This clash promised to be a potentially key encounter in Italy’s bid to reach the World Cup finals after failing to qualify for either of the previous two editions.
However, it was the hosts who started the game on the front foot, and they thought they had the lead inside the opening 10 minutes.
Manor Solomon’s cross was whipped in towards Gianluigi Donnarumma, but the goalkeeper’s punch only succeeded in hitting the head of Federico Dimarco on the goalline before finding the back of the net. Controversially, though, referee Slavko Vincic gave a foul against Oscar Gloukh for impeding the new Manchester City man despite Donnarumma instead appearing to grab him.
Despite that setback, Israel continued to push forward and did have their lead around the quarter-hour mark when Dan Biton’s low cross was turned into his own net by Manuel Locatelli.
Locatelli had a chance to make amends with around 30 minutes on the clock and was perhaps unfortunate that his acrobatic volley hit the top of the crossbar.
Italy continued to grow into the game and, not long after Sandro Tonali had fired narrowly wide of the post from outside the area, Moise Kean levelled things up shortly before half-time when he dispatched Mateo Retegui’s lay-off past Daniel Peretz.
The second half began at a frantic pace, evidenced by two goals in two minutes not long after the restart.
First, Dor Peretz hammered into the top corner after some good work from Solomon down the left flank, before Kean doubled his and his team’s tally within 60 seconds from a very similar position to his first, albeit this time on the volley.
And, before the hour mark, Italy completed the turnaround when Matteo Politano poked into the corner following another clever Retegui assist.
In response, Solomon had Donnarumma scrambling to claw a cross that was heading into the top corner away from goal before Eliel Peretz shot just past the post from the edge of the box.
Italy, though, were next to strike when Kean's replacement Giacomo Raspadori finished off a slick Azzurri move, but Alessandro Bastoni sliced past Donnarumma to give Israel some late hope.
This was a game that just kept on giving, and Israel were back on level terms almost immediately when Dor Peretz headed in from close range.
Nevertheless, that was not the game’s last act, as Sandro Tonali curled into the bottom corner despite Daniel Peretz’s best efforts to snatch all three points.
The victory is a huge one for Italy and Gennaro Gattuso, who now has two wins from his first two games as manager - they are in a strong position to at least book a place in the playoffs.
Israel, meanwhile, will rue not getting something from the match, given they were twice in front.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Moise Kean (Italy)
