UNL | Italy 2-2 Belgium: Pellegrini red ruins Azzurri night | OneFootball

Italy had been comfortably leading 2-0 with Andrea Cambiaso and Mateo Retegui, but Lorenzo Pellegrini’s red card changed everything in a hard-fought 2-2 draw with Belgium.

The Azzurri were top of the Nations League group after wins away to France and Israel, with a three-point cushion from Les Bleus and the Red Devils. Although Nicolò Barella, Moise Kean, Marco Brescianini and Gianluca Scamacca were among those out of action. Italy-born coach Domenico Tedesco missed Kevin de Bruyne, Amadou Onana and Romelu Lukaku.

See how it unfolded on the Liveblog

Italy conceded in the opening minute in Paris, but this time they took the lead immediately. Federico Dimarco surged down the left, completed a give-and-go with Mateo Retegui, and rolled across for Andrea Cambiaso in the six-yard box. His first attempt was parried by Koen Casteels, but the rebound was bundled over the line for the Juventus winger’s debut Italy goal.

Moments later, Davide Frattesi ran onto the long Alessandro Bastoni pass and pulled it back from the by-line with a dinked assist, but Arthur Theate managed to clear.

Jeremy Doku’s attempt was deflected over for a corner, but Italy doubled their lead with a wonderfully-worked goal.

It was played out from the back, but the highlight was Dimarco’s first-time cross-field pass to release Cambiaso down the right, he cut inside and his low left-foot drive was parried with one hand by Casteels into the path of Retegui.

Frattesi’s diving header on a Dimarco cross went wide, but the game changed when Lorenzo Pellegrini went into a sliding tackle and caught ex-Bologna defender Theate on the ankle. At first a yellow card, it was changed to red following a VAR On-Field Review.

To make matters worse, Belgium then scored on the resulting free kick, which was worked to find Maxim De Cuyper for a left-foot curler into the far bottom corner from the edge of the area.

Straight after the restart, 10-man Italy had a chance to restore their two-goal cushion, but Frattesi blasted over after controlling an Alessandro Bastoni long ball, rather than passing to Retegui.

The pressure was growing and Belgium managed to equalise when Faes nodded down a corner for Leandro Trossard at full stretch to flick it in at the near post.

There was almost another disaster moments later, when Openda went clear on goal and Bastoni dived into the tackle, but the referee opted for a corner and VAR agreed following their silent check.

Openda deflected the De Cuyper effort off target with Donnarumma heading the other way, while Dodi Lukebakio blasted over.

There was controversy when Frattesi intercepted a loose pass in the final third and his shot was charged down by Faes, but despite penalty appeals for handball, it seemed to strike his hip first.

Italy 2-2 Belgium

Cambiaso 1 (I), Retegui 24 (I), De Cuyper 42 (B), Trossard 61 (B)

Sent off: Pellegrini 38 (I)