France 1-1 Italy: Olise Scores as Upamecano Red Costs Les Bleus

France were held to a 1-1 draw by Italy after Michael Olise’s second-half opener was cancelled out by Alessandro Bastoni, with Dayot Upamecano’s late dismissal leaving Zinedine Zidane’s side to protect their point. Les Bleus controlled much of the contest and finished with 65% possession, but could not turn territorial authority into a winning margin.

Olise breakthrough followed by Italian response

The opening half produced little clear-cut action. France moved the ball patiently against an Italian low block, completing 725 passes, but struggled to find the decisive delivery around the penalty area. Italy, meanwhile, offered little threat towards Mike Maignan’s goal during the first hour.

• France took the lead in the 55th minute when Rayan Cherki created the opening for Olise, who finished clinically.
• Olise was France’s most dangerous attacker, repeatedly troubling Italy from the right and forcing the visiting defence into clearances.
• Italy levelled in the 68th minute through Bastoni after Lucas Da Cunha failed to bring a pass under control, allowing the defender to break through with Maignan to beat.
• Maignan made one save and was otherwise relatively untroubled, while his passing under pressure remained a positive feature of France’s display.

France’s inability to add a second goal became increasingly costly after Bastoni’s equaliser. Zidane’s team had possession and structure, but the Italian defence restricted the space available to Ousmane Dembele, who captained the side, and the final pass was too often missing.

Upamecano red card changes the closing stages

The match became more difficult for France when Upamecano received his first booking in the 73rd minute and then collected a second yellow card in the 85th. The Bayern Munich defender had competed strongly for much of the evening, particularly in physical duels, but his departure left the hosts under pressure during the final minutes.

Zidane responded by adding defensive cover. Eduardo Camavinga had already replaced Cherki in the 76th minute as France looked for greater control after conceding, while Maxence Lacroix arrived in the 87th minute to reinforce the back line following the sending-off. Bradley Barcola also entered the game, but France’s increasingly reactive approach gave him limited opportunity to influence the attack.

• Camavinga kept possession moving simply after coming on and helped France manage the closing phase with 10 men.
• Lacroix had little time to make a notable contribution after his late introduction.
• Barcola found it difficult to establish himself once France were forced to defend deeper.
• Italy could not find a late winner despite their numerical advantage.

Creative influence, but flaws at both ends

Cherki was central to France’s best attacking work before his substitution. Operating between Italy’s midfield and defence, he provided the assist for Olise’s goal and offered the imagination France lacked during a restrained first half. Desire Doue also carried the ball forward effectively and showed technical quality, although his final delivery did not always match his approach play.

Adrien Rabiot supplied experience and defensive bite in midfield, helping France recycle possession, but the side did not consistently play through Italy with enough speed or verticality. Da Cunha worked hard and passed tidily in spells, yet his error for the equaliser defined an otherwise difficult evening.

France player notes

• Jeremy Jacquet gave France width from his flank and maintained positional discipline, though he rarely took major attacking risks.
• Adrien Truffert offered energy on the left and used his recovery speed to deal with Italian transitions.
• Pierre Kalulu was composed in the early build-up and competed well aerially, but France’s defensive unit lost focus at the moment Bastoni equalised.
• Dembele provided an outlet for switches of play and completed several dribbles, though his end product was inconsistent.
• Olise’s goal and sustained threat made him France’s leading performer.

Zidane left to assess missed opportunity

France’s manager established a clear possession-based approach, and his side’s 65% share of the ball reflected that control. However, the home side did not find a convincing alternative once Italy’s deep defending had contained them, and the defensive lapse for the equaliser undermined their advantage.

The late red card further complicated the finish, but France will regard the result as an opportunity missed after taking the lead through Olise and dominating the ball for long stretches. Italy’s resilience, combined with Bastoni’s decisive intervention, ensured the match ended level.