Match ends, Italy 2, Azerbaijan 1.
ItalyItaly2AzerbaijanAzerbaijan1
Defender Giorgio Chiellini scored all three goals as Italy beat Azerbaijan 2-1 for a second straight win in Euro 2016 qualifying Group H.
Chiellini headed in the opener from Andrea Pirlo's cross but then deflected a Dimitrij Nazarov corner into his net.
The Juventus centre-back made amends in the 82nd minute, heading in at the near post to secure a victory that puts the Azzurri top of the standings.
Elsewhere, the Netherlands came from behind to beat 10-man Kazakhstan 3-1.
Renat Abdulin had given Kazakhstan a surprise lead in the Group A match with a diving header from a corner before Klaas-Jan Huntelaar equalised just after the hour with a header.
Kazakhstan were reduced to 10 men when striker Baurzhan Dzholchiyev was sent off two minutes later for a foul on Ibrahim Afellay.
Midfielder Afellay, making his comeback for the national team after an absence of 23 months, then put the Dutch ahead with a 20-yard strike and Robin van Persie converted a last-minute penalty to round off the win.
Netherlands trail joint group leaders Iceland and the Czech Republic by three points in the standings.
Swansea's Gylfi Sigurdsson scored as Iceland claimed a comfortable 3-0 win against 10-man Latvia, who had Artjoms Rudnevs sent off.
Cardiff's Aron Gunnarsson and Rurik Gislason also scored for Iceland.
The Czech Republic, meanwhile, edged Turkey 2-1.
Umut Bulut put hosts Turkey ahead but Tomas Sivok equalised and Borek Dockal fired in the winner.
Kevin De Bruyne and Dries Mertens both scored twice as Belgium recorded a 6-0 victory over Andorra in their first game in Group B.
Tottenham winger Nacer Chadli and Liverpool striker Divock Origi also scored for Marc Wilmots' side.
Belgium are second in the standings, behind Wales who drew 0-0 at home to Bosnia-Hercegovina.
Israel, in third, also have three points after winning 2-1 against Cyprus in Nicosia with Charlton defender Tal Ben Haim on the scoresheet.
Finally, Blackburn's Joshua King scored twice as Norway won 3-0 at Malta in Group H while Croatia won 1-0 in Bulgaria thanks to Nikolay Bodurov's first-half own goal.
The match between Croatia and Bulgaria was interrupted for a few minutes in the first half as rival supporters threw fireworks at each other, while some flares were thrown from the stands.
Line-ups
Italy
Formation 3-5-2
- 1Buffon
- 13Ranocchia
- 19Bonucci
- 3Chiellini
- 20DarmianSubstituted forCandrevaat 81'minutes
- 15FlorenziSubstituted forGiovincoat 77'minutes
- 21PirloBooked at 33minsSubstituted forAquilaniat 73'minutes
- 8Marchisio
- 2De Sciglio
- 7ZazaBooked at 86mins
- 9Immobile
Substitutes
- 4Ogbonna
- 5Verratti
- 6Candreva
- 10Giovinco
- 11Poli
- 12Sirigu
- 14Aquilani
- 16Perin
- 17Pellè
- 18Parolo
- 22Destro
- 23Pasqual
Azerbaijan
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Agayev
- 8QirtimovSubstituted forRamaldanovat 45'minutes
- 6Huseynov
- 14SadigovBooked at 84mins
- 5Allahverdiev
- 2Qarayev
- 19AmirquliyevSubstituted forNadirovat 86'minutes
- 7Oglu Abdullayev
- 10DadashovBooked at 12minsSubstituted forHuseynovat 59'minutes
- 13Nazarov
- 11Aliyev
Substitutes
- 3Ramaldanov
- 4Yunuszada
- 9Qurbanov
- 12Balayev
- 15Ramazanov
- 16Huseynov
- 17Nadirov
- 20Budak
- 21Ilter
- 22Quliyev
- 23Aghayev
- Referee:
- Hüseyin Göçek
Match Stats
Home TeamItalyAway TeamAzerbaijan
- Possession
- Home61%
- Away39%
- Shots
- Home22
- Away2
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away0
- Corners
- Home9
- Away1
- Fouls
- Home20
- Away17
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Italy 2, Azerbaijan 1.
Post update
Offside, Italy. Simone Zaza tries a through ball, but Ciro Immobile is caught offside.
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Sebastian Giovinco (Italy) hits the bar with a right footed shot from outside the box. Assisted by Claudio Marchisio.
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Attempt missed. Simone Zaza (Italy) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Giorgio Chiellini.
Booking
Simone Zaza (Italy) is shown the yellow card.
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Foul by Simone Zaza (Italy).
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Qara Qarayev (Azerbaijan) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Azerbaijan. Vuqar Nadirov replaces Rahid Amirquliyev.
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Foul by Simone Zaza (Italy).
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Kamran Agayev (Azerbaijan) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Booking
Rashad F. Sadigov (Azerbaijan) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Ciro Immobile (Italy) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Rashad F. Sadigov (Azerbaijan).
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Foul by Sebastian Giovinco (Italy).
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Qara Qarayev (Azerbaijan) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Goal!
Goal! Italy 2, Azerbaijan 1. Giorgio Chiellini (Italy) header from the centre of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Sebastian Giovinco with a cross following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Italy. Conceded by Elnur Allahverdiev.
Substitution
Substitution, Italy. Antonio Candreva replaces Matteo Darmian.
Post update
Attempt missed. Leonardo Bonucci (Italy) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Simone Zaza with a headed pass.
