Willie Collum has been handed another vote of confidence by Uefa after the controversial referee was selected to oversee Italy’s trip to Azerbaijan.
Advertisement
Croatia was also deducted a point for the swastika incident.
The hosts’ slim hopes of a comeback were dashed when Huseynov was dismissed for a last-man challenge on substitute Sebastian Giovinco, who hit the bar with the free-kick.
Italy top the standings on 18 points after eight matchdays, two points clear of Norway, who travel to the former next week.
Holland finish their campaign at home to the Czechs on Tuesday while Turkey are at home to Iceland. A win here will guarantee them a place at next summer’s European Championship, which is likely having overcome Azerbaijan on each of their last three meetings. Croatia are ahead of us in the Federation Internationale de Football Association rankings but we are ahead of them in the group standings. “These are mechanisms that I have a hard time understanding”.
Italy players celebrate after qualifying for Euro 2016.
Gianluigi Buffon says Italy have no excuses not to secure qualification for Euro 2016 when they take on Azerbaijan on Saturday.
Matteo Darmian has described scoring his first goal for Italy on Saturday night as “pure joy”. He also has six goals in seven Serie A matches this season for Sampdoria.
Antonio Conte’s side preserved their unbeaten record in qualifying fixtures, which spans back to 2006, but had to respond when Dmitri Nazarov levelled the scores at 1-1 in the 31st minute.
Italy regained the lead two minutes before the break when a good move involving Graziano Pelle and Antonio Candreva ended with Stephan El Shaarawy planting the ball into an empty met.
Team unity was clearly a problem at last year’s World Cup in Brazil, where Balotelli’s personality and actions came into conflict with that of the squad’s veterans.
Against the Azeris, Pelle proved a fine foil to the quicker Eder, who would have had a brace but for a goal-line clearance from Rashad Sadygov.
Advertisement
Azerbaijan gave away their third four minutes alter when Darmian got behind a loose ball on the edge of the Azerbaijan area and struck a right-footed bullet strike out of Aghayev’s reach and into the left corner for his first Italy goal.
