Quagliarella becomes oldest Italy scorer in 6-0 Liechtenstein rout
Fabio Quagliarella became the oldest ever player to score for Italy as the 36-year-old converted two penalties in a crushing 6-0 Euro 2020 qualifying win by the Azzurri over Liechtenstein on Tuesday.
Italy’s forward Fabio Quagliarella (R) celebrates after scoring a penalty during the Euro 2020 Group J qualifying football match Italy vs Liechtenstein on March 26, 2019 at the Ennio-Tardini stadium in Parma. (Photo by Miguel MEDINA / AFP)
Italy top Group J with six points after beating Finland 2-0 in Udine on Saturday with goals from Nicolo Barella and Moise Kean.
Bosnia threw away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Greece and both are behind Italy on four points followed by Finland on three.
“Mission accomplished,” said Italy coach Roberto Mancini. “The result was obvious, but it was important that we score goals.”
Top Serie A scorer Quagliarella converted a penalty after 35 minutes, adding a second, also from the spot, just before the break.
The Sampdoria player becomes the oldest player ever to score for Italy aged 36 years and 54 days, overtaking Christian Panucci, who scored aged 35 years in 2008.
Stefano Sensi had headed Italy in front after 17 minutes with Marco Verratti adding a second after 32 minutes.
Kean, 19, nodded in his second Italy goal on 69 minutes with substitute Leonardo Pavoletti, 30, who got his first Italy start in the second half to replace Quagliarella, adding a sixth minutes afterwards.
Mancini made seven changes to the side that beat Finland with defender Cristiano Piccini and forward Stephan El Shaarawy injured.
Sensi and Quagliarella stepped in for Barella and Ciro Immobile, alongside Kean who was given his second Italy start.
Quagliarella has earned his recall after nearly nine years thanks to his 21 goals in 28 league games, two more than Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo has managed for Juventus.
The veteran striker was denied early before Leonardo Spinazzola set up Senzi to head in for his first senior Italy goal after 17 minutes.
Verratti broke through to curl in the second after 32 minutes for his second goal in the Azzurri jersey.
Italy were awarded a penalty for a Nicolas Hasler handball and Quagliarella made no mistake.
A searing Kean effort clipped the bar before Liechtenstein’s Daniel Kaufmann was sent off for handling a Verratti clearance with Quagliarella taking the second penalty on 43 minutes.
Pavoletti got his senior Azzurri debut and Quagliarella received a standing ovation as he left the Stadio Tardini pitch.
Four minutes later the Cagliari forward completed the rout off a rebound.
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