LONDON: Italy kept pace with Spain in European World Cup qualifying as goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon played his 1,000th professional match in a 2-0 victory over Albania on Friday.

A first-half Daniele De Rossi penalty and late second from Ciro Immobile was enough to earn the Azzurri three points but they remain behind Spain on goal difference at the top of Group ‘G’ after La Rioja downed Israel 4-1.

Manchester City forward David Silva and Chelsea’s Diego Costa were on the scoresheet alongside Vitolo and Isco, while Lior Refaelov netted Israel’s consolation.

Serbia and Ireland are also level on points at the top of Group ‘D’. Serbia won 3-1 at Georgia to move top on goal difference after Republic of Ireland were held to a goalless draw by 10-man Wales.

Croatia moved three points clear of Iceland in Group ‘I’ after beating Ukraine 1-0 for their fourth successive victory.

Only the group winner automatically secures a spot for the World Cup in Russia. The second-placed team must go through a playoff to make it to the 2018 tournament.

In Palermo it was a day for Buffon to savour as he won a European record 168th cap and helped Italy extend their unbeaten run in qualifiers to 55 matches (41 wins, 14 draws).

De Rossi converted the spot-kick on 12 minutes after Migjen Basha, one of six Albanians plying his club trade in Italy, brought down Andrea Belotti.

Albanian fans threw flares onto the pitch in disgust and when they did so again just before the hour mark, the game was suspended for five minutes.

“I’m upset by the flares thrown by some of our fans,” Albania’s Italian coach Gianni De Biasi said. “I’ve been in charge of Albania for five years and I’ve seen something that’s never happened before. I would never have thought I’d see something of the sort.”

Immobile made the game safe 10 minutes from time by heading home a Davide Zappacosta cross.

“At the start, there was too much tension, we tried to do too much and missed some fluidity,” said Italy coach Giampiero Ventura. “But we were never in danger.”

Spain had their game wrapped up by half-time in Gijon as Silva drove home a pass from Jordi Alba before Vitolo’s shot in first half injury time squirmed under Israel goalkeeper Ofir Marciano.

Diego Costa headed home a Thiago Alcantara corner on 51 minutes.

Refaelov gave the visitors something to cheer with a left-foot effort on 76 minutes, just moments after Rami Gershon had struck the post with a header.

But Iago Aspas teed up Isco to put the gloss on a comfortable win two minutes from time.

Defeat saw Israel slip four points behind the two Group ‘G’ heavyweights with five games left to play.

“We’ve done well against a very difficult team,” Spain coach Julen Lopetegui said.

In the other group game, Macedonia got their first points of the qualifying campaign with a 3-0 win at Liechtenstein, who remain pointless.

Captain Seamus Coleman suffered a broken leg as the Republic of Ireland and Wales drew in Dublin.

Neil Taylor was shown a straight red card for the scything challenge that left Irish defender Coleman clutching his shattered lower leg and screaming in pain as Shane Long tried to comfort him.

“It’s been confirmed by our doctor that he’s broken his leg,” said Ireland boss Martin O’Neill. “It’s a big, big loss.”

It was a costly game for Wales who saw their captain Gareth Bale booked for a high boot on John O’Shea meaning he, like Taylor, will miss the next qualifier away to Serbia in June.

Serbia fought back from conceding an early goal to jump into the group lead with a comfortable victory against winless Georgia.

Nika Kacharava put the hosts ahead only six minutes into the match, but Dusan Tadic equalised by converting a penalty kick before halftime, then set up second-half goals for Aleksandar Mitrovic and Mijat Gacinovic.

Wales are four points below the top two, level with Austria, who beat Moldova 2-0.

Croatia took control of Group ‘I’ courtesy of Nikola Kalinic’s goal seven minutes from half-time to inflict Andriy Shevchenko’s first defeat as Ukraine coach.

Ukraine slipped to third, five points below Croatia and level with Turkey, who beat Finland 2-0 thanks to two goals in four minutes from Cenk Tosun.

Iceland moved into second, three below Croatia, with a 2-1 at Kosovo, whose wait for a first competitive victory goes on.

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2017