Donnarumma mistake punished by Olise before Italy hit back against France

Michael Olise took advantage of a costly Gianluigi Donnarumma error to put France ahead against Italy in their Nations League group-stage meeting at San Siro in Milan on Thursday.

The Bayern Munich forward struck after 10 minutes when Italy captain Donnarumma misplaced a pass while attempting to build from the back. The ball went straight to Olise, who carried it into the penalty area before finishing to give the visitors an early lead.

Donnarumma’s mistake left the Italy goalkeeper exposed in an important European fixture, but the hosts responded through teenage striker Francesco Pio Esposito in the 26th minute.

Esposito levelled at 1-1 after Nicolo Cambiaghi delivered a cross into the area, giving Italy a route back into a match in which France had made the stronger start.

Olise has continued to establish himself as one of France’s leading attacking options under manager Zinedine Zidane. His ability to beat defenders, create chances and shoot from distance has been accompanied by an increasing contribution in front of goal.

The former Crystal Palace player was named Bundesliga player of the season for 2025-2026 and led the German top flight for assists with 21. His performances in the Champions League have also helped place him among the leading creative players in world football.

His influence has extended to the international stage. Olise played a part in France’s run to the semi-finals of the 2026 World Cup, where he matched the record for assists by one player in a single edition after creating seven goals.

France began the fifth round of matches top of League A, Group One, with 10 points from four games. They had won three and drawn one, while Italy started the match third on seven points.

The teams had drawn 1-1 in their previous meeting on 2 October. Olise had put France ahead in the 55th minute before Italy defender Alessandro Bastoni equalised in the 68th.

France were seeking to strengthen their position at the top of the group, while Italy aimed to use home advantage to close the gap before the final round of group fixtures.

Belgium made Italy’s task more difficult on Thursday by beating Turkey 2-1 away from home. That result moved Belgium into second place on nine points, ahead of a final-round meeting with Italy on 15 November 2026.

The top two teams in each group qualify for the quarter-finals, making the contest between France and Italy a direct battle for first place and progress in the competition.