Italy beat France at home for first time since '62, hand Zidane 1st loss

Pio Esposito scored twice as Italy hit back from a goal down to boost their Nations League quarterfinal hopes and hand Zinedine Zidane his first defeat as France head coach.

France were without Kylian Mbappé, rested after picking up a knock in training this week, and although they hit the front through the in-form Michael Olise, Esposito levelled midway through the first half.

Davide Frattesi put Italy ahead for the first time before Esposito sealed a 3-1 win with a quarter of an hour left from a penalty -- after brother Sebastiano had earlier missed from the spot.

Pio and Sebastiano are the first brothers to represent Italy together since 1910 and they helped Italy move to the top of their group by virtue of having scored more goals than France, with the teams one point clear of Belgium in third heading into the final round of fixtures on Sunday.

It was Italy's first win over France on home soil since 1962.

Defeat was tough on France, who dominated before Italy took the lead for the first time, with Bradley Barcola and Rayan Cherki both hitting the frame of the goal.

Mbappé's absence initially failed to subdue France as Olise continued his rich vein of form, bagging his fifth goal in four Nations League matches, albeit following Gianluigi Donnarumma's error.

The Italy goalkeeper gifted possession to Olise on the edge of the box and the Bayern Munich wide man coolly raced beyond Alessandro Bastoni before drilling low into the net in the 10th minute.

Donnarumma made partial amends moments later when he got down well at his near post to prevent Barcola, deputising for Mbappé, from doubling France's lead as Italy found themselves under siege.

Against the run of play, Italy drew level in the 26th minute, with Nicolò Cambiaghi getting to the left byline and pulling back to Pio Esposito, who flicked across Mike Maignan and in from the near post.

Cherki hit a post at the beginning of the second half but Italy were given a big chance to take the lead after Malo Gusto's clumsy challenge on Cambiaghi in the box.

Sebastiano Esposito fired wide from his spot-kick on the hour, although Italy took a 63rd-minute lead when Frattesi was teed up by Federico Dimarco.

Dimarco, who had just come on to the pitch for Cambiaghi, directed a low cross from the left to the unmarked Frattesi and the midfielder thumped beyond France goalkeeper Maignan from close range.

Matters worsened for France when substitute Antonio Vergara was upended in the area by Dayot Upamecano and Pio Esposito succeeded where his brother earlier failed by slotting home a 75th-minute penalty.

Information from PA was used in this recap.