World Cup Qualifiers round-up: Italy score injury-time winner against MacedoniaBy AFP Sport
Last Updated: 09/10/16 10:49pm
Lazio striker Ciro Immobile grabbed an injury-time winner as Italy snatched a 3-2 comeback win at Macedonia on Sunday, narrowly avoiding a World Cup qualifying embarrassment.
Italy, who had needed a late penalty to salvage a point against Group G rivals Spain on Thursday, were staring at a shock defeat in Skopje against a Macedonia side ranked a lowly 146 in the world.
Torino striker Andrea Belotti had given Italy a 24th-minute lead, but Ilija Nestorokvski levelled just before the hour mark when he robbed Marco Verratti before tucking the ball past veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.
Two minutes later, Macedonia were ahead when midfielder Ferhan Hasani finished a smart move involving Goran Pandev and Nestorovski.
However, Immobile put Italy back on equal terms at 2-2 with 15 minutes left after good approach work from Verratti and Antonio Candreva, and grabbed a winner with a far-post header at the death.
Italy are second in Group G with seven points but Spain lead the way on goal difference after a deserved 2-0 win over Albania in Shkoder.
Chelsea star Diego Costa tucked away the first on 55 minutes, before Nolito hit the second of the night just three minutes after coming on as a substitute for Vitolo.The only downside for Spain was seeing key defender and skipper Sergio Ramos suffer a left knee injury.
Also in Group G, Israel survived a scare to narrowly beat Liechtenstein 2-1 in Jerusalem.
In Group D, Southampton's Dusan Tadic scored the winner as Serbia beat Austria 3-2 in Belgrade.
Newcastle's Alexsandar Mitrovic had scored Serbia's first two goals in the opening half as his side went top on seven points.
They lead the way on goal difference from the Republic of Ireland who beat Moldova 3-1 in Chisinau.
Euro 2016 semi-finalists Wales were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw by Georgia in Cardiff as their push to reach a first World Cup since 1958 hit a roadblock.
The draw followed a 2-2 stalemate against Austria four days ago as Chris Coleman's side were left to regret not making the most of a host of chances in the first half.
Georgia nearly won the game late on when Valeri Kazaishvili struck the crossbar.
In Group I, Croatia won 1-0 in Finland at Tampere with former Leicester striker Andrej Kramaric scoring the only goal after 18 minutes.
Croatia have seven points and lead on goal difference from Iceland who followed up their come-from-behind 3-2 win over Finland with an impressive a 2-0 victory over Turkey in Reykjavik.
Turkey defender Omer Toprak put through his own goal in the 42nd minute before Alfred Finnbogason added a second just before the break.
Ukraine are third, two points back, after a 3-0 win over Kosovo in a game played at Krakow in Poland.
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