Italy's national football team, under Gennaro Gattuso's leadership, secured a 3-1 victory over Estonia. Despite some errors, including a missed penalty by Mateo Retegui and a late mistake by Gianluigi
Donnarumma that allowed Estonia to score, the team maintained their winning streak. Italy has now netted 13 goals in three matches with Gattuso, marking a record start for any new manager.
The Azzurri's recent performance has been remarkable, scoring more goals in their first three games under Gattuso than any previous manager. This achievement places them within six points of Norway, the leaders of World Cup qualifying Group I. Italy also has a game in hand before facing Israel, who are currently third in the group.
Gattuso remains focused on growth and improvement rather than dwelling on mistakes. "We have a mission, which is to grow game by game, stay together and work hard, then build our confidence," he stated. He emphasised learning from errors and maintaining focus throughout matches.
Moise Kean opened the scoring for Italy early in the match but was substituted due to an ankle injury. Kean joined an elite group of players who have scored in at least four consecutive World Cup qualifiers for Italy. Gattuso commented on Kean's condition: "We'll see, his ankle was painful and we hope it is nothing serious. "
Despite their strong form, Italy faces challenges in overtaking Norway at the top of the group. Norway's superior goal difference of +26 compared to Italy's +7 makes it difficult for Italy to surpass them even if they win their remaining matches. However, Italy still has a home game against Estonia ahead.
Looking Ahead
Gattuso stressed the importance of creating opportunities despite missed chances like penalties. He believes that maintaining this approach will help Italy prepare effectively for upcoming matches. "The important thing is to create the chances," he noted.
As Italy prepares for their next match against Israel, they aim to secure victory to eliminate Israel from contention and approach the play-offs with greater confidence. The team remains determined to continue their positive momentum under Gattuso's guidance.
Overall, Italy's recent performances have been promising under Gattuso's management. The team's ability to score prolifically and learn from mistakes bodes well for their future prospects in World Cup qualification.
