How did Italy's chances of topping their World Cup qualifying group change after Norway's result?

Italy's hopes of finishing first in Group I were dashed after Norway beat Estonia 4-1 earlier.

Which two Italy players scored the late goals against Moldova?

Defender Gianluca Mancini and substitute Francesco Pio Esposito scored the goals for Italy in the final minutes of the match.

Home / Sports / Italy Secures Playoff Spot Despite Late Win Over Moldova

Italy Secures Playoff Spot Despite Late Win Over Moldova

14 Nov

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Summary

Italy already qualified for World Cup playoffs
Norway beat Estonia 4-1, dashing Italy's hopes of topping group
Italy scored two late goals to beat Moldova 2-0

Italy Secures Playoff Spot Despite Late Win Over Moldova

On November 14, 2025, Italy secured a spot in the World Cup playoffs despite a narrow 2-0 victory over Moldova in their penultimate qualifier. The Azzurri had already qualified for the playoffs, but their hopes of finishing top of Group I were all but mathematically over after Norway had earlier beaten Estonia 4-1.

Italy struggled to break down the Moldovan side, with the game remaining scoreless until the final two minutes. Defender Gianluca Mancini finally broke the deadlock, nodding in a cross to give Italy the lead. Substitute Francesco Pio Esposito then headed home a second goal in stoppage time to seal the win for the visitors.

While the victory keeps Italy in contention for a World Cup spot, they trail group leaders Norway by 17 goals in the goal differential, making it highly unlikely they can overtake them for the automatic qualification spot. Italy will now turn their attention to their final group match against Norway on Sunday, where they will aim to secure a better seeding for the 16-team UEFA playoff.

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