Sappinen scores, Mets returns, Hein saves – brave Estonia push Italy in defeat

On a crisp autumn evening, Estonia national football team displayed grit, resilience, and moments of brilliance, but ultimately it was not enough to contain a technically superior Italy national football team, who left Tallinn with a 3-1 victory in a FIFA World Cup qualification match.

Estonia’s standout moment came in the second half when goalkeeper Karl Jakob Hein denied a penalty from Mateo Retegui, electrifying the home crowd of 11,913. Forward Rauno Sappinen capitalized on a rare Italian error to pull a goal back, while captain Karol Mets made his long-awaited return from injury after a year’s absence. But Italy’s clinical finishing and dominance in key moments proved decisive.

The match began with Italy asserting themselves immediately, pressing high and monopolizing possession. Estonia showed early fight on the flanks, but their resistance was broken in the 4th minute when Moise Kean found space behind the defense and slotted a low, precise shot into the far corner – 0-1.

Estonia struggled to find rhythm as Italy piled on corner after corner. Defender Marten Kuusk was repeatedly tested by Kean, who would later limp off with an ankle injury, replaced in the 15th minute by young forward Pio Esposito.

In the 27th minute, Estonia came agonizingly close: Robi Saarma delivered a sharp cross that caused chaos in the Italian box. Rocco-Robert Shein latched onto the loose ball but missed the target by inches.

However, defensive uncertainty cost the hosts. A misplayed pass at the back gave Italy a penalty after Retegui was clipped inside the box. But Hein came up huge – diving to his right and pushing away Retegui’s effort to the roar of the home fans.

Italy didn’t panic, though, and in the 38th minute, they doubled their lead. Estonia failed to clear their lines, and Retegui made amends by finishing clinically with his first touch.

The second half saw Estonia make tactical adjustments, introducing Henri Anier and Sergei Zenjov to bring more energy. Winger Sergei Zenjov embarked on a dazzling solo run down the left but fired over from a promising position.

Italy remained dangerous – Giacomo Raspadori went through one-on-one, but Hein stood tall once again, pulling off another spectacular save to keep Estonia’s hopes alive. Then came the emotional moment: Mets returned in the 62nd minute, receiving warm applause from the stands after his injury layoff.

Yet Italy struck again in the 74th minute. A low cross from Leonardo Spinazzola found Esposito unmarked in the center, and the young forward buried it for his first international goal. 0-3.

Estonia didn’t fold. Moments later, a rare mistake from Gianluigi Donnarumma gave them life. The Italian goalkeeper fumbled a routine ball, and Sappinen reacted quickest to tap home into an empty net – 1-3. The stadium erupted.

In the closing stages, Estonia pressed for a second goal. Substitute Karel Mustmaa made his senior debut, and the team pushed higher up the pitch. Zenjov earned dangerous set pieces, and the defense, led by Peetson, Paskotši and Mets, held firm to prevent further damage.

Estonia left the pitch with heads held high. Against one of Europe’s most accomplished teams, they showed courage, intensity, and glimpses of quality – but Italy’s precision was unforgiving.

Estonia vs Italy – 1:3 (0:2)
Goals: Sappinen 76′ | Kean 4′, Retegui 38′, Esposito 74′