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• Pellegrini red pivotal in Belgium draw, says Spalletti

  Lorenzo Pellegrini's red card was the decisive moment in Italy's 2-2 draw with Belgium on Thursday, so says Luciano Spalletti.

  Italy dropped points for the first time in Nations League Group A2 despite Andrea Cambiaso and Mateo Retegui handing the Azzurri a two-goal advantage.

  But five minutes before the interval, Pellegrini was shown a straight red card for a tackle on Arthur Theate. The Roma midfielder had first been given a yellow by the referee before a VAR review. 

  As he left the field, several whistles from the fans were aimed at Pellegrini, who became the first Italy player to receive a straight red card since Domenico Criscito in June 2018.

  Maxim De Cuyper reduced the deficit two minutes later before Leandro Trossard sealed a share of the spoils in the second half at the Stadio Olimpico.

  And Spalletti said that Pellegrini's sending off was what swung the contest in favour of the visitors, but was pleased with his side's display with a man less.

  "The description is that there are episodes that throw away games. You have to be good enough to know how to direct even those episodes," Spalletti said. 

  "Sometimes it's not possible like tonight. What is the description of the match is the displeasure of the boys in the locker room for not having won the game.

  "It was seen that they were aware that they could make it to another victory and that a bit of bad luck got in the way. This attachment that they showed with sorrow is fundamental.

  "The game was also done well with ten men. We stooped a little too low, but it became impossible. At the end of the first half, I was in doubt whether to get back to four.

  "Pellegrini, I have to review the episode, but I think it was expulsion.

  "He felt a bit frustrated and tried everything because he felt anticipated and if you touch with your studs it's always red.

  "Then you concede a goal on a free kick, you take an avoidable goal on a corner kick. Tonight it had to be like this, we paid too dearly for these small mistakes".

  Belgium improved following Pellegrini's dismissal, having registered an expected goals (xG) total of 0.19 from their four shots in the first half. 

  After the break, the Red Devils produced eight shots, though only one was on target, which proved to be the equaliser as Trossard nipped in front of Gianluigi Donnarumma. 

  Belgium head coach Domenico Tedesco acknowledged the difficulties his side faced, not helped by Cambiaso's early goal, which was the first time the Azzurri had scored inside a minute since Emanuele Giaccherini did so against Haiti in 2013. 

  "We really struggled, and the red card helped us enormously," Tedesco said.

  "We know we can do better, but that quick goal against threw all our plans into disarray.

  "In possession we stuck to the plan, but without the ball we were too high. The Italians always had a surplus in midfield. So our pressing did not work.

  "It's often even harder to score against 10 Italians. They know how to defend.

  "From the moment they dropped back – which happened after the red card – it was harder, but we changed the tactics and it worked."

• Deschamps warns 'it's not perfect' despite big France win

  France coach Didier Deschamps knows there is still a long way to go for his side, as he conceded the atmosphere around the camp has not been the best.

  Les Bleus hammered Israel 4-1 in the Nations League on Thursday, with Deschamps fielding a youthful side.

  With Antoine Griezmann having retired and Kylian Mbappe out injured, Eduardo Camavinga, Christopher Nkunku, Mattéo Guendouzi and Bradley Barcola were on target in Budapest.

  Mbappe's absence has caused a stir in the French press, with the 25-year-old having pulled out of contention for the national team despite returning to fitness to feature in Real Madrid's two matches before the international window.

  Referring to that media frenzy, Deschamps said: "It's always good to win. The atmosphere around the squad is not exactly pleasant.

  "It's not perfect, we're in a transition period but there are some good things, with players who have qualities and now need to confirm.

  "This Nations League should help us with that. We failed against Italy [in a 3-1 defeat], but we played a very good match against Belgium [a 2-0 win]."

  Camavinga turned in an impressive performance in the heart of France's midfield, though he was left frustrated with how many times he gave the ball away.

  The 21-year-old lost possession nine times, which was fewer than four of his team-mates.

  "I had a good performance. I can do better, I lost a lot of balls," he said.

  "It's still a good performance. It bodes well for the future.

  "To impose myself in the national team? Of course. It was everyone's goal to impose ourselves. We have to play good matches."

  France face Belgium in their next Nations League encounter on Monday.

• Failed England experiment does not change anything, says Carsley

  Interim boss Lee Carsley insists the failure of his false-nine experiment in England's 2-1 Nations League defeat to Greece will not have any bearing on his future in the role.

  Carsley missed the chance to become the first Three Lions boss to win his first three competitive games at the helm since Fabio Capello on Thursday, as Greece left Wembley with a stunning victory.

  Vangelis Pavlidis scored twice – including a dramatic 94th-minute winner – as Greece went top of Nations League Group B2 with their first competitive victory over the Three Lions.

  With captain Harry Kane sidelined by injury, England lined up with no recognised striker, with Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Cole Palmer interchanging in a fluid system.

  England's 12 shots only added up to 0.86 expected goals (xG), with Bellingham's 87th-minute equaliser their only shot on target in the second half.

  "We were second best for a lot of tonight, it is disappointing. You are going to get setbacks, and it's important that we respond," Carsley told ITV Sport after the defeat.

  Only Anthony Gordon (five) managed more than four touches in the Greece area for England, with Bellingham, Foden and Palmer only recording one shot inside the box between them.

  Carsley, who has been placed in interim charge through to the end of next month's final Nations League fixtures, is choosing to view the defeat as part of a learning curve.

  "We tried something different and tried to overload the midfield. We tried it for 20 minutes, we experimented, and we're disappointed it didn't come off," he said.

  "It's unrealistic to expect too much, and we will have to try again. All the goals were from mistakes, which is disappointing.

  "It is definitely an option going forward. When you have someone of Kane's quality, though, it rules it out when he is available. 

  "But in the future, you have to have the courage and ability to try things. We tried something different. It doesn't change anything. My remit is to do the three camps."