Verratti is irritated as his pass goes astray. Bulgaria take their time taking the goal-kick and that's that!
FULL-TIME: ITALY 1-1 BULGARIA
90' +3
Bulgaria are doing well to win a series of niggly free-kicks in Italy's half to wind the clock down. Italy might get one last chance to win this but they don't deserve it.
90' +1
L. Pellegrini enters the game and replaces Emerson.
Italy substitution. Emerson goes off. The Roma captain Pellegrini comes on.
Malinov drifts into the right of Italy's box and manages to get a shot away. It's blocked but Italy have to be careful.
90'
Italy have five additional minutes in which to find the winning goal. Bulgaria don't look like scoring again.
88'
Italy are sending more and more players forward now. The hosts win yet another corner, their 10th of the match, as Raspadori's shot is blocked by Kostadinov. Chiesa's delivery lands to Berardi who's waiting outside the box. Acerbi goes for goal but has his shot charged down.
86'
A. Nedyalkov gets yellow.
Nedyalkov is booked for stopping the run of Berardi.
85'
Bonucci runs up to take the free-kick but blasts it high and wide. Italy have not been at their best in this second half.
83'
Italy get a free-kick inside the D as Malinov brings down Ederson. This is a promising shooting position for the hosts.
81'
Cristante drags a slightly desperate shot wide from outside the box. Bulgaria will take shots like that all day long.
79'
It's another Italy corner as Berardi flashes a cross across Bulgaria's six-yard box and Nedyalkov pokes it out of play. Again Bulgaria are untroubled as Bonucci heads over from Berardi's ball in.
Minute
Description
75'
G. Raspadori enters the game and replaces C. Immobile.
R. Kirilov enters the game and replaces K. Despodov.
K. Malinov enters the game and replaces P. Vitanov.
Immobile's game is also over. The Sassuolo forward Raspadori replaces him.
It's Bulgarian's turn to make changes now. Despodov, who created Bulgaria's goal, goes off. Kirilov is his replacement.
Next on for Bulgaria is Malinov. He replaces Vitanov.
74'
D. Berardi enters the game and replaces L. Insigne.
R. Tolói gets yellow.
Mancini makes a few more changes. Berardi is on for Insigne.
Toloi's bad challenge earns him a yellow card. Italy look a little frustrated.
73'
Georgiev saves Immobile's shot from the left of the box. Acerbi's follow-up is blocked. Krastev buys Bulgaria a valuable free-kick as Toloi catches him with his foot.
71'
Italy win their seventh corner of the game through a slick move down their right. It ends in another Italy corner. This time Bulgaria get rid, but not for long. The visitors are having to stay focused.
70'
K. Krastev enters the game and replaces A. Iliev.
Bulgaria make another change. Iliev, their goalscorer, goes off. The CSKA Sofia striker Krastev comes on.
68'
Cristante crashes an effort against a defender from near the D. Play continues. The substitute tries to force the issue by shooting again, this time firing wide. Bulgaria are holding firm for now.
66'
Insigne spots an opening near the bottom left corner of Georgiev's goal and looks to exploit it. Georgiev sees the threat though and comes across to stop the shot.
65'
Bulgaria enjoy their first short spell in Italy's half for a while. It soon breaks down though and Itraly are back on the attack. Cristante wins them a corner.
64'
R. Tolói enters the game and replaces A. Florenzi.
Next to come on is Toloi. He takes the place of Florenzi who was beaten for Bulgaria's goal.
63'
B. Cristante enters the game and replaces N. Barella.
Italy are beginning to make changes. Cristante replaces Barella first.
60'
Insigne cuts inside from the right and plops a ball in the box that arrives straight to Georgiev. Italy won't break the deadlock that way.
59'
Barella lashes into the side netting from the right of the box as Chiesa plays the midfielder in. Italy are growing in menace.
58'
Bulgaria have spent all their time defending so far in this half. Georgiev sweeps up Barella's throughball with Immobile lurking.
57'
I. Chochev enters the game and replaces D. Yankov.
Bulgaria substitution. Chochev replaces Yankov in central midfield.
56'
Insigne's corner is again cleared. Chiesa and Emerson both take potshots from range but Bulgaria throw their bodies in the way of both.
55'
Chiesa receives a pass from Barella to the right of the box and crashes the ball against a defender. It bounces out for another Italy corner.
54'
Emerson forces a corner for Italy down their left. Insigne swings it in towards the penalty spot and Bulgaria clear it first-time.
52'
Verratti finds Immobile with a deft dink into the box. Again Immobile has darted in behind a touch early and is offside.
50'
Italy keep the pressure on, winning another corner off Hristov. Bulgaria survive. Make no mistake though, Italy want their lead back.
46'
S. Delev enters the game and replaces G. Yomov.
Bulgaria make a change at half-time. Delev replaces the booked Yomov on the right wing.
Italy get the second half going. Mancini has resisted making changes for now.
45'
HALF-TIME: ITALY 1-1 BULGARIA
41'
Italy look to resume normal service. Immobile stays down in the box as he challenges for an aerial pass and gets sandwiched between Nedyalkov and Antov. The referee waves for him to get up.
39'
A. Iliev has scored a goal for Bulgaria! Assist by K. Despodov.
Iliev's finish was clinical but Despodov's assist was very cheeky indeed. The winger's not been afraid of running straight at Florenzi and got the better of him there.
