Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali emerged as Italy's hero after scoring an injury-time winner to cap a thrilling 5-4 win against Israel in their World Cup qualifier.

Fans saw a seesaw match between the two European teams. Italy eventually won in an exciting climax that everyone did not expect to witness.

Israel and Italy's Rollercoaster Struggle

Sandro Tonali's Injury-Time Goal Seals Italy's Thrilling 5-4 Victory Over Sandro Tonali's Injury-Time Goal Seals Italy's Thrilling 5-4 Victory Over
Newcastle United

The encounter was a spectacle right from the beginning. Fox Sports reported that Israel took an early lead in the 16th minute thanks to an own goal from Italy's Manuel Locatelli. However, Italy quickly responded with a goal from Moise Kean just before halftime, making it 1-1.

The second half saw Israel retake the lead through Dor Peretz, but Italy was not to be outdone. Kean struck again, and Matteo Politano followed up with another goal, putting Italy ahead 3-2. Giacomo Raspadori extended the lead to 4-2 in the 81st minute, which appeared to be an easy victory for Italy.

Israel's Late Comeback in the 87th and 89th Minute

Just when it looked like the match was Italy's for the taking, Israel staged a dramatic comeback. An own goal from Alessandro Bastoni in the 87th minute gave Israel hope, and then just two minutes after that, Peretz added a second to tie the match 4-4.

With just seconds to go, it looked like Italy was cursed with another disappointing performance following their 3-0 defeat to Norway in the first game of their World Cup qualifier campaign.

Tonali's Dramatic Injury-Time Winner

It seemed like all was lost for Italy, but Tonali produced the winner in the 91st minute. The midfielder curled a low 20-yard shot through a congested penalty area, with the ball ending up at the bottom corner of the net and igniting crazy celebrations. His late heroics gave Italy vital three points and kept their hopes alive in the tight Group I race.

"We'll take the win, which was crucial for us, but we're completely nuts, nuts because we conceded some absurd goals. We need to work on that because we're too fragile, we concede goals too easily. The boys know that, but this is my problem to fix," Italy national team coach Gennaro Gattuso said via France24.

Italy's World Cup Ambitions

Italy's win over Israel is a crucial victory, given that they are battling against missing out on qualifying for a third consecutive World Cup.

Having missed out on the 2018 World Cup in Russia and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Italy could only hope for a stronger bid. But their 2021 European Championship victory, which saw them beat England on penalties, proved that the Italian national team retains the quality to play at the top level.

The win provides Italy with much-needed momentum as they look forward to their next qualifiers. They will play Estonia away on Oct. 11, host Israel on Oct. 14, and then make the trip to Moldova on Nov. 13.

The last group stage game away to Norway on Nov. 16 may be a make-or-break match for Italy's World Cup hopes. Only the leader in Group I is assured a direct entry into next summer's World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, while second place goes through to the playoff rounds.