World Cup Qualifying - European - Group C
SwitzerlandSwitzerland0ItalyItaly0

Italy draw to equal international unbeaten record, plus big wins for Germany and Spain

Jorginho sees his penalty saved by Yann Sommer in Basel
Chelsea midfielder Jorginho saw his second-half penalty saved by Swiss keeper Yann Sommer in Basel

Italy equalled the international record of 36 unbeaten games but were held to a draw in Switzerland that keeps World Cup qualifying Group C in the balance.

The European champions were the better side but also wasteful, with Jorginho seeing a second-half penalty saved.

Roberto Mancini's side top the group with 10 points, four points ahead of the second-placed Swiss but having played two matches more.

Elsewhere, Germany and Spain both recorded big wins to top their groups.

And that is where Italy find themselves after securing a second successive draw, but one that gives them a place in the record books, ahead of the 35-game run of Spain (2007-09) and level with the 36 games without defeat set by Brazil between 1993 and 1996.

Chelsea midfielder Jorginho's spot-kick was the Azzurri's golden chance to seal the win and return to winning ways after their disappointing 1-1 home draw with Bulgaria on Thursday.

But his effort was saved by Yann Sommer, who guessed correctly to block down to his left after Domenico Berardi had been fouled by Ricardo Rodriguez.

The next Group C games are on Wednesday, with Italy hosting winless Lithuania and Switzerland travelling to face the side placed third in the group, Northern Ireland.

Germany and Spain rediscover their edge

After labouring to a 2-0 win over Liechtenstein on Thursday, Germany rediscovered their ruthless edge in a 6-0 demolition of Armenia to reassert their authority in Group J.

Serge Gnabry netted twice in the opening 15 minutes and Marco Reus and Timo Werner both scored before the break as they dismantled the Armenian defence.

Jonas Hofmann added a fifth seven minutes after the break with a low bouncing drive, and substitute Karim Adeyemi put the icing on the cake with a goal on his international debut in stoppage time.

The win means the Germans leapfrog Armenia to the top of the group, with their visitors now two points behind in second spot. Romania are third on nine points, one ahead of North Macedonia.

Spain got back to winning ways as they thrashed Georgia 4-0 to go top of Group B, although their place remains a precarious one.

Luis Enrique's side have 10 points from five games but have played two more than second-placed Sweden, who have a 100% win record from their three matches, which includes Thursday's 2-1 win over the Spanish.

On Sunday, Jose Gaya, Carlos Soler and Ferran Torres put the hosts in control as they showed no hangover from that loss in Solna - their first World Cup qualifying defeat in 28 years.

Pablo Sarabia added another after the break as Luis Enrique's side cruised to three points.

Line-ups

Switzerland

Formation 4-3-2-1

  • 1Sommer
  • 3Widmer
  • 5Akanji
  • 4ElvediBooked at 68mins
  • 13RodríguezSubstituted forGarcíaat 63'minutes
  • 20AebischerBooked at 59mins
  • 10FreiBooked at 87mins
  • 15SowBooked at 6minsSubstituted forZakariaat 63'minutes
  • 11SteffenSubstituted forFassnachtat 71'minutes
  • 14ZuberSubstituted forVargasat 63'minutes
  • 9SeferovicSubstituted forZeqiriat 86'minutes

Substitutes

  • 2García
  • 6Zakaria
  • 7Zeqiri
  • 8Lauper
  • 12Mvogo
  • 16Fassnacht
  • 17Ndoye
  • 18Vargas
  • 19Lotomba
  • 21Kobel
  • 22Schär
  • 23Zesiger

Italy

Formation 4-3-3

  • 21G Donnarumma
  • 2Di Lorenzo
  • 19Bonucci
  • 3ChielliniBooked at 41mins
  • 13Emerson
  • 18BarellaSubstituted forPessinaat 90'minutes
  • 8Jorginho
  • 5LocatelliSubstituted forVerrattiat 77'minutes
  • 11BerardiSubstituted forChiesaat 59'minutes
  • 17ImmobileSubstituted forZanioloat 59'minutes
  • 10InsigneSubstituted forRaspadoriat 90'minutes

