro Bastoni, who capitalized on a mistake in French possession and won the ball from Lucas Da Cunha before scoring the equalizer. Both sides then tried to settle the contest, but the score remained unchanged until the final whistle.
France’s task became more difficult in the closing minutes after Dayot Upamecano was shown a red card, leaving the hosts to finish the match with 10 players. The encounter therefore ended 1-1, a result that kept France top of the group with seven points, while Italy continued to chase its rivals in a strong group that also includes Belgium and Turkey.
Belgium Benefits from the Draw
In the other match in the group, Belgium secured a clear 3-0 victory over Turkey, with Kevin De Bruyne scoring twice before Romelu Lukaku added the third. The result intensified the competition for top spot in the group ahead of the next round.
France will face Belgium on Monday, October 5, while Italy will play Turkey on the same day, according to the official tournament schedule.
Zidane Faces Another Test
The draw does not erase Zidane’s strong start with France, but it gives him a first clear indication of the difficulty of the task against major national teams. The French controlled important periods and created chances, but a single mistake brought Italy back into the match before the late sending-off increased the pressure on the team.
The match comes during a congested period of international fixtures, with the Nations League continuing through November. Coverage of global football, including the 2026 Golden Boy race, can be followed on Break.
Sources
Primary source: UEFA, summary of the third round of the UEFA Nations League, October 2, 2026. Second source: Reuters, report on the France-Italy match published on October 3, 2026.
The featured image is an illustrative photograph of a football stadium in France and is not from the France-Italy match.
