ITALY: Sacked Italy manager Luciano Spalletti bowed out with a victory after his side labored to an uninspired 2-0 home win over Moldova in their World Cup qualification match on Monday thanks to goals from Giacomo Raspadori and Andrea Cambiaso.
Spalletti announced his own dismissal on Sunday following Italy’s 3-0 loss in Norway in their opening group game on Friday, but took charge for one final time where again the performance showed why a change of leadership was required.
Norway, who won 1-0 in Estonia with Erling Haaland netting the winner, top Group I on 12 points from four games, with Israel on six points after three matches while Italy are third with three points from their two games.
“I asked the guys to let me go out with a victory,” Spalletti told Sky Sport shortly before kickoff.
While his players duly obliged, it was perhaps a fitting end to Spalletti’s time on the bench as another lacklustre showing failed to light up a far from full Stadio Citta del Tricolore.
With Italy’s slow, predictable build-up play failing to break through the visitors’ rearguard, the hosts were given an early wake-up call when Ion Nicolaescu found the net only for his goal to be ruled out for offside.
Italy’s first threat came when defender Luca Ranieri, making his international debut, hit the crossbar with a header, and they found the breakthrough five minutes before the break.
A headed clearance fell to Raspadori in the box who struck first time into the bottom corner but Moldova almost levelled before halftime when Oleg Reabciuk’s shot from distance was parried away by Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Artur Ionita’s follow-up effort went wide of the far post and Daniel Dumbravanu’s header from a corner was cleared off the line by Federico Dimarco as Italy hung onto their lead.
Italy doubled their lead five minutes into the second half when substitute Riccardo Orsolini sent a low cross into the area which Davide Frattesi knocked on to Cambiaso who fired past keeper Cristian Avram.
The two-goal cushion failed to inspire Italy. Frattesi was sent through on goal from a ball over the top by Alessandro Bastoni but he sent his shot straight at the keeper and Moldova continued to create chances of their own.
“We struggled again tonight,” Spalletti told Rai Sport.
“When you are the coach of the national team you cannot have alibis because he chooses the players and if they don’t do well he can change them.”
Spalletti’s name was booed by large sections of the crowd when read out before kickoff, and the game failed to improve the mood, and Italian fans will hope for better when a replacement, rumored to be Claudio Ranieri, is installed.
Italy struggle but give sacked Spalletti winning send-off against Moldova
https://arab.news/wddcr
Italy struggle but give sacked Spalletti winning send-off against Moldova
- Italy’s first threat came when defender Luca Ranieri, making his international debut, hit the crossbar with a header, and they found the breakthrough five minutes before the break
Dakar Rally Saudi Arabia 2026 countdown begins ahead of Jan. 3 start
- * Redesigned course introduces fresh challenges that will raise the intensity of competition
- * Event highlights Kingdom’s aims of becoming a global leader in motorsport, says Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal, SAMF chairman
JEDDAH: The countdown for Dakar Rally Saudi Arabia 2026, one of the world’s toughest rally events, has begun with less than a month remaining before the seventh consecutive edition hosted in the Kingdom gets underway.
The rally will take place from Jan. 3-17 under the supervision of the Ministry of Sport. It will be organized by the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation and promoted by the Saudi Motorsport Company.
Global attention will be focused on the rally as competitors prepare for a gruelling test across Saudi Arabia’s vast and varied terrain.
The upcoming edition is set to be one of the most distinctive yet, featuring a new route that will give competitors the chance to experience the Kingdom’s natural beauty, varied landscapes and historic sites.
The redesigned course introduces fresh challenges that will raise the intensity of competition, adding excitement throughout every stage.
Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal, chairman of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation and the Saudi Motorsport Company, said: “The Dakar Rally is more than just a race; it is part of the Kingdom’s ambitious journey toward becoming a global leader in motorsport.”
This year’s rally marked a pivotal moment for Saudi motorsport when Yazeed Al-Rajhi became the first Saudi driver to claim the title in the cars category.
“It’s a milestone we are all proud of and hope to see repeated next year,” Prince Khalid said.
The SAMF chairman added: “What makes us especially proud this year is the rising number of Saudi drivers taking part, a clear indication of the success of our talent-development initiatives and next-generation programs. These achievements are the result of national efforts we all take pride in.”
Dakar Saudi Arabia 2026 will welcome 812 competitors representing 69 countries, competing with 433 vehicles across eight categories: Ultimate B, Ultimate, Stock, Challenger, Side-by-Side, Trucks, in addition to motorbikes and quad bikes. The rally will cover a total distance of 7,999 km, including 4,845 km of timed special stages.
Competition begins on Jan. 3, with a 23 km prologue stage in Yanbu, followed by stage 1 on Jan. 4 over 305 km starting and finishing in Yanbu.
Stage 2 will take place on Jan. 5 from Yanbu to AlUla (400 km), with stage 3 held in AlUla on Jan. 6 (422 km). Stage 4 follows on Jan. 7 from AlUla to the Marathon Camp (451 km).
Stage 5 runs on Jan. 8 from the Marathon Camp to Hail (372 km), and stage 6 on Jan. 9 from Hail to Riyadh (336 km).
Jan. 10 will be a rest day for the competitors in Riyadh.
Action continues Jan. 11 with stage 7 from Riyadh to Wadi Al-Dawasir (462 km), followed by stage 8 on Jan. 12 in Wadi Al-Dawasir (481 km). Stage 9 will run on Jan. 13 January toward the Marathon Camp (410 km). The rally moves on to stage 10 on Jan. 14 from the Marathon Camp to Bisha (421 km), then stage 11 on Jan. 15 from Bisha to Al-Hanakiyah (347 km).
Stage 12 follows on Jan. 16 January from Al-Hanakiyah to Yanbu (310 km), before the event concludes with the 13th and final stage in Yanbu on Jan. 17, covering 105 km.
All distances listed refer to timed special stages.
