Italy avoid disaster, Kosovo win in World Cup qualifier

AFP, Paris:

Sandro Tonali’s last-gasp winner edged Italy to a 5-4 victory over Israel in 2026 World Cup qualifier on Monday, while Kosovo beat Sweden despite Alexander Isak making his first appearance of the season.

After collapsing from leading 4-2 in the final two minutes to drawing 4-4, Tonali’s 91st-minute strike in the Hungarian city of Debrecen sent Italy above Israel and into the play-off spot in Group I.

New coach Gennaro Gattuso’s side trail leaders Norway by three points and still have a chance of taking first place and the group’s sole direct qualifying spot as they seek to avoid missing out on a third-consecutive World Cup finals appearance.

“We’ll take the win which was crucial for us, but we’re completely nuts, nuts because we conceded some absurd goals,” said Gattuso.

“We need to work on that because we’re too fragile, we concede goals too easily. The boys know that, but this is my problem to fix.”

Israel, whose players donned black armbands in honour of the victims of Monday’s deadly shooting at a bus stop in east Jerusalem carried out by Palestinian gunmen, took an early lead through an own-goal.

Moise Kean wiped out the nominal hosts’ lead on two occasions before Italy went 4-2 ahead on 81 minutes.

A second Dor Peretz strike in the 88th minute and a clumsy Alessandro Bastoni own-goal two minutes later made it appear the four-time world champions were on course for a disastrous result.

But Tonali’s speculative effort went through a sea of legs and into the net to spark wild celebrations as the topsy-turvy encounter held one last surprise.