Davide Frattesi scored twice as Italy claimed a crucial win over Ukraine to keep alive their hopes of reaching Euro 2024.
But Frattesi, on loan at Sassuolo from Inter Milan, scored twice in the first 29 minutes to put Italy in charge.
Andriy Yarmolenko pulled one back, but it was not enough to deny Italy as they moved above Ukraine into second place.
England, who beat Scotland 3-1 in a friendly at Hampden Park, lead the section on 13 points from five games with Italy on seven points from four matches.
Ukraine and North Macedonia both have seven points from five matches, with only the top two sides at the end of the group phase qualifying for Euro 2024 in Germany.
Italy play Malta at home in their next qualifier on 14 October before a match against England at Wembley three days later.
Line-ups
Italy
Formation 4-3-3
- 1G Donnarumma
- 2Di Lorenzo
- 15Scalvini
- 23Bastoni
- 3DimarcoSubstituted forBiraghiat 58′minutes
- 8Frattesi
- 5Locatelli
- 18BarellaSubstituted forCristanteat 84′minutes
- 21ZanioloSubstituted forOrsoliniat 72′minutes
- 10RaspadoriSubstituted forReteguiat 72′minutes
- 20ZaccagniSubstituted forGnontoat 58′minutes
Substitutes
- 4Biraghi
- 6Romagnoli
- 7Orsolini
- 9Retegui
- 11Gnonto
- 12Vicario
- 13Darmian
- 14Pessina
- 16Cristante
- 17Immobile
- 19Casale
- 22Meret
Ukraine
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Bushchan
- 2KonoplyaBooked at 62mins
- 13ZabarnyiBooked at 78mins
- 4Kryvtsov
- 16MykolenkoBooked at 38mins
- 6StepanenkoBooked at 76minsSubstituted forSydorchukat 84′minutes
- 17ZinchenkoSubstituted forBuyalskyiat 75′minutes
- 7YarmolenkoSubstituted forMudrykat 58′minutes
- 8Sudakov
- 15TsygankovSubstituted forVanatat 75′minutes
- 11DovbykSubstituted forYaremchukat 58′minutes
Substitutes
- 3Mykhailichenko
- 5Sydorchuk
- 9Yaremchuk
- 10Mudryk
- 12Trubin
- 14Buyalskyi
- 18Vanat
- 19Popov
- 20Zubkov
- 21Karavaev
- 22Nazaryna
- 23Lunin
- Referee:
- Alejandro José Hernández Hernández
Live Text
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Match ends, Italy 2, Ukraine 1.
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Second Half ends, Italy 2, Ukraine 1.
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Attempt missed. Vladyslav Vanat (Ukraine) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Heorhii Sudakov.
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Corner, Italy. Conceded by Vitalii Mykolenko.
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Attempt missed. Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Italy) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Cristiano Biraghi with a cross following a corner.
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Corner, Italy. Conceded by Yukhym Konoplya.
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Attempt blocked. Mateo Retegui (Italy) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
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Riccardo Orsolini (Italy) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Vitalii Mykolenko (Ukraine).
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Attempt missed. Yukhym Konoplya (Ukraine) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Mykhailo Mudryk with a cross.
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Substitution, Ukraine. Serhii Sydorchuk replaces Taras Stepanenko.
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Substitution, Italy. Bryan Cristante replaces Nicolò Barella.
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Attempt missed. Mykhailo Mudryk (Ukraine) right footed shot from outside the box is too high from a direct free kick.
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Foul by Riccardo Orsolini (Italy).
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Vitalii Buyalskyi (Ukraine) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Attempt blocked. Nicolò Barella (Italy) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Wilfried Gnonto.
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Illia Zabarnyi (Ukraine) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Mateo Retegui (Italy) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Illia Zabarnyi (Ukraine).
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Foul by Alessandro Bastoni (Italy).
