Sandro Tonali hits front pages in Italy after Newcastle United stars scores first goal in 460 days

Newcastle United star Sandro Tonali scored his first goal in 460 days after notching for Italy in their UEFA Nations League victory away to Belgium.

It was Tonali's first goal since he scored on his debut for Newcastle against Aston Villa in a 5-1 win in August 2023. The close range finish was Tonali's first strike since overcoming his 10-month FIFA ban for illegal betting and it earned the Toon star a place on the front pages in his home country with a headline in Tuttosport reading: "We fly with Tonali!"

Meanwhile Corriere dello Sport hailed Tonali's effort as the "golden goal" as it booked Italy's place in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Nations League knockout stages. Tonali celebrated by making a G sign in dedication to his partner Giulia.

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Tonali played as part of a five-man midfield for Italy in a 3-5-1-1 system with La Gazzetta dello Sport reporting that the Newcastle man filled any space in front of him left by Inter Milan star Nicolò Barella.

Tonali said afterwards: "It's beautiful, it's beautiful to score and find the first goal for the national team, but it's even more beautiful to win like this. We were playing against a very strong team, we looked for our spaces within the game.

"We started in a certain way, then the spaces were totally different: however we always kept a simple game, no one invented anything. We do what we know how to do well."

Tonali has been rotated by Eddie Howe but played the full 90 minutes for Italy last night in Belgium and could do again at the weekend against France at the San Siro. Tonali had 47 touches and made 36 passes in total but the undoubted highlight was his winning goal on 11 minutes.