"Needing a miracle to qualify directly for World Cup 2026, Italy travel to Chisinau to face Group I's bottom side Moldova in their penultimate qualifier on Thursday evening. The Azzurri are already assured of a top-two finish, but with Norway holding a strong advantage, Gennaro Gattuso's men must hope for a perfect finish and a major slip-up elsewhere to have any chance of topping the group."
"Back-to-back victories last month confirmed Italy's place in at least the play-offs, with their 3-0 win over Israel seeing striker Mateo Retegui continue his fine form in front of goal. Since Gattuso's appointment in the summer, Italy have won four straight matches, scoring 16 times and conceding just once, form that has restored some belief after the disappointment of missing the last two World Cups. Even so, overtaking Norway remains highly unlikely."
Italy travel to Chisinau needing an unlikely sequence of perfect results and a Norway collapse to top Group I, although a top-two finish is already secured. Recent form under Gennaro Gattuso includes four straight wins, 16 goals scored and one conceded, and back-to-back victories secured at least a play-off berth with Mateo Retegui in strong scoring form. Overtaking Norway remains improbable due to their earlier 3-0 win and superior goal difference. Moldova sit bottom, winless in six matches but earned a 1-1 draw against Estonia under new coach Lilian Popescu, who seeks further signs of resilience.
Read at 101GREATGOALS.COM
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