Italy earns much-needed win in World Cup qualifying in parting gift for Spalletti
With a parting gift for Luciano Spalletti, Italy beat Moldova 2-0 on Monday for its first points in the beleaguered national team's attempt to reach the World Cup for the first time since 2014.
Spalletti was informed ahead of the game in Reggio Emilia that he would be losing his job as Italy coach in the wake of the team's 3-0 loss in Norway last week, which marked a dreadful way to begin its qualifying campaign for the 2026 World Cup.
Goals by Giacomo Raspadiro and Andrea Cambiaso meant Spalletti at least departed with a victory. Yet the Azzurri remained in a perilous position in Group I, with Norway beating Estonia 1-0 — thanks to Erling Haaland's 62nd-minute goal — to make it four wins from four halfway through qualifying.
Italy stayed nine points behind Norway — albeit having played two fewer matches — and might have missed a good chance to rack up some goals to boost its goal difference.
Only the top team from each of the 12 groups qualifies automatically for next year's expanded 48-team tournament in North America. The runners-up go into the playoffs — the stage where Italy was eliminated by Sweden and North Macedonia to miss out on the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, respectively, in a humiliation for one of Europe's traditional powers.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
29 minutes ago
- USA Today
Argentina vs. Colombia: Where to watch, TV channel, live stream
Argentina vs. Colombia: Where to watch, TV channel, live stream Show Caption Hide Caption lionel-messi-fifa-club-world-cup-michelob-ultra-TV-commercial Soccer superstar Lionel Messi appears in a new Michelob Ultra TV commercia for the FIFA Club World Cup. Argentina will host a struggling Colombia side in a World Cup qualifier on Tuesday in Buenos Aires. The defending World Cup champions have already qualified for the 2026 edition, and have also clinched first place in the CONMEBOL table after a 1-0 win at Chile on Thursday. Argentina, which enters this match on a four-game win streak in qualifying, will be seeking some revenge after losing 2-1 to Colombia in the reverse fixture in September. Watch Argentina vs. Colombia on Prime Video For Colombia, that win represented a high point of its qualifying campaign. Since that game, Los Cafeteros have won just one in seven. That run includes a frustrating 0-0 draw at home against struggling Peru on Friday. Colombia enters this match holding onto sixth place, the final automatic qualifying position. Venezuela is three points back in an intercontinental playoff spot. Here is everything you need to know ahead of the game. Argentina vs. Colombia (CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying) When: Tuesday, June 10 Tuesday, June 10 Where: Estadio Mâs Monumental (Buenos Aires, Argentina) Estadio Mâs Monumental (Buenos Aires, Argentina) Time: 8 p.m. ET 8 p.m. ET Channel/streaming: Fubo, ViX (Watch on Prime Video) We recommend interesting sports viewing/streaming and betting opportunities. If you sign up for a service by clicking one of the links, we may earn a referral fee. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage
Yahoo
41 minutes ago
- Yahoo
West Indies' top T20 batter pulls up stumps
Nicholas Pooran, West Indies' Twenty20 record-holder for runs and appearances, has announced his retirement from international cricket. The 29-year-old played 106 T20s for 2275 runs at an average of 26.14. He also played 61 one-day internationals, including three centuries and one World Cup. "Wearing that maroon, standing for the anthem, and giving everything I had each time I stepped on the field ... it's hard to put into words what that truly means to me," the left-handed wicketkeeper batter posted on Instagram. "To have led the team as captain is a privilege I will always hold close to my heart." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nicholas Pooran (@nicholaspooran) Pooran was suspended briefly in late 2019 after admitting to ball-tampering against Afghanistan, and overcame that to be named T20 vice captain about 18 months later for a tour by Australia. But he became captain when Kieron Pollard couldn't play, and led the team to a 4-1 series win. In 2022, the Trinidadian was named the permanent white-ball skipper and took the team to that year's T20 World Cup in Australia, but in fallout from a first-round elimination he resigned. He starred when West Indies hosted the T20 World Cup last year, overtaking Chris Gayle as the team's all-time leading scorer, and hitting his highest T20 score, 98 against Afghanistan. It is understood Pooran told Cricket West Indies of his retirement on Monday and the decision will allow him to concentrate on playing in lucrative franchise leagues. From a young boy with a dream to wear the Maroon, to a global star inspiring millions — WI thank you, Nicky P. 🙏🏽 — Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) June 9, 2025 Pooran had already skipped the ongoing T20 series against England to rest following his time playing for Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League. He also has deals in Major League Cricket and The Hundred this summer. Cricket West Indies praised Pooran as a game-changer, and with "sincere gratitude and appreciation ... for his outstanding contributions. His performances on the field and influence within the team have made a lasting impact on West Indies cricket." He last played for West Indies in December 2024 in T20s against Bangladesh, but has not played an ODI since July 2023 and does not play Tests.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Socceroos embrace Saudi challenge with World Cup spot tantalisingly close
