Italy edge Israel 5-4 as Norway surge to group lead with 11-1 win

Italy survived a chaotic, high‑scoring night in Debrecen on Monday to beat Israel 5-4 in a 2026 World Cup qualifying match, but a separate Norwegian rout left Gennaro Gattuso's side facing a likely playoff route to next year's tournament. The Azzurri scored five for the second match in a row, having beaten Estonia 5-0 on Gattuso's debut, yet Norway's 11-1 victory over Moldova pushed the Scandinavian side well clear at the top of Group I and created a substantial goal difference gap that Italy will struggle to close.

The match in Hungary, played on neutral ground because of the security situation in the region, unfolded as a seesaw of errors and striking finishes. Italy fell behind early after Manuel Locatelli turned a clearance into his own net, only for Moise Kean to equalise before half time. Israel regained the lead through Dor Peretz early in the second half, and Kean levelled again. Matteo Politano and Giacomo Raspadori then put Italy ahead 4-2, but Alessandro Bastoni's ill‑timed clearance and a Peretz header made it 4-4. In stoppage time Sandro Tonali's low, deflected shot squeezed through a crowd of players to restore the lead and secure the win.