Azerbaijan vs. Italy: Date, Time and Live Stream Info for Euro 2016 Qualifier
Win in Baku and Italy will have qualified for their sixth consecutive European Championships, but earning that win might be tougher than many think.
Although unable to reach Euro 2016, Azerbaijan are unbeaten in four qualification matches since the appointment of former Croatia midfielder Robert Prosinecki, and as they showed last October when they ran the Italians close in a 2-1 defeat, they’ll be tricky opponents.
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Antonio Conte’s mean needed two goals from Giorgio Chiellini (who also scored an own goal) on that evening in Palermo, but with a 48-match unbeaten run in qualifying matches to protect, they’ll already have one eye on the finals in France.
Date: Saturday, October 10
Time: 6 p.m. BST / 1 p.m. ET
Venue: Baki Olimpiya Stadionu, Baku
TV Info: Sky Sports
Live Stream: Sky Sports
Last 6 Results (Qualifiers Only)
Azerbaijan
Lost 6-0 vs. Croatia (Away)
Lost 1-0 vs. Norway (Home)
Won 2-0 vs. Malta (Home)
Drew 0-0 vs. Norway (Away)
Drew 0-0 vs. Croatia (Home)
Drew 2-2 vs. Malta (Away)
Italy
Won 1-0 vs. Malta (Away)
Drew 1-1 vs. Croatia (Home)
Drew 2-2 vs. Bulgaria (Away)
Drew 1-1 vs. Croatia (Away)
Won 1-0 vs. Malta (Home)
Won 1-0 vs. Bulgaria (Home)
Team News
Azerbaijan
Prosinecki has turned to a younger squad ever since inheriting the Azerbaijan job, with the majority of his players playing their club football in their homeland.
Notable exceptions include the Eibar midfielder Eddy Israfilov, as well as Dimitrij Nazarov and Tugrul Erat, who both play their club football in Germany.
Midfielder Rahid Amirguliyev is again set to feature after scoring just his second and third international goals in 45 appearances in the 2-2 draw in Malta last month.
Italy
Italy’s main problem throughout this campaign has been scoring goals, with just 11 managed in their eight matches and more than one goal scored in the same game just three times.
Graziano Pelle, Antonio Candreva and Giorgio Chiellini are the only Italians to have scored more than once in these qualifiers, and all three are in the squad here, although Daniele De Rossi misses out through suspension.
Sebastian Giovinco is back in Conte’s squad, while Sampdoria’s Brazilian-born forward Eder is pushing for a start after scoring six times in seven Serie A appearances this season.
Key Players
Azerbaijan: Kamran Agayev
Goalkeeper Kamran Agayev is likely to be in for a busy evening in Baku, but he’s shown the stomach for a fight recently.
After conceding six goals in a heavy defeat to Croatia last year, Agayev responded with three consecutive clean sheets for the Azeris before conceding twice in the 2-2 draw with Malta last month.
As discussed, Italy haven’t exactly been free-scoring in this campaign, and in the experienced goalkeeper who plays his club football in Turkey, they’ll be facing a man who will be determined to ensure things stay that way.
Italy: Graziano Pelle
Undoubtedly established as his nation’s first-choice centre-forward now, Southampton’s Graziano Pelle saved Italy from embarrassment by bundling home a controversial winner against Malta last month.
The 30-year-old is in terrific form in the Premier League, helping Saints to become the latest team to embarrass Chelsea just before the international break, and as his Italy career continues to blossom, the late bloomer will be looked to for goals in Baku.
Odds (via Odds Shark)
Azerbaijan: 17/2
Italy: 3/10
Draw: 9/2
