France 1-1 Italy: ten-man France hold on for Nations League draw
Reviewed by Elison · Fri 2 Oct 2026UEFA Nations League · League A
FranceFULL-TIME
ItalyFriday 2 October 2026 · 20:45
Our score 2-1MissedHot tip France to win✗ Lost
Introduction
France and Italy shared the spoils in a compelling UEFA Nations League encounter that ended 1-1. The result will feel like an opportunity missed for France, who led through Michael Olise’s second-half strike before Alessandro Bastoni’s equaliser levelled matters. The drama was compounded in the closing stages when Dayot Upamecano was sent off, leaving France to defend with ten men and ultimately hang on for a point.
How the Game Unfolded
Nicolo Fagioli was booked in the 54th minute, and France made the pressure count almost immediately: Michael Olise scored in the 55th minute, assisted by Rayan Cherki, to give France the lead.
Italy levelled in the 68th minute through Alessandro Bastoni — it was Bastoni’s finish that mattered, drawing Italy level at 1-1. Dayot Upamecano and Moise Kean were both booked in the 73rd minute. Antonio Vergara, who had come on for Italy in the 62nd minute, was booked in the 82nd minute.
The decisive moment arrived in the 85th minute when Upamecano, already on a yellow card, received a second booking and was sent off, leaving France with ten men for the closing stages. Both sides made further changes as the match wore on, though none altered the scoreline. Alessandro Bastoni picked up a yellow card in the 90th minute plus two of stoppage time, rounding off a feisty conclusion to a match that finished level at 1-1.
The Numbers
The statistics paint a clear picture of France’s dominance in terms of possession and passing. France created the greater volume of chances, registering 18 shots in total compared to Italy’s 14, with eight of France’s efforts landing on target against just two from Italy.
However, Italy’s goalkeeper was the busier of the two, making seven saves to France’s one, which underlines just how sustained France’s attacking pressure was across the 90 minutes. Italy were more disciplined in keeping their shots close to goal, with ten of their 14 efforts coming from inside the box compared to France’s eight from that zone.
Disciplinary figures told their own story. Italy collected four yellow cards while France picked up two, with both of Upamecano’s bookings coming in the 73rd and 85th minutes, the second of which saw him sent off. France also committed nine fouls to Italy’s ten, suggesting a relatively even contest in terms of physical engagement despite the imbalance in possession.
Conclusion
A 1-1 draw represents a hard-earned point for both sides in this Nations League fixture. France will reflect on what might have been had Upamecano remained on the pitch, while Italy — with Bastoni as the unlikely hero — will take heart from their resilience and ability to respond to going behind. Cherki and Olise provided moments of genuine quality for France, while Bastoni’s equaliser ensured the Italians left with their share of the spoils.
