Italy vs Malta, 2016 European Championship Qualifying, Group Stage 2016

Graziano Pelle's goal saves Italy's blushes in tight win

Italy moved to the top of Euro 2016 qualifying Group H thanks to a 1-0 victory over Malta in Florence.

• 0': Game on!
• 2': Andrei Agius commits a foul on Graziano Pellé resulting on a free kick for Italy
• 3': Andrea Pirlo takes a direct freekick with his right foot from the left channel. Outcome: shot
• 3': Andrea Pirlo drills a good right footed shot. Outcome: hit wall
• 3': Andrea Pirlo takes the corner kick from the left byline with his right foot and hits an inswinger to the centre, resulting in: save
• 3': Andrew Hogg makes a very good save (Punch)
• 5': Clayton Failla commits a foul on Manolo Gabbiadini resulting on a free kick for Italy
• 5': Andrea Pirlo takes a direct freekick with his right foot from the right channel. Outcome: pass
• 6': Giorgio Chiellini commits a foul on Alfred Effiong resulting on a free kick for Malta
• 6': Alex Muscat takes a direct freekick with his right foot from his own half. Outcome: open play
• 6': Throw-in: Andrei Agius takes it (Defending)
• 7': Throw-in: Andrei Agius takes it (Attacking)
• 7': Throw-in: Matteo Darmian takes it (Attacking)
• 10': Manuel Pasqual crosses the ball. Outcome: save
• 11': Andrew Hogg makes a good save (Catch)
• 12': Rowen Muscat commits a foul on Giorgio Chiellini resulting on a free kick for Italy
• 12': Andrea Pirlo takes a direct freekick with his right foot from the left wing. Outcome: pass
• 12': Throw-in: Manuel Pasqual takes it (Attacking)
• 14': Graziano Pellé drills a good right footed shot. Outcome: blocked
• 15': Zach Muscat blocks the shot
• 15': Andrea Pirlo takes the corner kick from the right byline with his right foot and hits an outswinger to the out of play, resulting in: out of play
• 16': Leonardo Bonucci commits a foul on Andre Schembri resulting on a free kick for Malta
• 16': Steve Borg takes a direct freekick with his right foot from his own half. Outcome: pass
• 16': Leonardo Bonucci commits a foul on Andre Schembri resulting on a free kick for Malta
• 17': Clayton Failla takes a direct freekick with his right foot from the left channel. Outcome: pass
• 17': Rowen Muscat drills a good right footed shot. Outcome: save
• 17': Gianluigi Buffon makes a good save (Catch)
• 19': Graziano Pellé commits a foul on Andrei Agius resulting on a free kick for Malta
• 19': Andrew Hogg takes a direct freekick with his right foot from his own half. Outcome: open play
• 20': Andre Schembri commits a foul on Andrea Pirlo resulting on a free kick for Italy
• 20': Andrea Pirlo takes a direct freekick with his right foot from the left channel. Outcome: cross
• 21': Andrea Pirlo crosses the ball. Outcome: save
• 21': Andrew Hogg makes a good save (Catch)
• 22': Throw-in: Matteo Darmian takes it (Attacking)
• 22': Andrew Hogg takes a long goal kick
• 23': Zach Muscat commits a foul on Giorgio Chiellini resulting on a free kick for Italy
• 23': Giorgio Chiellini takes a direct freekick with his right foot from his own half. Outcome: pass
• 24': Graziano Pellé hits a good header, but it is off target. Outcome: over bar
• 24': Andrea Pirlo takes the corner kick from the left byline with his right foot and hits an inswinger to the centre, resulting in: shot
• 24': Andrew Hogg takes a long goal kick
• 24': Throw-in: Matteo Darmian takes it (Attacking)
• 25': Throw-in: Alex Muscat takes it (Defending)
• 26': Throw-in: Alex Muscat takes it (Attacking)
• 28': Paul Fenech takes the corner kick from the right byline with his right foot and passes it to a teammate resulting in: open play
• 28': Clayton Failla drills a good left footed shot, but it is off target. Outcome: over bar
• 28': Gianluigi Buffon takes a long goal kick
• 29': Alfred Effiong curls a good right footed shot, but it is off target. Outcome: miss right
• 30': Gianluigi Buffon takes a long goal kick
• 30': Throw-in: Andrea Bertolacci takes it (Attacking)
• 30': Citadin Eder crosses the ball. Outcome: save
• 30': Andrew Hogg makes a very good save (Punch)
• 31': Clayton Failla commits a foul on Manolo Gabbiadini resulting on a free kick for Italy
• 31': Andrea Pirlo takes a direct freekick with his right foot from the right byline. Outcome: cross
• 31': Andrea Pirlo crosses the ball. Outcome: open play
• 32': Andrew Hogg takes a long goal kick
• 33': Throw-in: Alex Muscat takes it (Defending)
• 33': Andrea Pirlo takes the corner kick from the right byline with his right foot and hits an outswinger to the near post, resulting in: clearance
• 33': Rowen Muscat clears the ball from danger.
• 34': Steve Borg commits a foul on Manuel Pasqual resulting on a free kick for Italy
• 35': Andrea Pirlo takes a direct freekick with his right foot from his own half. Outcome: pass
• 35': Throw-in: Alex Muscat takes it (Attacking)
• 35': Throw-in: Giorgio Chiellini takes it (Defending)
• 35': Paul Fenech commits a foul on Marco Verratti resulting on a free kick for Italy
• 35': Paul Fenech is awarded a yellow card. Reason: unsporting behaviour
• 35': Andrea Pirlo takes a direct freekick with his right foot from the right wing. Outcome: open play
