Esposito Double Downs Zidane's France as Italy Storm Top of Nations League Group

Francesco Pio Esposito scored twice as Italy came from behind to beat France 3-1 at San Siro on Thursday, handing Zinedine Zidane his first defeat as France head coach and lifting the Azzurri to the top of their UEFA Nations League group.

The Inter Milan striker struck on either side of a Davide Frattesi goal in a rain-soaked, end-to-end encounter in Milan, as Italy recovered from an early gift to France and finished the stronger side. The result sent Italy top of Group A1 on 10 points, level with France but ahead on the head-to-head record, with one round of group games still to play.

France arrived in Milan without star attackers Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele, both injured, yet it did not show in the opening exchanges. Desire Doue hit the side netting, first-time captain Adrien Rabiot forced a sharp save from Gianluigi Donnarumma, and Lucas Da Cunha sent a rasping half-volley narrowly wide as the visitors made an electric start in the pouring rain.

A gift, then a reply

The breakthrough came after 10 minutes, and it was entirely of Italy's own making. A goal kick was taken short to Donnarumma, and the goalkeeper sliced his pass straight to the feet of Michael Olise. The Bayern Munich winger skipped between two Italy defenders and drilled a low strike past Donnarumma at the near post for his fifth goal in five Nations League games, a scoring run bettered only by England captain Harry Kane's seven.

It was Donnarumma's 38th error leading directly to an opposition goal, 31 for his clubs and seven for Italy, and it threatened to define the night. Instead, the goalkeeper settled, and Italy refused to panic. The Azzurri struck back in the 26th minute with their first real chance of the game, when Nicolo Cambiaghi drove to the byline and cut a cross back into the six-yard box for Francesco Pio Esposito to convert with a deft touch past Mike Maignan.

The goal brought San Siro to life. Two minutes later, his older brother Sebastiano Esposito threatened a quickfire second and forced a sharp save from Maignan. France still carried danger of their own, and Bradley Barcola came closest to restoring the lead before the break, cutting inside to curl a low shot against the foot of the far post.

Woodwork, a missed penalty and the turnaround

The end-to-end nature of the game continued after the interval. Rayan Cherki's rasping strike was tipped onto the post by Donnarumma, who also got behind a fierce Rabiot effort, before Italy charged up the other end and forced Maignan into a point-blank save from Cambiaghi.

Italy then had a glorious chance to go in front on the hour. Cambiaghi was tripped by Malo Gusto to earn a penalty, but Sebastiano Esposito failed to join his brother on the scoresheet, hammering his spot kick wide of the post. It was a miss that could have haunted the hosts. Instead, they did not dwell on the disappointment for a moment.

Three minutes later, Italy were ahead. Substitute Federico Dimarco made an immediate impact off the bench, teeing up Frattesi for an emphatic first-time finish. France, twice denied by the woodwork and now chasing the game, could find no way back. Fellow substitute Antonio Vergara earned the home side a second penalty when he was tripped by Dayot Upamecano, and this time Francesco Pio Esposito stepped up to drill his shot into the bottom-left corner with 15 minutes remaining, sealing all three points.

The numbers told of a contest far closer than the scoreline suggested. France had 17 shots to Italy's 11, though both sides managed five attempts on target, and the visitors struck the woodwork twice. Francesco Pio Esposito led the way for the Azzurri with a game-high five shots, and kept his composure from 12 yards exactly where his brother had stuttered.

Top of the group, and what comes next

The result continued a strong start to Roberto Mancini's second spell as Italy coach, stretching his side's unbeaten run to four matches and delivering their first home win over France since a friendly in May 1962. San Siro is familiar territory for the match-winner: Francesco Pio Esposito has scored nine goals at the stadium for Inter, and he is the first player to score at least eight goals in his first 14 appearances for Italy since Christian Vieri, who managed eight between 1997 and 1998.

For Zidane, the defeat was a first blemish in an otherwise smooth start to life as France coach. He has dropped points only against Italy since replacing Didier Deschamps, drawing 1-1 with the Azzurri in October, but defeat in Milan means France missed the chance to secure their own quarter-final berth with a game to spare. Belgium are third in Group A1 on nine points after inflicting a fifth straight defeat on rock-bottom Turkiye, and the group will be decided on Sunday, when Belgium host Italy and Turkiye travel to France.

Italy knew before kick-off that only a win would keep their Nations League fate in their own hands before Sunday's trip to Brussels. They got it the hard way, from a goal down, through a missed penalty and against a France side that twice rattled the frame of the goal. Elsewhere on Thursday, England captain Harry Kane celebrated a record 126th cap, passing Peter Shilton's total of 125, by scoring the winner from the penalty spot in a 2-1 victory over Croatia at Wembley, a result that sent England through to the Nations League quarter-finals. Italy will hope Sunday brings a similar celebration of their own.