Italy took a giant step in direction of qualification for Euro 2024 on Friday after an eventful 5-2 win over North Macedonia.
Federico Chiesa struck twice within the first half after Matteo Darmian nodded the hosts into an early lead. Giacomo Raspadori and Stephan El Shaarawy secured the three factors late on and two second-half strikes from Jani Atanasov threatened a tense evening for the Azzurri.
The win on the Stadio Olimpico in Rome moved Italy into second in Group C behind already-qualified England.
It implies that Luciano Spalletti’s staff want solely draw towards third-placed Ukraine in Leverkusen on Monday to guide a spot in subsequent summer season’s match in Germany.
“The vital factor is that we gained. We conceded two targets that I do not suppose we deserved to concede,” mentioned Chiesa.
“We’re extra constructive below Spalletti, and which means we take a number of extra dangers in defence. We confirmed that we wished to dominate the play and we deserved to win.”
Qualifying would assist the European champions bury the ghosts of final 12 months’s traumatic failure to qualify for a second straight World Cup.
North Macedonia had turn into Italy’s bogey staff after denying Italy a spot in Qatar and drawing the earlier group match in September.
Italy, lacking a number of gamers to both damage or suspension, thought that they had taken the lead within the thirteenth minute when Raspadori dinked dwelling from Jorginho’s fantastically weighted cross.
Italy close to the Euros
That strike was dominated out for offside, however the hosts wouldn’t be denied and Darmian headed dwelling the opener from Raspadori’s deep cross 4 minutes later.
That was Inter Milan defender Darmian’s second worldwide objective and his first in eight years.
The spectre of one other catastrophe reared its head when Jorginho missed one more penalty in Italy colors 5 minutes earlier than the break.
The midfielder’s missed spot-kick on the identical floor towards Switzerland value Italy direct qualification to the final World Cup, however Jorginho had an opportunity at redemption when Nikola Serafimov dealt with Federico Gatti’s header.
This time his dribbled effort was simply saved by Stole Dimitrievski.
Outdated demons might have come again to hang-out Italy, however virtually instantly Chiesa doubled the lead with a thumping low drive.
On the stroke of half-time, Chiesa had his second of the sport when his bold strike took a depraved deflection off Jovan Manev and previous Dimitrievski.
Italy appeared dwelling and dry, however Atanasov lower the deficit within the 52nd minute when he ghosted previous a dozing Italy defence and headed in together with his staff’s first try on track.
The 24-year-old despatched a wave of fear across the floor within the 74th minute when his speculative shot deflected off Francesco Acerbi and previous Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Raspadori allayed any fears of a meltdown with a well-struck left-foot end 9 minutes from the top. In stoppage time, El Shaarawy then gave the match a rating which higher mirrored the stability of play.
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