Sandro Tonali fired Italy into the UEFA Nations League quarterfinals with the only goal in Thursday’s 1-0 win over Belgium in Brussels, completing his Azzurri comeback from a gambling ban which cost him a place at Euro 2024.
Newcastle United midfielder Tonali tapped home his first international goal 10 minutes into a hard-fought win at the King Baudouin Stadium.
The 24-year-old’s strike was crucial as Italy was guaranteed a spot in the last eight with a draw either against the Red Devils or with France on Sunday night.
Italy leads France by three points at the top of Group A2 and will battle with Les Bleus for first place at the San Siro.
Tonali was hit with a 10-month suspension in October last year for betting on football matches, including those involving his old team AC Milan while he was still playing for it.
That ban cost Tonali the chance to play a part in Italy’s awful Euros title defence in Germany, where the Azzurri were dumped out in the last 16 by Switzerland.
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Since then Luciano Spalletti’s team has been rejuvenated over the course of the Nations League group stage.
Italy is unbeaten since the Euros and only drew with Belgium last month after having to play over half the match in Rome with 10 men.
Domenico Tedesco’s Belgium meanwhile is six points behind second-placed France with one game remaining and cannot reach the quarters after winning only against Israel.
Romelu Lukaku wore the captain’s armband in his first match for Belgium since its Euros campaign which ended with defeat in the last 16 to France.
The Napoli forward should have levelled for the host in the 78th minute when he glanced Timothy Castagne’s deflected cross wide from close range.
Belgium was the better team after the break and was denied a result by solid goalkeeping from Gianluigi Donnarumma and the post, which with seven minutes remaining kept out Wout Faes’ flicked header after a well-worked set-piece.
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