Italy produced a stirring second-half comeback to defeat France 3-1 in their Nations League clash on Friday, moving top of their group in the process. Michael Olise had given the visitors an early lead, capitalising on a defensive lapse to finish calmly and silence the home crowd. For much of the first half, France looked the more composed side, controlling possession and limiting Italy to speculative efforts from distance. The Azzurri, however, grew into the contest as the interval approached, pressing higher and forcing errors in the French build-up, though they reached the break still trailing by a single goal.
The turnaround arrived after the restart through Pio Esposito, who struck twice in quick succession to flip the match on its head. His first came from a sharp near-post finish, and his second followed a sweeping Italian move that carved open the French backline. Davide Frattesi sealed the victory late on, converting a rebound after sustained pressure. The result lifts Italy above France at the summit of the group and raises fresh questions about the visitors' defensive resilience, while offering the hosts a significant psychological boost ahead of their remaining fixtures.
Independent reporting synthesized from primary wires and global correspondents.