By Abdellatif El Baz – Milan Office
The Italian national team achieved a deserved victory over its Israeli counterpart with three goals to nil, in the match held on Tuesday evening, within the competitions of the ninth round of the European qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, amidst strict security measures due to popular protests rejecting Israel's participation in European championships.
The goals for Italy were scored by Mateo Retegui in the 45+2 minute from a penalty kick, then he added the second goal in the 74th minute, while Gianluca Mancini concluded the hat-trick in the 90+3 minute. The match came amidst unprecedented security tension, after demonstrations witnessed in several Italian cities, demanding that the International (FIFA) and European (UEFA) federations suspend the participation of the Israeli national team, against the backdrop of the recent war on the Gaza Strip. With this victory, the Italian national team raised its score to 15 points in second place in the Group Nine standings, behind the Norwegian national team, which leads with 18 points, while Israel's score froze at 9 points in third place. With this victory, "Azzurri" ensured qualification to the European play-off qualifying for the World Cup.
