The Zidane France Italy draw was not the homecoming Paris had planned. Michael Olise gave France the lead with a stunning free kick. Then one loose moment in midfield let Alessandro Bastoni equalise. It finished 1:1 at the Stade de France on Friday night, on Matchday 3 of the Nations League.

How the Match Unfolded

France played without Kylian Mbappé, who is injured. Zidane made six changes from the win in Belgium, and Olise returned to the starting XI next to Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué.

Italy captain Gianluigi Donnarumma kept his side alive. Before France scored, he made a double save to deny Doué and then Dembélé.

The breakthrough came in the 55th minute. Olise struck a free kick in off the underside of the crossbar. That makes seven scoring games in his last nine for club and country.

Italy hit back 13 minutes later. Bastoni stepped out of defence, robbed Lucas Da Cunha inside the French half and ran into the box. His low left foot finish beat Mike Maignan.

France ended the game with ten men after Dayot Upamecano saw red five minutes from time. In stoppage time, Bastoni made a sliding tackle on Olise in the box. France appealed for a penalty, but the referee waved play on.

Why the Zidane France Italy Draw Came Down to One Mistake

France gave away the goal while playing out from a goal kick. That is the risk of building from the back. When it works, you beat the press and find space. When one player switches off, the opponent is already near your goal.

Here’s the thing. Bastoni is a centre back, yet he led the press. Italy pushed defenders forward to win the ball high. Da Cunha, one of the new faces in this squad, switched off for a moment, and Italy punished it.

It also ended a strong run. Zidane opened with two 1:0 away wins, in Türkiye and Belgium. He was trying to become only the third France coach to win his first three games. He also had a chance to be the first since Henri Michel in 1984 to keep three clean sheets in a row. This was the first goal France conceded under him.

Italy Look Tougher Under Mancini

Roberto Mancini’s Italy started this campaign with a 2:0 home defeat to Belgium. They bounced back with a 4:1 win in Türkiye, and this result builds on it.

Mancini made only two changes. Riccardo Calafiori returned at left back, and Moise Kean replaced the injured Giacomo Raspadori. Nicolò Barella stayed on the bench. Napoli winger Antonio Vergara came on for his Italy debut.

Donnarumma stayed busy after the equaliser too. He dived to tip an Adrien Rabiot shot around the post. What this really means is simple. Italy can now suffer for long spells and still stay in a game.

What It Means for France

After the game, Zidane said: “I’m disappointed for the players because we deserved better.”

The table makes the Zidane France Italy draw easier to accept. France stay top of Group A1, one point ahead of Belgium, with Italy two points further back. France host Belgium on Monday, while Italy welcome Türkiye.

Zidane is not the only big name finding his feet. Klopp’s Germany debut also ended in late heartbreak, which shows how fast these jobs test new coaches.

So the Zidane France Italy draw is no crisis. But it leaves France with a clear lesson before Belgium.

Key Takeaways

1. Olise is France’s biggest threat while Mbappé is out.
2. Building from the back only works if every player stays switched on.
3. Donnarumma remains the base of Italy’s resistance.
4. Monday against Belgium is now a fight for top spot.