The reputation he has cultivated may be austere, but Tony Popovic isn't made of stone. So when Aziz Behich scored what will go down as one of the more famous goals in Socceroos history last week, there was scope to celebrate and enjoy the moment amid a late night back at the team hotel. Players and coaches stayed up to see if Bahrain would do them a favour by taking points off Saudi Arabia, but when the Green Falcons secured a 2-0 win in Riffa, focus shifted to getting to bed, recovery and the task that awaited them in Jeddah. As Neil Warnock once said: 'By all means enjoy it, but enjoy it by being fucking disciplined.' Related: Not pretty, not fun but Socceroos slog ends with miraculous win amid late drama | Joey Lynch Advertisement Five days on, as Australia's men prepare to face Saudi Arabia at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium with a spot in the World Cup on the line, there are scant signs of any kind of physical or mental hangover from that evening in Perth. Largely restricted to their accommodations overlooking the Red Sea due to the fierce June heat buffeting the city – a heat that feels amplified when bouncing off the vast network of concrete highways and construction sites dotting around – there has been little to distract players from the task at hand. Their lives have become a cycle of rest, recovery, media for the unlucky few, and training. Given they maintain a three-point buffer on Saudi Arabia as well as a healthy advantage in goal difference and goals scored, all they need to do to punch their tickets to North America is to avoid conceding five goals or more. Not a crazy expectation for the equal-second most miserly defence in Asia playing against the equal-second most toothless attack. Yet almost as soon as this fixture was confirmed, none within the Australian camp have been willing to countenance any kind of narrative of complacency, damage limitation, parking of buses, or rearguard actions. The message is that qualification is not yet secured, and that means they're not in Jeddah to manage a draw or narrow loss. The Socceroos are out to win. 'We're going to be just as desperate as they are,' Riley McGree said. 'We want to win, we want to play our best football, and we want to put it beyond doubt as soon as possible. Their desperation will be matched just as much with our desperation and our performance.' Advertisement Saudi coach Hervé Renard, for his part, knows the scale of the task at hand and that, in all likelihood, his side will be forced into a fourth stage of qualification in October. The swelling of the World Cup to 48 teams has removed some of the existential dread that defeat in a game like this – as the Socceroos experienced against the Saudis just over three years ago – may have once carried. 'For a lot of people, we are already in the playoffs in October. This, I feel, is what 99% of the people are thinking,' said Renard. 'So we don't have anything to lose. We just have to be ready to enjoy it and to satisfy our fans.' But this safety net means there is also little to disincentivise his side coming out of the blocks breathing fire, seeking an early goal that would bring the crowd into the game, heap pressure on the Australians, and potentially set the stage for a miraculous turnaround. It's something Socceroos players have noted – the intense pressure they'll likely be under in the opening stages. It is here, perhaps, where the biggest danger lies. The fear is they don't try and play the game but, with the potential reward (or disaster) so significant, get caught up in the sense of occasion. Saudi authorities have made tickets free for the fixture, ensuring the stands will be packed with partisan support and, if there is an early breakthrough, the already cauldron-like stadium could begin to reach boiling point. Advertisement 'That's always challenging. But when you come to this level of football and you're representing your country, these are the challenges that you must face,' said Popovic. 'We've faced many together since I've become the coach… and we have one more now. I'm sure that young boys will embrace it. We have good, experienced players who can help them be ready. 'These are the moments that you want as a footballer. These are moments you want as a nation. We're excited. We embrace the challenge. We want to go to the World Cup. We're in a very good position. And tomorrow night, we understand we have to work extremely hard, but we have an opportunity to go directly to the World Cup, and we're confident that we can finish the job.'
