After a disappointing European Championships, Italy secured a prestigious victory in the Nations League. Coach Luciano Spalletti's team won 3:1 away from home against France.
The match in Paris, which was refereed by Swiss referee Sandro Schärer, could not have got off to a worse start for the Italians. After losing the ball shortly after the kick-off, PSG striker Bradley Barcola scored to give the hosts a 1-0 lead. The goal after 13 seconds was the fastest in the history of the French national team. The old record from 1992 was 34 seconds.
The Italians, who had lost 2-0 to Switzerland in the last 16 of the European Championship, showed a strong reaction this time. Federico Dimarco with a beautiful volley and Davide Frattesi after a counter-attack turned the game around by the 51st minute. Giacomo Raspadori increased the lead to 3:1 in the 74th minute.
In the second match of Group 2 in League A, Belgium beat Israel 3:1, with Kevin De Bruyne scoring twice.
In the second-highest league, Slovenia and Austria drew 1-1, with both scorers playing in the Bundesliga. Benjamin Sesko (RB Leipzig) put the home team ahead in Ljubljana with a penalty, while Konrad Laimer (Bayern Munich) equalized for the Austrians.
In League C, Cyprus recorded their first competitive win in almost two years. The island nation's national team won 1-0 in Lithuania, with Servette goalkeeper Joël Mall keeping a clean sheet for the first time in his twelfth international match.
