Italy 5-0 Estonia (Sep 5, 2025) Game Analysis

Italy celebrated Gennaro Gattuso’s first match in charge with a 5-0 thumping of Estonia in their World Cup qualifier.

All five goals came in the second half, with the floodgates opening after Moise Kean had broken the deadlock with a bullet 58th-minute effort.

Former Atalanta striker Mateo Retegui, back at the Stadio di Bergamo following his summer move to the Saudi Pro League, struck twice and Giacomo Raspadori and Alessandro Bastoni completed the rout.

Italy still have much to do to top Group I after losing their opening qualifier to Norway 3-0, a defeat which prompted the departure of Luciano Spalletti.

But this performance will give the Azzurri, who play Israel in the Hungarian city of Debrecen on Monday, belief they can overhaul Norway in the race for automatic qualification for next summer’s finals in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

Italy made the fast start Gattuso wanted as Matteo Politano drifted inside for an effort deflected wide and Federico Dimarco had couple of pot shots at goal from distance.

Retegui also went close before Estonia goalkeeper Karl Hein made an excellent double save to deny Mattia Zaccagni and Dimarco.

Estonia were content to frustrate Italy with a deep block and get bodies in the way to protect Hein.

The visitors briefly lifted the siege to win a flick-on at a near post corner and Giovanni Di Lorenzo had to react smartly to clear inside the six-yard box.

There were howls from the Bergamo crowd for a penalty as Retegui fell under Marten Kuusk’s challenge and Keane and Politano were off target in quick succession.

The chances kept coming Italy’s way as Keane sidefooted over after Retegui’s endeavour had created a gilt-edged opening from 12 yards.

Italy’s frustration rose as Hein saved his best first-half work for last, pushing aside Dimarco’s close-range attempt and then leaping high to tip over a Retegui header.

Hein stopped Sandro Tonali’s powerful effort after the break, but the Arsenal goalkeeper, currently on loan at Werder Bremen, was left constantly exposed after Kean claimed his eighth international goal.

Kean clattered a post within 60 seconds, but Retegui doubled the lead after 69 minutes with a precise finish into the bottom corner.

Raspadori, on as a substitute, set that chance up and then scored with a diving header two minutes later from Politano’s cross.

Retegui headed his second in the 89th minute and there was still time for Bastoni to reward further good work from Raspadori and leave Gattuso smiling even more.