In Gennaro Gattuso’s first match as head coach, Italy secured a commanding 5-0 victory over Estonia, keeping their World Cup aspirations alive. The win marks a positive start for Gattuso and a continuation of Italy’s dominance over Estonia, who have now lost all eight head-to-head encounters.
Italy started the match with relentless pressure, creating numerous early chances. However, they were repeatedly thwarted by Estonia’s goalkeeper, Karl Hein, who made several crucial saves to keep his team in the game. Despite the Azzurri’s dominance in possession and shot attempts, the first half ended goalless.
The breakthrough came in the 58th minute when Moise Kean headed home a deflected cross, finally breaking Estonia’s resistance. This goal opened the floodgates for Italy. Giacomo Raspadori, a second-half substitute, had an immediate impact, assisting Mateo Retegui for the second goal before scoring a header himself just three minutes later.
The final two goals came in the closing stages, with Retegui completing his brace with a powerful header and Alessandro Bastoni adding a fifth from a corner. The convincing win moves Italy to six points from three Group I matches, trailing Norway and Israel, but with a game in hand. Estonia, meanwhile, remains on three points from five matches.
