Italy win over Moldova; Croatia thrash Czech Republic 5-1
PA Media/dpa
London
Luciano Spalletti finished his spell as Italy manager with a 2-0 win over Moldova to get their first points of the World Cup qualifying campaign.
Former Napoli boss Spalletti had announced on Sunday that the Group I fixture in Reggio Emilia would be his last, having seen his side slump to a 3-0 defeat away Norway in their opening game.
Moldova had an early header from Ion Nicolaescu ruled out offside following a video assistant referee review.
Italy broke the deadlock five minutes before half-time through Giacomo Raspadori's strike from the edge of the penalty area and Andrea Cambiaso added another soon after the restart.
Norway strengthened their position at the top of the table with a 1-0 win away over Estonia to maintain their perfect start through four games. Manchester City forward Erling Haaland got the only goal just after the hour.
Belgium started their Group J campaign with a battling 4-3 win over Wales in Brussels - where the visitors had fought back from 3-0 down.
Romelu Lukaku put the hosts ahead from the penalty spot in the 15th minute.
Belgium captain Youri Tielemans added a second just four minutes later before Jeremy Doku curled in a third.
Wales reduced the deficit from Harry Wilson's penalty in added time at the end of the first half.
Stoke winger Sorba Thomas made it 3-2 early in the second half, scoring his first senior international goal, before Spurs forward Brennan Johnson headed Wales level with 20 minutes left.
Belgium thought they had scored a late winner through Lukaku - but the goal was eventually chalked off following a lengthy VAR review because the ball had gone out in the build-up.
There, was, though no reprieve for Wales when Kevin De Bruyne volleyed in at the far post with two minutes of normal time remaining.
North Macedonia sit a point clear of Wales after a first-half goal from Aleksandar Trajkovski secured a 1-0 win away to Kazakhstan.
Croatia thrashed the Czech Republic 5-1 in Osijek to make it two wins from two in Group L.
After Manchester City defender Josko Gvardiol saw his early goal from a free-kick ruled out for offside, Andrej Kramaric broke the deadlock three minutes before half-time.
Czech captain Tomas Soucek headed in an equaliser just before the hour from a corner.
Luka Modric, though, swiftly put Croatia back in front from the spot with Ivan Perisic adding a third in the 68th minute.
Croatia - who had thumped Gibraltar 7-0 on Friday - then put the result beyond doubt with two goals in the space of three minutes.
Ante Budimir converted another penalty before Kramaric slotted in a fifth.
The Czech Republic remain top, having suffered a first loss after three straight wins.
The Faroe Islands came from behind to beat Gibraltar 2-1 in Torshavn with a late goal from Patrik Johannesen.
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