GOAL! ITALY 1-1 BULGARIA! Bulgaria grab an unexpected equaliser! It's a beauty too. Despodov bursts past Florenzi and crosses low into the centre with the outside of his right foot. Iliev is there to steer the ball past Donnarumma.
37'
Italy aren't rushing here. They know a second goal is likely to come. Chiesa crosses in from the right and Georgiev goes safety-first by punching it away.
33'
Verratti's touch lets him down and Kostadinov tries to carry Bulgaria forward. He has no options though and Italy soon crowd him out.
31'
G. Yomov gets yellow.
Yomov becomes the first Bulgarian player in the book for a hard tackle on Verratti.
30'
Immobile mistimes his run forward and attracts the ire of the offside flag. This Italy side move the ball wonderfully. They're always looking for the incisive pass.
28'
Italy patiently build their next attack. Florenzi fires in a cross-cum-shot from the right but it's too close to Georgiev.
26'
N. Barella gets yellow.
Barella's shown the first yellow card of the game for a poor tackle on Vitanov off the ball.
Immobile tests Georgiev with a tame shot from outside the box. The Bulgarian goalkeeper drops to his knees to grab it.
24'
Bulgaria give the ball away in their own defensive third and Italy pounce but are unable to create a shooting opportunity. The Bulgarians have nowhere to go though so Italy come roaring straight back. It's one-way traffic at the moment.
22'
The offside flag goes up against Italy again. They are stretching the play at every opportunity. Meanwhile, Bulgaria have another free-kick in Italy's half. The hosts handle it well though and force a handball by Kostadinov.
20'
Despodov looks to beat Florenzi and leaves his opposing full-back on the turf as he is unable to do so fairly. Italy are awarded the foul.
16'
F. Chiesa has scored a goal for Italy!
GOAL! ITALY 1-0 BULGARIA! Chiesa darts inside from the right and plays a neat one-two with Immobile to set up a shot from the edge of the box. The winger goes for goal with his left foot and accurately finds the bottom right corner.
15'
Bulgaria's free-kick doesn't work out as Hristov's header loops into the arms of Donnarumma. Italy keep play moving and...
14'
Bulgaria are hustling and bustling up front but haven't found the right pass to free their wingers yet. Jorginho catches the foot of Despodov in the centre of the pitch, handing the visitors a free-kick.
11'
Chiesa tries to chase onto a crossfield ball too early and winds up offside.
10'
Barella reaches the byline down the right and flings in a high cross but Georgiev claims it comfortably.
8'
Insigne has a shot from range blocked. Italy are too intricate in front of Bulgaria's box and Yankov nips in, attracting a tug from Jorginho. That'll be a free-kick. The hosts soon win the ball back but Immobile is penalised for a shove on Kostadinov.
6'
Iliev holds up the ball well but loses out to a tackle in the centre circle. Italy are already taking control.
4'
Bonucci pings a sweeping pass out wide to Emerson who's bombing down the left. Italy pass back to Jorginho but the Chelsea man's ball from deep dips wide of the right-hand post.
2'
Italy start the game full of confidence, as they have every right to. Emerson strays offside as he tries to latch onto Bonucci's throughball.
1'
Bulgaria, playing in their red and green away colours, get this game underway! Italy are wearing their blue and black home strip.
Hello! Welcome to our live text commentary of this 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification UEFA Group C match between Italy and Bulgaria at Stadio Artemio Franchi, Florence.
Having become European champions earlier this year, Italy's sights now turn to next year's World Cup. Roberto Mancini's men have picked up maximum points in Group C so far and look one of the strongest contenders to lift the biggest trophy of all in Qatar next year, provided that they get there.
ITALY (4-3-3): Gianluigi Donnarumma; Alessandro Florenzi, Leonardo Bonucci (c), Francesco Acerbi, Emerson; Nicolo Barella, Jorginho, Marco Verratti; Federico Chiesa, Ciro Immobile, Lorenzo Insigne.
SUBS: Giacomo Raspadori, Rafael Toloi, Alessandro Bastoni, Cristiano Biraghi, Salvatore Sirigu, Bryan Cristante, Federico Bernardeschi, Lorenzo Pellegrini, Gaetano Castrovilli, Domenico Berardi, Giorgio Chiellini, Pierluigi Gollini.
BULGARIA (4-3-3): Georgi Georgiev; Andrea Hristov, Valentin Ivaylov Antov, Petko Hristov, Anton Nedyalkov; Georgi Kostadinov (c), Petar Vitanov, Dominik Yankov; Kiril Despodov, Atanas Iliev, Georgi Yomov.
SUBS: Ivan Turitsov, Kaloyan Krastev, Nikolay Mihaylov, Spas Delev, Kristiyan Malinov, Radoslav Kirilov, Vasil Bozhikov, Ilian Ilianov Iliev, Ivaylo Chochev, Dimitar Iliev, Dimitar Velkovski, Daniel Naumov.
The two sides are out on the pitch in Florence. Italy sing their national anthem with typical gusto.
Bulgaria sit fourth in Group C after three games with just a solitary point to their name up to this point. The Southeastern Europeans already face an uphill struggle to qualify for the World Cup finals with Italy and Switzerland currently front of the pack. Should they win here in Florence, it would be an almighty upset.
Bulgaria host Lithuania next, while Italy travel to Switzerland for what will be a crucial match at the top of Group C. Italy are not infallible. On this evidence Switzerland will fancy their chances. That's all for now. Goodbye!
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