Retegui, Di Lorenzo, and Frattesi lead Italy to a 4-1 victory over Israel in the UEFA Nations League.” Read the details here.
Introduction:
A pulsating UEFA Nations League match for Italy, and they maintained the hot touch by thrashing Israel 4-1. The Italian left flank became decisive, organized through Inter’s Federico Dimarco, who provided for regular attacks on the flank, including crosses that often upset the Israeli defense. Israel came out in brief spurts of resistance; however, Italy’s possession was far too hot and sharp in terms of tactics. The key moments of the match, standout players, and tactical nuances that led to such a vital victory deserve a closer look.
See also: England’s Fluid Tactics: Greece boldly defeat by 2-1

Early Dominance and Dimarco’s Magic:
The plan for Italy was pretty straightforward: exploit Federico Dimarco’s quality from the left to get some sort of chance. And, indeed, early in the game, some of his crosses looked quite threatening and had Israel scrambling at times. So, it was only a matter of time before Italy converted some of their possession into chances.

Gloukh’s Close Call
Although Italy’s displays had been superior, Israel managed to come up with a few half-chances. Their big opportunity came through Oscar Gloukh, who shocked the Italian defense with a solo run from the side. He could have delivered it to an open teammate, but instead of passing, he tried shooting the ball outside the box. A shot that barely saw any white beyond the Italian goal, making them live for few scary seconds.
See also: Kolo Muani Scores Twice, and Openda’s Late Header in a Thrilling 2-1

Breakthrough for Retegui from Penalties
After several missed chances, Italy finally cracked the deadlock through a conversion of a penalty by Mateo Retegui. The Atalanta forward has been in tremendous form, and his calm finish gave Italy fully deserved 1-0 lead at halftime while having 63% possession.
Retegui’s movement and positioning for most parts of the game showed why he’s emerging as a key player for Italy.

Double Delight Di Lorenzo
Italy’s defender Giovanni Di Lorenzo played a true match-winner and scored two crucial goals consecutively. This low shot was aided by Udogie to find the back of the net. Only minutes later, Di Lorenzo headed in from a free-kick as Italy maintained an un-contested hold on the game. Contributions made on both offense and defense made him the man of the match.

Israel’s Response and Goal by Abu Fani
Although Italy dominated much of the play, Israel equalized through the corner kick by Mohammad Abu Fani. His well-taken corner curled direct into the net to surprise Italy. That wonderful moment briefly reignited hope for the underdog Israeli team, but Italy blew that flame out with more aggressive action.

Frattesi Finishing Touch:
Italy responded quickly to the goal by Israel, halving their two-goal advantage. This is where Dimarco, now involved once again, drove a superb left-sided cross that saw Davide Frattesi score with a first-time finish. The fast response proved that Italy was fully in charge of the game and intent on closing it.

Maldini Jr’s Debut
Adding to the drama of the game, Italian witnessed a debut appearance by Daniel Maldini, the son of Paolo Maldini and grandson of Cesare Maldini. He could not play more than an hour into the game but made sure that the proud football tradition of Maldi in Italian teams continued for an hour at least.
Tactical Class, Midfield Control
It has been Italy’s midfield, mostly led by Sandro Tonali, that has seen the success of Italy. Tonali did release a feeling of sacrificial ability in his game and combined good passing vision with that, thus issuing the crucial commands in terms of dictating the pace of play. The Azzurri’s quick transitions and their high positioning while pressing left Israel without gaining considerable possession.

Italy made nearly 290 passes during the first half as against Israel’s 120 passes, thus underpinning their supremacy in terms of ball control.
Conclusion
A comprehensive win for Italy 4-1 win over Israel settles them at the top of Group A2. The Azzurri, with performances from Dimarco, Di Lorenzo, and Retegui, showed managed attacking strength stabilized in defense in a sense. The team is perfecting itself to play against heavyweights Belgium and France. Value for Israel: take pride in themselves coming out of this test game and look out to compete in more games.