1' min
Luciano Spalletti signed off as Italy head coach with a win, guiding the Azzurri to a 2-0 victory over Moldova. Goals from Giacomo Raspadori and Andrea Cambiaso — one at the end of the first half, the other at the start of the second — secured a much-needed result. However, Italy still face an uphill battle to qualify directly for the 2026 World Cup, trailing group leaders Norway by nine points.
The Norwegians held firm in Tallinn, edging Estonia 1-0 thanks to a clinical performance that kept their perfect record intact.
Elsewhere, the qualifiers served up fireworks. Belgium and Wales produced a seven-goal thriller in Brussels, with the Red Devils ultimately triumphing 4-3. Rudi Garcia’s men raced to a 3-0 lead — including a penalty from Romelu Lukaku — only to be pegged back by a spirited Welsh comeback. It took a late strike from Kevin De Bruyne to settle the contest.
Croatia enjoyed a more straightforward outing, routing the Czech Republic 5-1 after a tight opening hour. Goals came in quick succession during the final 30 minutes as the Vatreni took full control.
In the day’s other fixtures, North Macedonia claimed a narrow 1-0 win over Kazakhstan, while the Faroe Islands picked up three points with a 2-1 win against Gibraltar.
