Italy 3-0 Israel: Retegui's brace secures at least a play-off spot

Mateo Retegui's double helped Italy to secure at least a play-off spot for next year's World Cup as they secured a 3-0 win over Israel.

The teams played out an enthralling nine-goal thriller in the reverse fixture, but Italy held out for a not-together-all-convincing win to continue Gennaro Gattuso's fine start in the dugout.

Israel were given a couple of early warnings as Retegui sent an effort wide before Andrea Cambiaso rifled a powerful effort just past Omri Glazer's post shortly after.

But the visitors stepped up the pressure, with Oscar Gloukh sending Gianluigi Donnarumma scrambling with his narrowly off-target effort before the goalkeeper was called into action to deny Manor Solomon.

Italy got their breakthrough on the stroke of half-time, though. It came from the penalty spot, after Mata Baltaxa went through the back of Retegui in the box, with the striker making no mistake from 12 yards.

The Azzurri were then denied a second, with Cambiaso's fine volley hitting the back of the net just before the offside flag went up against him.

But Retegui doubled up in the 74th minute. He won back possession on the left flank before cutting inside and curling a stunning strike into the far-top corner.

Solomon struck the post shortly after, but Gianluca Mancini made sure of the three points in the third minute of stoppage time as he turned Federico Dimarco's cross in, with Italy sitting three points behind Norway in Group I, with each team having two games left to play.

Data Debrief: Retegui turns on the quality

In a match that sometimes struggled for quality, former Atalanta forward Retegui provided a spark. He is the first Italy player to score two or more goals in more than one match in a single World Cup qualifying campaign (also scored a brace against Estonia), since Simone Inzaghi (three) and Alessandro Del Piero (two) ahead of the 2002 tournament.

Italy finished the game with 2.23 expected goals (xG) from their 16 shots, double the tally that Israel managed (0.69 xG), with the visitors only getting two shots on target.

And the victory saw Gattuso become the fifth Italy coach to win each of his first four matches in charge, after Azeglio Vicini, Antonio Conte, Edmondo Fabbri and Silvio Piola.