• 36': Andrea Bertolacci drills a left footed shot that gets deflected. Outcome: miss right
• 36': Andrea Pirlo takes the corner kick from the right byline with his right foot and passes it to a teammate resulting in: open play
• 39': Citadin Eder drills a good right footed shot, but it is off target. Outcome: miss left
• 39': Andrew Hogg takes a long goal kick
• 40': Andrea Bertolacci commits a foul on Paul Fenech resulting on a free kick for Malta
• 40': Andrew Hogg takes a direct freekick with his right foot from his own half. Outcome: open play
• 40': Rowen Muscat commits a foul on Marco Verratti resulting on a free kick for Italy
• 40': Andrea Pirlo takes a direct freekick with his right foot from the right channel. Outcome: open play
• 41': Throw-in: Manuel Pasqual takes it (Attacking)
• 43': Throw-in: Manuel Pasqual takes it (Attacking)
• 43': Andrea Pirlo takes the corner kick from the right byline with his right foot and hits an outswinger to the centre, resulting in: clearance
• 44': Andre Schembri clears the ball from danger.
• 44': Throw-in: Andrew Hogg takes it (Attacking)
• 44': Throw-in: Steve Borg takes it (Defending)
• 45': Throw-in: Steve Borg takes it (Defending)
• 45': The referee has signaled the end of the first half
• 45'+1': Graziano Pellé hits a good right footed shot, but it is off target. Outcome: miss left
• 45'+1': Andrew Hogg takes a long goal kick
• 45'+2': Throw-in: Manuel Pasqual takes it (Attacking)
• 45'+2': Alfred Effiong commits a foul on Giorgio Chiellini resulting on a free kick for Italy
• 45'+2': Giorgio Chiellini takes a direct freekick with his right foot from his own half. Outcome: pass
• 45': The second half is under way
• 47': Marco Verratti commits a foul on Andre Schembri resulting on a free kick for Malta
• 48': Andrew Hogg takes a direct freekick with his right foot from his own half. Outcome: pass
• 48': Throw-in: Clayton Failla takes it (Attacking)
• 48': Andrew Hogg takes a long goal kick
• 49': Throw-in: Clayton Failla takes it (Attacking)
• 50': Andrea Pirlo commits a foul on Rowen Muscat resulting on a free kick for Malta
• 50': Clayton Failla takes a direct freekick with his right foot from his own half. Outcome: pass
• 50': Throw-in: Matteo Darmian takes it (Attacking)
• 51': Paul Fenech commits a foul on Andrea Pirlo resulting on a free kick for Italy
• 52': Andrea Pirlo takes a direct freekick with his right foot from the right channel. Outcome: pass
• 52': Matteo Darmian hits a good right footed shot. Outcome: blocked
• 52': Steve Borg blocks the shot
• 55': Leonardo Bonucci commits a foul on Alfred Effiong resulting on a free kick for Malta
• 55': Clayton Failla takes a direct freekick with his right foot from the right channel. Outcome: pass
• 55': Italy makes a sub: Marco Parolo enters for Andrea Bertolacci. Reason: Tactical
• 56': Gianluigi Buffon takes a short goal kick
• 56': Matteo Darmian crosses the ball. Outcome: open play
• 59': Manolo Gabbiadini curls a good left footed shot, but it is off target. Outcome: hit post
• 59': Andrew Hogg takes a long goal kick
• 62': Matteo Darmian crosses the ball. Outcome: open play
• 62': Graziano Pellé drills a good right footed shot, but it is off target. Outcome: miss left
• 64': Italy makes a sub: Antonio Candreva enters for Manolo Gabbiadini. Reason: Injury
• 66': Throw-in: Andrei Agius takes it (Defending)
• 67': Antonio Candreva crosses the ball. Outcome: clearance
• 67': Steve Borg clears the ball from danger.
• 68': Throw-in: Matteo Darmian takes it (Attacking)
• 69': That last goal was assisted by Antonio Candreva (Cross from Right Wing)
• 69': Graziano Pellé hits a good right footed shot. Outcome: goal
• 69': Goal!! Graziano Pellé hits a very good header to the upper right corner from the centre penalty area (aprox. 12 yards) and scores!! Italy now leads 1 - 0
• 73': Malta makes a sub: Bjorn Kristensen enters for Andre Schembri. Reason: Tactical
• 75': Andrew Hogg takes a long goal kick
• 76': Zach Muscat commits a foul on Marco Parolo resulting on a free kick for Italy
• 76': Giorgio Chiellini takes a direct freekick with his right foot from his own half. Outcome: pass
• 77': Italy makes a sub: Roberto Soriano enters for Marco Verratti. Reason: Tactical
• 79': Marco Parolo curls a good right footed shot. Outcome: save
• 79': Andrew Hogg makes a very good save (Round Post)
• 79': Andrea Pirlo takes the corner kick from the right byline with his right foot and passes it to a teammate resulting in: open play
• 80': Andrew Hogg takes a long goal kick
• 81': Andrea Pirlo takes the corner kick from the right byline with his right foot and hits an outswinger to the centre, resulting in: open play
• 82': Citadin Eder hits a good right footed shot, but it is off target. Outcome: miss right
• 83': Andrew Hogg takes a long goal kick
• 88': Antonio Candreva is awarded a yellow card. Reason: unsporting behaviour
• 89': Throw-in: Manuel Pasqual takes it (Defending)
• 90': The referee has signaled the end of the second half
• 90': End of the game
• 90'+1': Malta makes a sub: Gareth Sciberras enters for Roderick Briffa. Reason: Tactical
• 90'+4': Malta makes a sub: Michael Mifsud enters for Alfred Effiong. Reason: Tactical