Italy hammer Liechtenstein 5-0

Italy crushed Liechtenstein 5-0 with a superlative second-half display as they kept pace with top-placed Spain in terms of points accumulated in the Group G of the 2018 football World Cup qualifiers.

Lorenzo Insigne on Sunday scored in the first half, while Andrea Belotti, Eder, Federico Bernardeschi and Manolo Gabbiadini blitzed in the second half as the four-time World Cup winners Italy moved to secure 16 points so far from the six-team group. But they are behind 2010 World Cup winners Spain on the basis of goal difference.

Facing a lower-ranked Liechtenstein at the Stadio Friuli, Italy head coach Gian Piero Ventura continued with his aggressive 4-2-4 formation. Young midfielder Lorenzo Pellegrini made his debut.