Substitutes

  • 1Sirigu
  • 4Calabria
  • 6Verratti
  • 7Pellegrini
  • 9Raspadori
  • 12Pessina
  • 14Chiesa
  • 15Tolói
  • 16Cristante
  • 20Gollini
  • 22Zaniolo
  • 23Bastoni
Referee:
Carlos del Cerro Grande
Attendance:
31,500

Match Stats

Home TeamSwitzerlandAway TeamItaly
Possession
Home48%
Away52%
Shots
Home8
Away10
Shots on Target
Home2
Away7
Corners
Home8
Away2
Fouls
Home16
Away7

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Switzerland 0, Italy 0.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Switzerland 0, Italy 0.

  3. Post update

    Foul by Nicolò Zaniolo (Italy).

  4. Post update

    Nico Elvedi (Switzerland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  5. Post update

    Corner, Italy. Conceded by Ulisses García.

  6. Substitution

    Substitution, Italy. Giacomo Raspadori replaces Lorenzo Insigne.

  7. Substitution

    Substitution, Italy. Matteo Pessina replaces Nicolò Barella.

  8. Post update

    Corner, Switzerland. Conceded by Leonardo Bonucci.

  9. Booking

    Fabian Frei (Switzerland) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  10. Post update

    Federico Chiesa (Italy) wins a free kick on the right wing.

  11. Post update

    Foul by Fabian Frei (Switzerland).

  12. Substitution

    Substitution, Switzerland. Andi Zeqiri replaces Haris Seferovic.

  13. Post update

    Attempt saved. Denis Zakaria (Switzerland) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.

  14. Post update

    Corner, Switzerland. Conceded by Gianluigi Donnarumma.

  15. Post update

    Attempt saved. Denis Zakaria (Switzerland) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Silvan Widmer.

  16. Post update

    Corner, Italy. Conceded by Denis Zakaria.

  17. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Federico Chiesa (Italy) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Nicolò Barella.

  18. Post update

    Foul by Nicolò Zaniolo (Italy).

  19. Post update

    Nico Elvedi (Switzerland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  20. Post update

    Offside, Italy. Lorenzo Insigne tries a through ball, but Nicolò Barella is caught offside.

Scores, Results & Fixtures

Sunday 5th September 2021

As It Stood

A

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Serbia4310116510
2Portugal431084410
3Luxembourg420258-36
4R. of Ireland401347-31
5Azerbaijan401336-31

B

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Spain5311115610
2Sweden33006159
3Kosovo411237-44
4Greece30303303
5Georgia501429-71

C

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Italy532071611
2Switzerland32104137
3Bulgaria512236-35
4Northern Ireland31114314
5Lithuania400418-70

D

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1France52306339
2Finland31204315
3Ukraine50506605
4Bos-Herze302134-12
5Kazakhstan402236-32

E

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Belgium54102041613
2Czech Rep52128717
3Wales32015506
4Belarus4103614-83
5Estonia3003615-90

F

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Denmark55001701715
2Israel5311146810
3Scotland52218538
4Austria5212912-37
5Faroe Islands5014213-111
6Moldova5014216-141

G

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Turkey5320157811
2Netherlands53111651110
3Norway531174310
4Montenegro521289-17
5Latvia5113710-34
6Gibraltar5005220-180

H

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Football Union of Russia531184410
2Croatia531151410
3Slovenia52124407
4Slovakia51315506
5Malta511369-34
6Cyprus511316-54

I

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1England55001711615
2Poland53111871110
3Albania530256-19
4Hungary521210917
5Andorra5104312-93
6San Marino5005119-180

J

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Germany54011321112
2Armenia531168-210
3Romania53029639
4North Macedonia522111658
5Iceland5113610-44
6Liechtenstein5005114-130
View full World Cup Qualifying - European tables

Top Stories

Elsewhere on the BBC