Analysis and prediction for Italy vs Moldova: The Azzurri unleash their anger on the underdog.
The World Cup qualifying match between Italy and Moldova will take place at 1:45 AM on June 10th. Nghe An Newspaper analyzes the teams' form, provides football commentary, and predicts the score.
Latest team news for Italy vs Moldova
Although coach Luciano Spalletti confirmed he would continue using the 3-5-2 formation, he also stated he would make personnel changes after the humiliating defeat against Norway.
New faces like Andrea Cambiaso, Samuele Ricci, and Davide Frattesi could be included in the starting lineup to revitalize the team's playing style.
Spalletti's initial plans were significantly affected when striker Moise Kean (Fiorentina) and midfielder Manuel Locatelli (Juventus), along with defenders Riccardo Calafiori, Alessandro Buongiorno, and Matteo Gabbia, withdrew; Francesco Acerbi refused to return, claiming he felt disrespected.
New signing Diego Coppola didn't perform well when he was unexpectedly given a starting place in a three-man defense in the previous game, and it remains unclear who will be guarding the goal against captain Gianluigi Donnarumma on Monday.
On Moldova's side, they will be without winger Maxim Cojocaru (Otelul Galati) due to suspension after receiving a red card in the match against Estonia in March.
Torino's young talent Sergiu Perciun – who recently made his international debut against Poland – could be a starter upon his return to Italy, where veteran midfielder Artur Ionita spent most of his career.
Up front, striker Ion Nicolaescu – Moldova's greatest goalscorer in history with 17 goals – will be supported by Mihail Caimacov (Slaven Belupo).
Latest predicted lineups for Italy vs Moldova
Italy:Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Ranieri, Bastoni; Cambiaso, Frattesi, Ricci, Tonali, Udogie; Raspadori, Retegui
Moldova:Avram; Platica, Posmac, Baboglo, Mudrac, Reabciuk; Caicamov, Motpan, Rata, Ionita; Nicolaescu
Latest football match prediction: Italy vs Moldova
Despite dominating possession at the Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo, the Italian team responded weakly, falling three goals behind to Norway in the first half of their opening Group I match, allowing their opponents to consolidate their top spot in the group.
Constantly punished by counter-attacks, the Azzurri posed almost no threat in attack, with substitute striker Lorenzo Lucca's header in injury time being the only shot on target in the match.
Despite having seven games in hand, the chances of securing direct qualification for next year's tournament have become slim, as Spalletti's team is now 9 points behind Norway – even with two games remaining.
With Estonia and Moldova virtually outmatched, Italy may have to battle Israel for a play-off spot, and the risk of missing out on the World Cup for the third consecutive time is very real.
Their last appearance at the world's most prestigious tournament was in 2014, where they were eliminated in the group stage. As four-time champions, Italy are desperate to be at the World Cup next summer.
After being eliminated by Sweden on their way to Russia 2018 and suffering a bitter defeat against North Macedonia in the 2022 World Cup play-offs, history is becoming a heavy burden for coach Spalletti.
The former Napoli coach could even be sacked, as he revealed he will meet with the Italian Football Federation after Monday's match in Reggio Emilia – a must-win game.
Following their early exit from EURO 2024 and a defeat in the UEFA Nations League quarter-finals, their latest slip-up against Norway marks another bad moment in Italy's slump, and they are forced to redeem themselves at the Mapei Stadium.
Moldova are, of course, considered the underdogs when they travel to Sassuolo's stadium – a newly promoted Serie A club – especially given their record against Italy.
The "Tricolorii" have lost all four of their previous World Cup qualifying matches against Italy, with a combined score of 2-9. In their most recent encounter – a friendly five years ago – they suffered an even heavier 0-6 defeat.
Sitting alongside Italy at the bottom of Group I with 0 points, Moldova opened their campaign with a 0-5 defeat against Norway, followed by a 2-3 loss at home to Estonia.
Previously, they ended 2024 with a 1-1 draw against Gibraltar, followed by a 0-2 defeat in a friendly against Poland last Friday.
A victory against Italy would be even more impactful than their 3-2 win against Poland in the EURO 2024 qualifiers, and Moldova can hope to capitalize on the pressure mounting on the home side.
Latest Italy vs Moldova score prediction
Based on the above football analysis, we and leading football websites worldwide have provided our predictions for the match.Italy vs Moldovaas follows:
- Sportsmole:Italy 3-0 Moldova
- WhoScore:Italy 4-1 Moldova
- Our newspaper predicts:Italy 3-0 Moldova
When and where can I watch Italy vs Moldova live?
To watch the Italy vs Moldova match live in the World Cup qualifiers, taking place at 1:45 AM on June 10th, viewers can tune in to the following channels:K+ Sport,K+PMor online sports channels. We hope you enjoy watching football.
