Italy Beats Estonia 3-1 in World Cup Qualifier

Italy keeps World Cup hopes alive with win over Estonia

Francesco Pio Esposito scored on his international debut as Italy beat Estonia in the World Cup qualifiers. Gennaro Gattuso's Italy side beat Estonia 3-1, moving them closer to Group J leaders Norway.

Hein's heroics couldn't prevent the inevitable, as Italy sealed the win with a slick team move...

Gennaro Gattuso's perfect start as Italy's head coach continued with a 3-1 win over Estonia in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. This victory keeps Italy within six points of Group J leaders Norway.

Moise Kean scored the opening goal in just the fifth minute, showcasing his skill with a stepover and precise shot into the far corner. Italy's strong performance earned them a 2-0 halftime lead, with Mateo Retegui and Francesco Pio Esposito adding to their tally.

Despite Rauno Sappinen scoring a consolation goal for Estonia in the 76th minute, Italy's lead was too strong to overcome, resulting in a final score of 3-1. This win is crucial for Italy's World Cup hopes, giving them a vital advantage in their qualifying campaign.

The joy was short-lived for Moise Kean, who scored his sixth goal in four international outings only to limp off the field around 10 minutes later due to an injury. This development will worry Italy coach Gianluca Gattuso and Fiorentina boss Stefano Pioli.

In Kean's absence, Italy was awarded a penalty kick after Marten Kuusk fouled Mateo Retegui in the box. However, Estonia goalkeeper Karl Hein made a crucial save, diving low to his left to push Retegui's penalty onto the post, denying Italy the opportunity to double their lead.

Job done in the Estonian capital ✅#ESTITA #Azzurri #VivoAzzurro pic.twitter.com/ihBm49Qdp9

— Italy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@Azzurri_En) October 11, 2025

As it proved, Retegui soon atoned for his penalty miss in the closing stages of the first period, sweeping the ball in from Riccardo Orsolini’s layoff to press home the visitors’ dominance before the break.

Retegui had another opportunity to score after the restart, but his powerful shot flew over the bar. Shortly after, Giacomo Raspadori's effort was well saved by the impressive Karl Hein.

Hein's heroics couldn't prevent the inevitable, as Italy sealed the win with a slick team move. Leonardo Spinazzola's clever interplay with Nicolo Barella created space for Francesco Pio Esposito to score his first international goal, driving the ball home with confidence.

Despite securing a 3-1 win over Estonia, Italy's goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma's error allowed Rauno Sappinen to score, preventing a clean sheet and ending Estonia's three-game goal drought.

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With this victory, Italy now prepares for a crucial home match against Israel, a key step in their quest to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 2014.