World Cup qualifier: Italy smash Estonia 5-0 as Gattuso era erupts late in Bergamo

Gattuso’s Italy turn a tight night into a five-goal statement

Five second-half goals, a crowd roaring in Bergamo, and a debut that felt like a reset. Italy blew past Estonia 5-0 in a match that looked cagey for an hour before it turned ruthless. For Gennaro Gattuso, taking charge after the bruising loss to Norway and the exit of Luciano Spalletti, this was the kind of result that changes the mood of an entire camp—and fast. In a single night, the Azzurri found thrust, confidence, and the swagger they’ve been accused of lacking since their qualifying campaign began.

The first half was patient rather than electric. Italy had the ball and the territory, but Estonia sat narrow, defended the box, and tried to slow everything down. Matteo Politano curled inside for a drive that flicked wide. Federico Dimarco tested the keeper from range, a warning that Italy would keep shooting if the gaps didn’t open. It wasn’t wasteful, just measured—waiting for the right trigger.

The switch flipped after the break. The tempo spiked, Italy’s press pinned Estonia deeper, and the forwards began attacking space rather than just possession. The opener, when it came, was hammered in with no hesitation: Moise Kean burst through in the 58th minute, latching onto a clever feed from Mateo Retegui and rifling into the corner. That one strike didn’t just break the deadlock; it broke Estonia’s resistance.

From there, Italy poured it on. Retegui grabbed the second in the 69th minute, guiding a finish with the kind of confidence you only see in strikers who feel the game slowing down around them. Giacomo Raspadori made it 3-0 two minutes later, popping up in the pocket to punish a scrambling defense. Retegui added his brace in the 89th, before Alessandro Bastoni capped the evening in stoppage time (90’+2) with the sort of center-back’s goal that tells you the entire team was flooding forward by the end.

Scorers timeline:

• 58’ — Moise Kean (assist: Mateo Retegui)
• 69’ — Mateo Retegui
• 71’ — Giacomo Raspadori
• 89’ — Mateo Retegui
• 90’+2 — Alessandro Bastoni

It felt like a Gattuso team by the hour mark: aggressive line, quick regains, and a front unit constantly stretching Estonia’s shape. Without overcomplicating the tactical board, the tweaks were obvious. Italy pushed their midfield higher to squeeze second balls, the wide men stayed bold, and the fullbacks kept Estonia’s wingers busy. Once Kean scored, everything loosened—passes into the box, runners arriving on time, shots taken without a second thought.

Retegui was the headline act. The former Atalanta striker, fresh off a move to the Saudi Pro League, played with edge and timing. His first goal showed the instincts of a penalty-box forward; his second underlined the calm of a player in form. Add in the selfless assist for Kean and you’ve got the full package: movement, goals, and a knack for doing the simple things quickly.

Raspadori’s finish was just as important. In a side trying to restore its scoring habits, contributions from multiple forwards matter. His timing between the lines gave Italy a different angle of attack when Estonia backed off. Bastoni’s late strike? That’s a defender reading the flow of the game and enjoying the freedom a dominant performance gives you.

The clean sheet matters too. Estonia tried to sit compact and counter, but Italy’s counter-press stopped most transitions at the source. When the visitors did break, they ran into traffic. It wasn’t a night for heroics at the back, which is exactly what you want in a match you control.

Context is everything here. Italy arrived under pressure after a 3-0 defeat to Norway that shook the hierarchy and cost Spalletti his seat. Gattuso’s first job was emotional—lift the group, simplify the tasks, and bring energy back. On that front, the body language told its own story: sprints to press, quicker restarts, and a touchline that felt alive again.

The stakes are real. Italy haven’t played at a World Cup since 2014, and that absence hangs over every qualifying window. They started the night third in Group I on 6 points from 3 games, trailing Norway (12 points from 4) and Israel (9 from 4), but with matches in hand on the leaders. This win doesn’t fix the table on its own, yet it keeps the path clear and the pressure where Italy want it—on the teams above them watching this kind of scoreline.

Next up is Israel on Monday in Debrecen, a quick turnaround that will test how well Italy can bottle this momentum. Win there, and the conversation flips from damage control to an active chase of Norway. Slip, and you’re right back in the pack. That’s the thin line of qualifying.

Estonia leave bottom of the group with 3 points from 5 games, and the second half turned into a long stretch without relief. They defended well for 55 minutes, then couldn’t slow the tide. Reorganizing for their remaining fixtures is the only option now—focus on the winnable games, manage minutes, limit the lapses after conceding once. Against top sides, the first goal often decides everything.

The atmosphere in Bergamo helped. A city that has seen its club team punch above its weight welcomed a national side trying to rediscover that same bite. By the end, you saw it in the way the midfield hunted, the forwards shared the ball, and the back line squeezed play to the halfway line. When Italy play on the front foot, they look like themselves again.

There’s also a human side to this story. Gattuso’s teams reflect him—no half measures, no detours, just intensity. That doesn’t guarantee anything in the long run, but it can stabilize a shaky campaign quickly. Results like this buy time to build patterns, settle a best XI, and calibrate the blend between direct play and control.

As for personnel, the spread of goals is the best news. Kean’s strike will ease the weight on his shoulders. Raspadori’s touch inside the box looked sharp. Retegui has an early-season rhythm that coaches dream about. Bastoni’s finish shows set pieces and late surges can add a few extra points over a qualifying cycle. If you want to be in the automatic spots, you need all of that.

Italy also managed the game without letting frustration creep in. Before the opener, they didn’t resort to hopeful crosses or 30-yard shots every minute. After it, they didn’t get sloppy chasing highlights. That balance between patience and aggression is what separates a good win from a statement win.

This was, simply, a reset. A clean slate for a group that knows what’s at stake. The scoreline was heavy, but the lesson was straightforward: trust the press, keep the ball moving, and lean on forwards who make decisive runs rather than only tidy passes. When Italy do that, they can shift gears quickly and overwhelm teams who think they’ve done enough just by getting to halftime level.

And yes, it was “only” Estonia, a team still searching for points and confidence. But qualifying is a long grind, and the best teams turn routine assignments into routine wins. Italy did that—and then some.

For the record—and for the search engines—that was a five-goal second half in a World Cup qualifier, scored by four different players, under a head coach on his first night. That combination tends to travel well from one matchday to the next.

Key takeaways and what comes next

• Italy’s attack woke up late: five goals after the 58th minute, with the first strike unlocking an avalanche.
• Mateo Retegui delivered a brace and an assist, staking a strong claim for regular starts.
• Moise Kean’s opener was a turning point—speed, power, and a finish that settled nerves.
• Giacomo Raspadori added variety between the lines; Alessandro Bastoni chipped in to underline Italy’s set-piece threat.
• The clean sheet reflects a coordinated press and control of second balls.
• Group I picture: Italy climb back into contention and can apply real pressure with a result against Israel in Debrecen on Monday.

Norway remain the pace-setters for now, but the gap looks manageable if Italy build on this. The fixture list still offers opportunities to tilt the table, especially with performances that carry this same speed and edge. The job now is consistency—repeat the intensity, keep the rotations tight, and turn one emphatic night into a trend.

Monday will say a lot. If the Azzurri bring the same urgency and clarity, they’ll make the standings look very different very quickly. If not, the group gets messy again. For one night in Bergamo, though, Gattuso’s Italy looked exactly like a team that knows where it wants to go—and how to get there.