Sandro Tonali scored the winning goal for Italy. © APA/afp / NICOLAS TUCAT

The Great Resurrection of Sandro Tonali

Sandro Tonali was banned from playing for ten months because he had bet on his own team's matches. Now the midfielder has scored his first goal since his return - and a decisive one at that.

14 November 2024

From: dl

Tonali led Italy to a 1-0 victory in the Nations League against Belgium. The former Milan man scored after just 12 minutes in the away win against Romelu Lukaku & Co. It was Tonali's first goal since his return. The last time the Newcastle United player scored was 15 months ago.

Tonali had to keep himself fit for 10 months before making his comeback in England at the end of August. The 24-year-old had previously missed the European Championship in the summer due to his suspension. Now Tonali is finally back in the mix with the big boys.

France stumbles over Israel

The high-risk match between France and Israel in the Stade de France in Paris was overshadowed by minor riots. Head of state Emmanuel Macron had to watch from the stands as around 50 people scuffled in the north curve during the first half of the Nations League match. Macron also saw little to cheer about in terms of sport, as the 2018 world champions could only manage a tired 0:0 draw.

Eduardo Camavinga missed a win at home against Israel. © APA/afp / FRANCK FIFE

Despite the high security measures, the stadium did not remain calm. Fans with Israeli flags were also involved in the clashes, as could be seen on videos. The security forces and police quickly intervened and separated the two groups. The incident lasted a good two minutes.

In terms of sport, the Équipe Tricolore delivered a disappointing performance without their superstar Kylian Mbappé. France is in the quarter-finals thanks to the point they won, but their starting position in the fight for group victory has worsened. Italy increased their lead to three points after their 1-0 win in Belgium and also has a home game against the French on Sunday.

Nations League: Thursday's results

Belgium – Italy 0:1
France – Israel 0:0
Kazakhstan – Austria 0:2
Greece – England 0:3
Ireland – Finland 1:0
Slovenia – Norway 1:4
Armenia – Faroe Islands 0:1
North Macedonia – Latvia 1-0