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WC Qualification Europe

Mar 24, 2017 5:57:41 PM

Goals in either half from Daniele De Rossi and Ciro Immobile allowed Gianluigi Buffon and Italy to cruise past Albania in Palermo.

Italy secured a 2-0 World Cup qualifying win over Albania to keep pace at the top of UEFA's Group G as Gianluigi Buffon marked his 1,000th professional appearance with a clean sheet.

Daniele De Rossi's 12th-minute penalty and Ciro Immobile's 72nd-minute header proved decisive for Italy to remain tied with Spain at the group's summit.

It was not all plain sailing for Buffon early on as Albania threatened, but the opener, gifted to De Rossi from the spot, gave Giampiero Ventura's side a foundation to go on and win the game in Palermo.