Italy crushes Estonia 5-0 in Gattuso’s World Cup qualifying debut
All goals came in the second half, with Retegui scoring twice and Raspadori shining off the bench.
Italy dominates after tough first half
The Italy vs Estonia clash in the World Cup Qualifiers ended with a 5-0 rout for the Azzurri this Friday (5), marking a dream debut for Gennaro Gattuso as head coach.
Although the first half finished goalless, largely thanks to a brilliant display from goalkeeper Karl Hein—on loan from Arsenal to Werder Bremen—Italy returned from halftime with a more aggressive approach and dismantled the Estonian defense.
Goals and key moments
- Moise Kean broke the deadlock with a finish from the right, giving Italy the breakthrough.
- Mateo Retegui scored twice, in the 69th and 89th minutes, showing his striker’s instinct.
- Alessandro Bastoni, Inter Milan defender, also got on the scoresheet to widen the margin.
- Off the bench, Giacomo Raspadori stole the spotlight: he scored a goal and provided two assists, proving decisive in the rout.
Impact for Italy
The emphatic win gives Italy its first three points in the qualifiers and boosts confidence under Gattuso’s leadership. Fans praised the team’s second-half transformation and the immediate impact of younger talents.
