Florence (Italy) (AFP)

The reunion party with the tifosi turned wet for the European champions: Italy, despite total domination, was surprised by weak Bulgaria (1-1) on Thursday and conceded its first points on the road to the Mondial-2022.

The ovations at the start of the match, to greet Roberto Mancini and his European champions back on the field, gradually gave way to exclamations of vexation and some puzzled silences from the 14,000 tifosi, showered by the Surprise equalization of the Bulgarians just before the break (Iliev, 39th) and by the sterile domination of the Azzurri.

Despite a monopoly of the game and clear opportunities for Federico Chiesa, Nicolo Barella and Ciro Immobile, the Nazionale looked in vain for the essential second goal, after that of Chiesa at the start of the match (16th) which seemed to announce a quiet evening.

Italian striker Federico Chiesa opens the scoring against Bulgaria, during their qualifying match for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, September 2, 2021 in Florence Alberto PIZZOLI AFP

Not enough to rekindle the trauma of non-qualification for the last World Cup, but a first wild card for Italy after three victories.

And this before going to Switzerland on Sunday, the main rival in the group for the first directly qualifying place.

The only consolation for Mancini: with this 35th game in a row without defeat, his Nazionale equaled the unbeaten record of a national team.

Unbeaten since September 2018 against Portugal (0-1), she joined Spain (between 2006 and 2009) and Brazil (between 1993 and 1996, but with a loss on penalties in the final of the Copa America 1995).

Italian coach Roberto Mancini, during the 2022 World Cup qualifying match in Qatar against Bulgaria, on September 2, 2021 in Florence Alberto PIZZOLI AFP

For this comeback, Mancini had trusted almost all of the holders of Wembley, only Giorgio Chiellini and Giovani De Lorenzo missing (replaced by Francesco Acerbi and Alessandro Florenzi).

- Donnarumma launches its season -

Gianluigi Dommarumma, crowned best player of the Euro but on the bench at Paris SG, was able to start his season.

Entered on the song of the group Maneskin victorious of the Eurovision Song Contest (the other Italian continental victory of 2021) and loudly applauded, he did not have much to do.

But that didn't stop him from taking his first goal of the season.

"Gigio" lost on a Bulgarian counter concluded by Atanas Iliev (39th), who has just joined an Italian Serie B club (Ascoli), after the stirring Kiril Despodov took over Florenzi.

This goal - the first conceded by Italy in these qualifiers - revived a match that the Azzurri, incisive and concentrated, nevertheless held well in hand.

Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and his Bulgarian counterpart Georgi Georgiev, at the end of their qualifying match for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, September 2, 2022 in Florence Alberto PIZZOLI AFP

The first opportunity had come from the left, with Lorenzo Insigne active, but the first goal finally came from the other side, on Federico Chiesa's first foray: at home in Florence, the ex-Fiorentina winger has transplanted in the axis and, after a support on Ciro Immobile, opened the mark with an impeccable strike from the left (16th).

The Azzurri were however punished for failing to knock out the Bulgarians in stride, monopolizing the ball but failing to find the spaces in a regrouped Bulgarian rearguard and lacking precision in the centers.

When he returned from the locker room, Chiesa remained the most dangerous, on the right then on the left, but he stumbled on the Bulgarian goalkeeper (62nd).

Barella missed the frame (60th) shortly before leaving and Immobile was not successful (48th, 73rd).

Italian striker Federico Chiesa, after missing an opportunity against Bulgaria, during their qualifying match for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, September 2, 2021 in Florence Alberto PIZZOLI AFP

And there was no penalty shootout this time around to turn the draw into a success, like at Wembley a few weeks ago.

© 2021 AFP