Overview
- Italy beat Moldova 2-0 in Chisinau with goals from Gianluca Mancini in the 88th minute and Francesco Esposito in stoppage time after prolonged frustration from traveling supporters.
- Fans began booing in the 73rd minute at 0-0, prompting coach Gennaro Gattuso to call the heckling a shame and to urge unity behind the squad.
- Norway won its parallel match against Estonia to stay three points clear with a vastly superior goal difference, leaving Italy needing an extraordinary swing to top the group.
- Italy is now expected to seek a World Cup place via March 2026 playoffs that will be decided in mini-tournaments with a semifinal and final, a route that has undone the Azzurri in the 2018 and 2022 cycles.
- Gattuso also criticized the qualification format, noting past editions allowed top European runners-up to qualify directly and arguing that structural changes have raised the bar.