Italy, who have been on a roll lately, celebrated their fourth consecutive World Cup qualifying win with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Estonia in Tallinn. The game took place in Group I, and the visitors made sure to keep the pressure on Norway, the current group leaders. This win also meant that Italy pulled three points clear of Israel with a game in hand, solidifying their position in the group standings.
The match kicked off with Italy showing their attacking prowess early on, with Estonia goalkeeper Karl Hein forced into action to deny Giacomo Raspadori in the fourth minute. Not long after, Moise Kean continued his impressive form in front of goal by scoring his fourth goal in qualifying, putting Italy in the lead. Mateo Retegui then doubled Italy’s lead, showcasing the team’s dominance in the game. Despite a valiant effort from Estonia, Italy’s Francesco Pio Esposito came off the bench to score his first goal for the national team. However, Estonia managed to get on the scoresheet after Gianluigi Donnarumma’s mistake allowed Rauno Sappinen to capitalize and score a consolation goal for the home side.
As the game progressed, Italy continued to threaten Estonia’s defense, with Nicolò Barella and Riccardo Orsolini coming close to adding to Italy’s lead. In the 74th minute, Italy netted their third goal following a beautiful move down the left, with Leonardo Spinazzola setting up Pio Esposito for his second of the game. Despite Italy’s dominance, Estonia managed to score a goal of their own shortly after, thanks to a rare error from Donnarumma. The match ended with Italy securing a convincing victory, showcasing their strength in the World Cup qualifiers.
