World Cup qualification
Bayern-Star Eps France-Sieg-Italy wakes up late
Updated on 05.09.2025 – 10:50 p.m.Reading time: 3 min.
France met Ukraine after only ten minutes. In the end there was a clear victory. Italy was also allowed to cheer.
France can rely on Michael Olise: The vice world champion also won 2: 0 (1-0) against Ukraine in the Polish Breslau in Poland in Breslau in Poland and thus successfully started the qualification for the 2026 World Cup. Olise had already presented himself in a strong shape in the Bundesliga on the first two match days.
Due to the Russian war of aggression, the Ukrainian national team still does not play their home games in their own country. In the World Cup qualification, the association dodges three times to Wroclaw three times, where the Ukrainians had not lost in three “home games” before. Olise (10th minute) and captain Kylian Mbappé (82nd) now added the first defeat to Ukraine there with their goals.
Compared to the victory over the German national team in the game for third place in the Nations League (2-0), France’s coach Didier Deschamps changed his starting eleven to seven positions. One of the new ones was Bavaria’s Olise, who used the French first good opportunity to take the lead. After a strong preparatory work by PSG attacker Bradley Barcola, the Munich man pushed in from the penalty point without any problems.
After that, France then remained clear. After the change of sides, the Ukrainians came into play better and better – and good chances. Ibrahima Konaté prevented the equalization with a header rescue act on the line (65th), just a minute later Illja Zabarni failed on the post. Only in the final phase did Mbappé provide relaxation.
The four-time world champion Italy kept his World Cup opportunities alive at the debut of national coach Gennaro Gattuso with a very strong appearance. The “Squadra Azzurra” was oppressive at 5-0 (0: 0) against Estonia in Bergamo, guest goalkeeper Karl Hein von Werder Bremen prevented an even higher result. In the final phase, Gattuso was celebrated with speech choirs.
Moise Kean (58.), Mateo Retegui (69./89.), Giacomo Raspadori (71.) and Alessandro Bastoni (90.+2) only met for the hosts after the break. With six points from three games, Italy in Group I continues behind Norway (12) and the upcoming opponent Israel (9) in third place, but has played one less game less. The 2006 world champion missed the World Cup both in 2018 and 2022.