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Nations League | Italy – Belgium 2-2: Pellegrini red ruins the perfect Azzurri start

Idris Bevan October 10, 2024

UNL | Italy 2-2 Belgium: Pellegrini red ruins Azzurri night

Andrea Cambiaso goal Italy-Belgium October 10, 2024. EPA-EFE/ETTORE FERRARI

Italy had led comfortably 2-0 with Andrea Cambiaso and Mateo Retegui, but Lorenzo Pellegrini’s red card changed everything in a hard-fought 2-2 draw against Belgium.

The Azzurri were top of the Nations League group after wins in France and Israel, three points ahead of Les Bleus and the Red Devils. However, Nicolò Barella, Moise Kean, Marco Brescianini and Gianluca Scamacca, among others, were out of action. Italian-born coach Domenico Tedesco missed Kevin de Bruyne, Amadou Onana and Romelu Lukaku.

See how it developed in the live blog

Italy conceded a goal in the first minute in Paris, but this time they took the lead straight away. Federico Dimarco burst down the left, completed a one-on-one with Mateo Retegui and rolled to Andrea Cambiaso in the six-yard box. His first attempt was parried by Koen Casteels, but the rebound was bundled over the line, giving the Juventus winger the Juventus winger’s first goal for Italy.

A few moments later, Davide Frattesi ran onto Alessandro Bastoni’s long pass and pulled it back from the baseline with a fake assist, but Arthur Theate managed to clear the ball.

Jeremy Doku’s attempt was deflected for a corner, but Italy doubled their lead with a beautifully crafted goal.

It was played from the back but the highlight was Dimarco’s first cross pass which released Cambiaso on the right, he cut inside and his low left-footed shot was parried by Casteels with one hand into the path of Retegui.

Frattesi’s flying header from Dimarco’s cross went wide, but the game changed when Lorenzo Pellegrini went for a tackle and caught ex-Bologna defender Theate on the ankle. Initially a yellow card, it was changed to a red card after a VAR on-field review.

To make matters worse, Belgium then scored with the resulting free kick, which was used to find Maxim De Cuyper, who left-footed the ball from the edge of the box into the bottom corner.

Immediately after the restart, 10-man Italy had a chance to restore their two-goal lead, but Frattesi shot over after controlling a long ball from Alessandro Bastoni instead of passing to Retegui.

The pressure mounted and Belgium equalized when Faes nodded a corner for Leandro Trossard with full effort and fired it at the near post.

Moments later, another disaster almost struck when Openda went wide and Bastoni launched himself into the tackle, but the referee opted for a corner and the VAR agreed after the silent check.

Openda directed De Cuyper’s effort wide, Donnarumma headed the other way while Dodi Lukebakio shot over.

There was controversy when Frattesi intercepted a loose pass in the final third and his shot was knocked down by Faes, but despite the handball penalty it appeared to hit his hip first.