By Anna Italia
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58% Ball Possession ITALY and 42% Ball Possession ALBANIA
Italy 2 – 0 Albania 
12′ Daniele De Rossi (pen)
80′ Ciro Immobile
UEFA World Cup Qualification Standing Group G BEFORE the game.
Italy, 2nd position with 10 points and a positive goal differene of +7
Albania, 4th position with 6 points and a negative goal difference of -2
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | Goals | DIFF | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Italy | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 11:4 | 7 | 10 |
| 4 | Albania | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4:6 | -2 | 6 |
Mission accomplished! Italy determined to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Italy keeping the second position reaching 13 points after defeating Albania. Spain also in Group G remain in the first position with 13 points after defeating Israel with a 4-1. Italy will face Spain on September 2, 2017.
Sadly, the match suspended few minutes after some Albania fans started to throw flares in the away section. Referee Slavko Vinčić had to suspend the match in the 57th minute and restarted the match after 8 minutes in the 66th minute.
First yellow card of the match in the 11th minute is for Albania Ledian Memushaj. A familiar face as Memushaj plays in Serie A and is Pescara Captain.
Great start! Italy taking the lead in the 12th minute. Referee Slavko Vinčić gives a penalty to Italy conceded by Albania midfielder Migjen Basha after committing a foul on Italy forward Andrea Belotti inside the penalty box. It is midfielder Daniele De Rossi to convert the penalty defeating Albania goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha with a right footed shot in the bottom left corner. Way to go.. a personal mini Roma derby with De Rossi and Lazio goalkeeper Strakosha! Basha plays in Italy in the Serie B team AS Bari.
Photo: twitter.com/azzurri
Italy increasing the lead in the 80th minute. It is forward Ciro Immobile to delight the fans at the Barbera defeating goalkeeper Strakosha with a headed shot to the bottom right corner. The assist is by Torino midfielder Davide Zappacosta with a cross.
Gee…. Antonio Candreva closer to score…. In the 74th minute, goalkeeper saving Candreva’s right footed shot in the center!!!!!!
Albania Head Coach De Biassi making a substitution in the 76th minute. Armando Sadiku replacing Andi Lila.
Albania making a substitution in the 87th minute. Eros Grezda replacing Odise Roshi.
The last substitution for Albania in the 97th minute. Liridon Latifi replacing Migjen Basha.
Forza Italia, let’s go Azzurri!!!!!
- Here is the situation: Italy can jump to the first position if they defeat Albania and the combination of the match Spain vs Israel ending with a draw or Spain losing the match. Spain is playing at the El Molinón in Gijon. For Italy, the only objective is to win the match to claim the 3 points, period.
- There is only 1 precedent between Italy and Albania played in 2014 with a result: Italy 1 – 0 Albania.
- Italy are unbeaten in 54 qualifiers (40 wins and 14 draws)
- Six of Albanian squad play in Italy, 5 in Serie A and 1 in Serie B: Lazio goalkeeper Strakosha, Napoli defender Hysaj, Torino defender Ajeti, Empoli defender Veseli, AS Bari midfielder Basha, ad Pescara Captain midfielder Memushaj.
- Albania coach Gianni De Biasi is Italian
- Albania have not conceded in six away qualifiers (W4 D2)
It is a special match for Italy and Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon reaching a record of 1,000 game in professional football and a European record of 168th cap.
Here is ITALY official starting lineup by Head Coach Giampiero Ventura:
ITALY (4-2-4): Buffon; Zappacosta, Barzagli, Bonucci, De Sciglio; De Rossi, Verratti; Candreva, Immobile, Belotti, Insigne.
Photo: twitter.com/azzurri
Here is ALBANIA official starting lineup by Head Coach Gianni De Biasi:
ALBANIA (4-3-3): Strakosha; Hysaj, Veseli, Ajeti, Agolli; Basha, Kukeli, Memushaj; Lila, Cikalleshi, Roshi.
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UEFA World Cup Qualifiers Standing Group G – Up to Matchday 5
| UEFA WORLD CUP QUALIFYING GROUP G | Overall | Home | Away | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | GD | PTS | ||||||
| 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 17 | 13 | ||||||
| 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 9 | 13 | ||||||
| 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 9 | ||||||
| 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | -4 | 6 | ||||||
| 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | -4 | 3 | ||||||
| 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 10 | -18 | 0 | ||||||
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Ticket option for Italy National team games
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Stats Before the game. Top scorer of ITALY: Ciro Immobile with 4 goals
Top scorer of ALBANIA: Bekim Bajaj with 2 goals
| Italy | Goals | Goals | Albania |
|---|---|---|---|
| Immobile, Ciro | 4 | 2 | Balaj, Bekim |
| Belotti, Andrea | 3 | 1 | Sadiku, Armando |
| Candreva, Antonio | 2 | ||
| De Rossi, Daniele | 1 | ||
| Pelle, Graziano | 1 |
Stats. Here are the last 5 games of ITALY: 3 wins, 2 draws
| 15/11/16 | IFG | Italy – Germany | 0:0 | |
| 12/11/16 | WCQU | Liechtenstein – Italy | 0:4 | 4 |
| 09/10/16 | WCQU | Macedonia – Italy | 2:3 | 3 |
| 06/10/16 | WCQU | Italy – Spain | 1:1 | 2 |
| 05/09/16 | WCQU | Israel – Italy | 1:3 | 1 |
Stats. Here are the last 5 games of ALBANIA: 2 wins, 1 draw, 2 lost
| 12/11/16 | WCQU | Albania – Israel | 0:3 | 4 |
| 09/10/16 | WCQU | Albania – Spain | 0:2 | 3 |
| 06/10/16 | WCQU | Liechtenstein – Albania | 0:2 | 2 |
| 05/09/16 | WCQU | Albania – Macedonia | 2:1 | 1 |
| 31/08/16 | IFG | Albania – Morocco | 0:0 |
Photo: twitter.com/Vivo_Azzurro
Italy official starting lineup against Albania
Italy anthem….. L’Inno di Mameli
Buffon jersey and Captain armband ready to face Albania
Italy forward Andrea Belotti and Albania defender Arlind Ajeti
Photo: facebook.com/pg/NazionaleCalcio
2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifier
Matchday 5
Italy 2 – 0 Albania
Friday 24 March 2017
Renzo Barbera Stadium
Palermo, Italy
20:45
Referee: Slavko Vinčić (SVN)
Assistant referees:
Tomaž Klančnik (SVN) and Andraž Kovacic (SVN)
Fourth official: Matej Jug (SVN)
Goals: 12′ Daniele De Rossi (I)(pen), 80′ Ciro Immobile (I)
Official lineups – formations:
ITALY (4-2-4): Buffon; Zappacosta, Barzagli, Bonucci, De Sciglio; De Rossi, Verratti; Candreva, Immobile, Belotti, Insigne.
Coach: Giampiero Ventura
ALBANIA (4-3-3): Strakosha; Hysaj, Veseli, Ajeti, Agolli; Basha, Kukeli, Memushaj; Lila, Cikalleshi, Roshi.
Coach: Gianni De Biasi
