Italy vs. Azerbaijan: Score, Grades and Reaction from Euro 2016 Qualifier

Giorgio Chiellini netted an unusual hat-trick as Italy defeated Azerbaijan 2-1 in Euro 2016 qualifying on Friday evening at the Stadio Renzo Barbera in Palermo.

Italy dominated possession throughout the match but made hard work of breaking down visiting Azerbaijan. The hosts finally went ahead in the 44th minute via a Chiellini header, but Azerbaijan equalised in the second half as Chiellini bundled the ball into his own net.

Facing an embarrassing draw on home soil, Italy found the winner in the 82nd minute as Chiellini headed in his third goal of the night—the all-important second for his side. Infostrada Sports shared a significant achievement Chiellina accomplished during the match:

With the win, Italy maintained their 100 per cent record in Group H, which they top with Croatia on six points through two matches. 

Up next for Antonio Conte's side is a trip to Malta on Monday, another match the Azzurri will expect to win.

The top two teams in each group qualify automatically for the final Euro 2016 tournament in France.

Antonio Calanni/Associated Press

As expected, Italy dominated possession from the start and quickly set out in search of the opening goal. But the home side probably did not expect to wait quite so long for the breakthrough.

The first big chance arrived in the sixth minute, as Ciro Immobile pounced on a defensive error and set up Claudio Marchisio, who blazed over the bar.

In the 26th minute, Andrea Pirlo picked out Leonardo Bonucci with a corner, but Bonucci's diving header was saved. Eleven minutes later, another Pirlo corner found Andrea Ranocchia, but Ranocchia placed his header over the bar.

Pirlo and Italy wouldn't be denied much longer, however. The opener finally arrived just before half-time, with the veteran playmaker prominently involved.

In the 44th minute, Pirlo curled in yet another corner from the left, picking out the late run of Chiellini. This time, though, Chiellini directed his header on target, past onrushing Azerbaijan goalkeeper Kamran Agayev.

Italy started the second half playing at a higher tempo and nearly found a quick reward in the 47th minute, when Simone Zaza's spectacular overhead kick bounced just wide of the post.

Azzurri goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon saw his first action in the 66th minute, saving comfortably from Dimitrij Nazarov's long-distance shot.

Italy came close in the 68th minute as Zaza poked wide from close range following Matteo Darmian's cross.

Eight minutes later, the hosts paid for that miss as Azerbaijan scored an unlikely equaliser. The chance came from a corner, with Buffon failing to collect the ball in the box. Under pressure from an Azerbaijan attacker, Chiellini bundled into his own net to make it 1-1 in the 77th minute. Anthony Lopopolo highlighted the need for Buffon to improve:

With that, Azerbaijan were on the verge of claiming a famous result on Italian soil. But within six minutes, the Azzurri had restored their lead.

Chiellini was once again the goalscorer, heading into the net at the correct end for the second time on the net. Sebastian Giovinco, who had entered the match as a substitute moments earlier, supplied the assist with a cross from the right.

Italy could breathe a sigh of relief, but the chances weren't finished. Immobile had a goal ruled out in the 85th minute after the referee correctly whistled Zaza for a foul in Azerbaijan's box. Giovinco then hit the crossbar in stoppage time with an excellent curling shot.

This time, though, the near-misses didn't cost Italy. After seeing out stoppage time uneventfully, the Azzurri held on for a hard-fought victory.

Grades

Starting XI	Rating
Substitutes	Rating
Gianluigi Buffon	6.7
Giorgio Chiellini	9.1
Leonardo Bonucci	7.2
Andrea Ranocchia	7.8
Matteo Darmian	7.5
Mattia De Sciglio	7.4
Andrea Pirlo	8.0
Claudio Marchisio	7.5
Alessandro Florenzi	6.6
Ciro Immobile	7.3
Simone Zaza	6.5
Alberto Aquilani (for Pirlo, 73')	6.8
Sebastian Giovinco (for Florenzi, 77')	8.2
Antonio Candreva (for Darmian, 80')	6.5

Post-Match Reaction

Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini (Rai Sport via Football Italia):

"It would’ve been a real shame, as we risked compromising a victory that was fully deserved,” he told Rai Sport following Italy’s 2-1 victory.

"

Considering how we’ve started this new era, it was only right to continue winning and the performance deserved it. We are hard-working and enthusiastic. We made some mistakes in our finishing today, but had the right attitude.

The ball emerged from nowhere and I couldn’t get out of the way. Oh well, I did everything tonight, good and bad!

"

Italy coach Antonio Conte (Rai Sport via Football Italia):

"

We need to be more clinical, more determined and we wasted too much tonight. Zaza and Immobile had chances to score, they combined and worked for the team. I am happy with their approach.

Today we saw a team that man-marked pretty much everyone. If Marchisio’s chance had gone in early on, that would’ve changed the game. Azerbaijan came here to stop us playing and hope to score from a set play. Their plan was actually working! We managed to scrape a small win, but deserved much more.

"