Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso hit back at fans who gave his side flak and criticised the World Cup qualification format, with the national team set for the playoffs for next year's tournament in North America, after they beat Moldova 2-0 away on Thursday to notch their sixth consecutive win in Group I.
    The Azzurri's qualification campaign was thrown off course when they lost their opening game 3-0 in Norway in June, a result that led to Gattuso's predecessor Luciano Spalletti getting the sack.
    Italy have not dropped a point since, but neither have Erling Haaland's Norway.
    Only a 9-0 win over Norway at San Siro on Sunday would enable Italy to overtake them at the top of the table and qualify directly for the World Cup given the visitors +29 goal difference.
    So Italy are set for the play-offs in March, having failed to reach the 2018 and 2022 World Cups via this route.
    "I'm satisfied.

We did what we had to do," Gattuso, a member of Italy's 2006 World Cup-winning team, said after late headers by Gianluca Mancini and Francesco Pio Esposito earned Thursday's victory.
    "Moldova never had a shot on target.
    "I was disappointed to hear chants telling us to get to work.
    "It saddens me - this isn't the time to say those things to the players.
    "We need to stay united - the team is fighting on the pitch despite the difficulties." In relation to the qualifying format, Gattuso said: "in 1994 there were two African teams (at the World Cup), now there are eight.
    "In my day, the best second-placed European teams qualified directly for the World Cup".

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