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Six in a row. With two late headers from Gianluca Mancini and Francesco Pio Esposito, Italy beat Moldova 2-0 to secure their sixth consecutive win in the group – their fifth since Gennaro Gattuso took charge. But the celebrations for World Cup qualification had started almost 2500 kilometres away, in Norway. After a slow start, the Norwegians surged past Estonia 4-1 in Oslo, pretty much putting themselves beyond reach at the top of Group I. For the Azzurri, it’s virtually impossible to bridge the gap in goal difference (+17 for Norway) ahead of the meeting with Haaland and his teammates in Milan on Sunday. Despite suffering only one defeat – the opening match in Norway – and collecting 18 points from their other six group games, Italy are effectively out of the race for first place. To reach the World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States, they will now have to win two more matches in the play-offs at the end of March, a route that has already proved treacherous in both 2017 and 2022.
Gattuso was right when he warned that it wouldn’t be a walk in the park in Chisinau. Even though the Azzurri controlled the game from start to finish and created numerous chances, they only managed to break the deadlock at the end. The Head Coach still got the answers he was looking for, aware that it’s never easy to maintain the same playing identity when so many changes are made: “There’s no such thing as an easy match,” he said at the final whistle. “I’m satisfied. We did what we had to do, giving playing time to other lads. Moldova never had a shot on target.” What he didn’t appreciate, however, were the jeers directed at the players by some fans in the stands at the Stadionul Zimbru: “I was disappointed to hear chants telling us to get to work. It saddens me – this isn’t the time to say those things to the players. We need to stay united; the team is fighting on the pitch despite the difficulties.”
AZZURRI DOMINANCE. Former Sassuolo teammates Jack Raspadori and Gianluca Scamacca formed the strike partnership in a side set up in a 4-4-2 formation. This then shifted into a 4-2-4 in possession, with Orsolini and Zaccagni pushing up as auxiliary forwards and Cristante and Tonali operating in central midfield. In front of Vicario, Mancini and Buongiorno played at centre-back, with Bellanova and Cambiaso as the full-backs.
Wearing their new Azzurra kit, Italy started brightly and created their first chance in the sixth minute following a neat exchange between Scamacca and Raspadori, who forced Cojuhar into a save with his feet. The Moldovan goalkeeper then pushed away a Scamacca free-kick and showed sharp reflexes to keep out a back-heel from Cristante. Moments later, he also denied Raspadori. It was one-way traffic, with Moldova camped entirely inside their own half. Zaccagni attempted an acrobatic effort but failed to hit the target, while Mancini fired over in the box after a poor punch from Cojuhar. As the minutes passed, the Azzurri lost some of their rhythm, the tempo dropped, and the hosts carved out a chance of their own: Postolachi, completely unmarked at the back post, volleyed over from a great position (32’). Italy soon regained control and, before half-time, Cristante and Orsolini both tried their luck from distance, but to no avail. Even with 73% possession and 13 shots, Italy couldn’t find a breakthrough, and the teams went back to the changing rooms with the score at 0-0.
It was the same story after the break: one side attacked, the other defended. A back-heel from Scamacca released Cambiaso, but Revenco threw himself in the way and blocked the Juventus defender’s goalbound effort. Italy struggled to find space, finding it difficult to work their way into the opposition box with the ball on the ground. Gattuso responded by adding height to the frontline, bringing on Retegui and Pio Esposito for Scamacca and Raspadori. Dimarco also replaced Cambiaso, and Politano came on for Orsolini. It was Politano who supplied a fine ball for Pio Esposito, whose shot was gathered by Cojuhar. The Inter forward then created something on his own, cutting inside and firing inches wide with a low, dangerous effort from the edge of the area.
HEAD AND HEART. Gattuso also turned to Frattesi, and Italy finally made the breakthrough late on thanks to Gianluca Mancini, who dived in to head home his second goal in as many games for his country. Then, in stoppage time, Pio Esposito made it 2-0 with another header. Despite having no real hope of overturning the goal difference between the sides, the Azzurri will still look to beat Norway at San Siro on Sunday to avenge June’s defeat in Oslo and finish 2025 with another win. Whether Italy will be heading to next summer’s World Cup, though, won’t be known until the end of March.
MOLDOVA 0-2 ITALY
MOLDOVA (3-5-2): Cojuhar; Stefan, Craciun, Dumbravanu; Revenco, Perciun (60’ Bogaciuc), Rata (79’ Bodisteanu), Ionita, Reabciuk (54’ Bitca); Nicolaescu (79’ Fratea), Postolachi (54’ Damascan). Substitutes: Timbur, Avram, Cucos, Caimacov, Bors, Forov, Platica. Head Coach: Popescu.
ITALY (4-4-2): Vicario; Bellanova, Mancini, Buongiorno, Cambiaso (80’ Dimarco); Cristante, Tonali, Orsolini (80’ Politano), Zaccagni (81’ Frattesi); Raspadori (65’ Esposito), Scamacca (65’ Retegui). Substitutes: Donnarumma, Carnesecchi, Bastoni, Gabbia, Di Lorenzo, Locatelli, Ricci Head Coach: Gattuso.
Goals: 88’ Mancini (I), 90+2’ Esposito (I)
Referee: Balakin (Ukraine); Assistants: Berkut and Vysotskyi (Ukraine); Fourth official: Zabroda (Ukraine); VAR: Shurman (Ukraine); AVAR: Panchyshyn (Ukraine).
Note: Dumbravanu (M), Revenco (M) and Stefan (M) booked
GRUPPO I: CALENDAR, RESULTS AND STANDINGS
Today: Norway 4-1 Estonia
Today: Moldova 0-2 ITALY
16 November, 20:45 CET: Israel vs. Moldova (Debrecen)
16 November, 20.45 CET: ITALY vs. Norway (Milan)
Standings: Norway 21 points (7 matches played), ITALY 18 (7), Israel 9 (7), Estonia 4 (8), Moldova 1 (7).