Gattuso Fires Back at Critics as Italy Edges Moldova 2-1 in a Drama-Filled Qualifier

Match Report

Gennaro Gattuso, Italy’s head coach, defended his side’s performance in the tight 2-1 win over Moldova, stressing that he will not tolerate insulting chants aimed at players.

It was hard to spark real enthusiasm in Kishinău, Moldova, especially after Norway defeated Estonia 4-1, a result that confirmed the Azzurri cannot catch Norway at the top of Group Nine.

The game featured several changes, including a 4-4-2 formation, and despite Italy dominating possession and creating opportunities, the intensity faded at times.

The drama intensified when substitutes entered; in the 88th minute Gianluca Mancini headed in, followed by Francesco Espozito’s goal in stoppage time.

Asked about the match and the team’s performance at the post-match press conference, Gattuso said, according to Rai Sport: ‘What do you mean this wasn’t Italy’s best performance? I saw the players controlling the game, and Moldova did not threaten the goal.’

He added: ‘If you’re expecting an 11-1 result like Norway’s against Moldova, that’s not my problem. There are no easy games.’ The stands in Kishinău were sparsely populated, though a small group of fans protested near the end as the scoreline remained at 0-0 for a long spell.

Gattuso continued: ‘I feel sorry for what I heard from the crowd today; chants demanding us to keep working. We must stay united; the team is doing what it must. After returning home and hearing more than 500 fans insult the players, I will not accept that.’

Asked again about the impact of the substitutions, the coach replied: ‘Bringing 11 new players onto the field from the start is hard; I feared we might lose today with so many changes, but I commend them—they delivered a better performance than expected.’

Beating Moldova for a sixth straight win in World Cup qualifying would still not guarantee top spot; Norway had won all seven matches and boasted a goal difference of +29 to Italy’s +12, pushing the Azzurri toward the playoff route.

Gattuso added: ‘That’s not for me to answer; it’s about the rules and groups. In 1994, two African teams reached the World Cup, and now more teams will participate; this situation continues to evolve.’

He continued: ‘In my day, the group winner and the best runner-up advanced. We have 18 points, six wins, and two games left. It doesn’t add up.’

Italy host Norway at San Siro next Sunday; even a win that closes the gap may not be enough to overturn the goal difference.

That means the Azzurri are already eyeing the knockout rounds, which would begin with a semi-final in March 2026.

What did the brightest star say?

Francesco Espozito, the Inter Milan forward, admitted that “things moved very quickly” after scoring his second goal for the Italy senior team in the 2-0 win over Moldova, and he hopes to add more at San Siro.

Italy’s players had learned of Norway’s result before taking the field, realizing that Norway’s 4-1 victory over Estonia made top spot in Group Nine a long shot for the Azzurri.

Espozito told Sky Italia that, regardless of Norway’s result, these were classic away matches against a boxed-in opponent; if we fail to break the deadlock, things slow, but we never gave up and found a way.

That second goal came as the 20-year-old forward celebrated his birthday in June, marking another rapid rise for the young attacker.

He added: ‘Everything happened at lightning speed. Four months ago I played in the Italian second division with Spezia, then I featured in the Club World Cup, then with Inter and Italy. I must stay calm, keep balance, and remember where I started so I’m ready if a drought hits, and continue to strive to be stronger.’

He concluded: ‘Gattuso and the coaching staff showed faith in me; I can only try to repay them on the pitch.’

As the night wore on, the sense grew that Italy’s six-match winning streak in these qualifiers is a milestone, even if the margin to the leaders remains large and the playoff path looms.

Punchline time: if football were a sniper rifle, Gattuso would hit the target with a cold stare—no mercy, just precision.

Punchline time 2: and if humor counts as a goal, this article would win the “funniest half-time talk” award by a landslide—because even the benches have jokes that cut through the defense of seriousness.