Israel's soccer team loses 5-4 to Italy in close-fought FIFA World Cup qualifier

The game, which was meant to be played with Israel as the home team, was playing in Hungary due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

Italy's victory puts them to second in the group on nine points, ahead of Israel on goal difference with a game in hand, but three points off Norway who have also played four matches.

Italy almost fell behind immediately, when in the fourth minute Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma punched the ball into his own net from a corner, but Stav Lemkin was adjudged to have fouled the goalkeeper.

The Italians continued to look shaky at the back and Nicolo Barella's lazy back pass was almost pounced on by Eliel Peretz before Donnarumma made a desperate clearance.

However, Israel took a deserved lead in the 16th minute.

Eli Dasa passed to Dan Biton, whose pull-back from the byline was turned into his own goal by Locatelli.

Italy found the equaliser five minutes from the break.

Mateo Retegui laid a pass off to strike partner Moise Kean, whose powerful low shot from outside the box found the bottom corner.

Kean forced Israel keeper Daniel Peretz into a save shortly after the interval with a shot on the turn, but it was Israel who took the lead again in the 52nd minute.

Manor Solomon twisted and turned his way into the area before laying off a pass which Dor Peretz whipped first time beyond the reach of Donnarumma.

Italy were almost immediately back on terms, with Kean once more to the rescue two minutes later. Retegui made the decisive pass, and Kean smashed a half-volley from the edge of the area.

Retegui was the provider yet again when Italy went ahead for the first time in the 58th minute, as Matteo Politano poked home his deft back-heeled pass in the box.

Italy looked to have sealed the win when substitute Giacomo Raspadori netted with nine minutes remaining before Alessandro Bastoni's own goal in the 87th handed Israel a lifeline.

Israel thought they had snatched a draw and dented Italy's qualifying hopes when Dor Peretz headed his second past Donnarumma from close range in the 89th, but the drama was not over yet.

The game had just entered added time when Sandro Tonali took an opportunistic shot from outside the area, which flew past the keeper, and Italy somehow kept their World Cup qualifying hopes ticking over.

The fans held up an Italian flag with the word "Liberta" (freedom) on it.

The same group of supporters also chanted an anti-fascist song during the first half of the match, the report added.

After the match, there was a scuffle between players and staff from both sides.

Israeli national coach Ran Ben Shimon stated that there were "many small victories" during the match.

"This is how we want to see the Israel team, real, initiative-taking, and extremely brave," he added in the interview after the match.

"The players were amazing," as Israel "gained something big today, the belief of people who watched us at home," he said.

"I never believed in my life we would score four goals and still lose," Israeli soccer star Manor Solomon said in his post-match interview.

"Don't count us out, we'll be better from today, we'll be there until the end," Solomon added.

"We came back from 4-2 like giants, and then to concede 5-4 is hard," player Dor Peretz told the press.

"That's the beauty and pain of football. We need to hold on to the positives. We can be very proud of how the game unfolded, Peretz added.

Italy manager Gennaro Gattuso lauded his side's fighting spirit after they came out on top in a crazy nine-goal World Cup qualifier against Israel on Monday, but conceded there is a fragility to his team.

"Our opponents surprised us a bit; they were marking man-to-man. Today our legs weren't at their best, but that's normal, it's always like this in the second match, though we need to improve," Gattuso said.

After five out of eight games in the qualifying round, Israel is in third place in their group with nine points. Italy has overtaken Israel, also with nine points, but ahead on goal difference. Norway lead the group with 12 points. Both Italy and Norway have only played four games as opposed to Israel's five, giving them an advantage.

In October, Israel will play both Norway and Italy, in games which will likely decide whether the national team has a chance to advance to the World Cup.

The top team in the group will automatically qualify, the second will fight in a playoff match, and others will be eliminated.