A goal in each half saw Italy beat Albania 2-0 to stay top of Group G along with Spain ahead of the meeting in Giijon. A Daniele De Rossi penalty and Ciro Immobile’s goal allowed Gian Piero Ventura’s Azzurri to celebrate their first home win of this qualifying campaign for the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals in Russia. It was another promising display from the side after the win over Liechtenstein before the big match away in Spain.

Italy therefore stretched their unbeaten record in World Cup qualifiers to 32 (last defeat 9th October 2004 in Slovenia) and that record goes up to 55 when European qualifiers are included. At the same time, Palermo showed that it’s a city which brings fortune to the national side with that being the twelfth win there and the sixth on the bounce in the Sicilian capital. The home crowd also deserves a mention with an attendance of 33,136.

Albania were compact at the back and left Chikalleshi up top to look to hit Italy on the break. Ventura went for a 4-2-4 formation with the ‘goal twins’ Ciro Immobile and Andrea Belotti leading the line. Lorenzo Insigne and Antonio Candreva brought width while De Rossi and Marco Verratti pulled the strings. In goal was Gianluigi Buffon who was making his 1,000th professional appearance and the sponsor PUMA created a commemorative kit worn by the mascots. The centre-back partnership was the Juventus duo of Andrea Barzagli and Leonardo Bonucci while Davide Zappacosta and Mattia De Sciglio.

After an early scare with Chikalleshi going close early, Italy took the lead after twelve minutes as Belotti was pulled down by Basha at a free kick. De Rossi stepped up to face Strakosha in a form of a mini Rome Derby and he scored his twentieth Italy goal to go level with Paolo Rossi and take up eighth place in the scoring charts. The Roma man had also been the last player to score for Italy in Palermo when he found the net against Bulgaria on 6th September 2015.

As expected, Ventura’s side looked to control the ball and they also looked threatening as Zappacosta burst up the right. In the 28th minute, Belotti headed wide from a corner and Bonucci just failed to get onto an Insigne ball moments later. Verratti dropped into a deeper possession while Candreva and Insigne were always ready to press when not in possession. There was a chance to extend the lead after 43 minutes but Strakosha saved well as Belotti was set up by Verratti. At the other end, there was a half-chance for Roshi which Buffon saved.

In the second half it was the same story. Immobile almost got a shot away at close range after 52 minutes but Ajeti made a last-second intervention. After a delay due to flares being launched from a section of Albanian supporters, there were further chances for Candreva who saw an effort saved and Bonucci whose diving heading missed the target. The second goal wasn’t far away however as Immobile found the net in the 71st minute as he jumped up highest to redirect Zappacosta’s cross goalwards. It was his sixth Italy goal and the Lazio forward secured the first three points of 2017 for Italy.

Squad
Goalkeepers: 1 Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), 12 Gianluigi Donnarumma (Milan), 14 Alex Meret (Spal 2013);
Defenders:  15 Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), 19 Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), 4 Matteo Darmian (Manchester United), 13 Danilo D’Ambrosio (Inter), 2  Mattia De Sciglio (Milan), 3 Alessio Romagnoli (Milan), 5 Daniele Rugani (Juventus),  22 Davide Zappacosta (Torino);
Midfielders: 16 Daniele De Rossi (Roma), 8 Roberto Gagliardini (Inter), 18 Marco Parolo (Lazio), 10 Marco Verratti (Paris Saint Germain);
Wingers: 6 Federico Antonio Candreva (Inter), 7 Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli), 21 Nicola Sansone (Villarreal), 23 Simone Verdi (Bologna);
Forwards: 9 Andrea Belotti (Torino), 17 EderCitadin Martins (Inter), 20 Andrea Petagna (Atalanta), 11 Ciro Immobile (Lazio).

Staff – Coach: Gian Piero Ventura; Team Manager: Gabriele Oriali; Coaches: Salvatore Sullo, Paolo Vanoli and Gianluca Spinelli; Secretary: Mauro Vladovich; Fitness Coaches: Alessandro Innocenti and Giovanni Brignardello; Doctors: Enrico Castellacci and Carmine Costabile; Masseurs: Fabrizio Scalzi, Emanuele Randelli, Alfonso Casano, Pasquale Raia, Walter Martinelli (osteopath).

Schedule

Saturday 25 March

h.  11.00        Departing flight for Florence

h.  12.25        Arrive in Florence and transfer to Coverciano

h.  16.00      Training (First 15 minutes open to the media)

Sunday 26 March

h.  10.30      Training (behind closed doors)

h.  13.30 ca   Meeting the media (players)

h.  16.00      Training (First 15 minutes open to the media)

Monday 27 March

h.  10.30      Training (behind closed doors)

h.  16.30        Flight from Florence to Amsterdam

h.  18.50       Arrive in Amsterdam and transfer to stadium

h.  19.15        Walk Around

h.  19.30        Press conference (Coach and one player)

The Netherlands’ team schedule

h 12.15         Training session at the AZ Alkmaar Stadium in Alkmaar (first 15 minutes open to media)

Press conference to follow (Coach and one player)

Source:  figc.it