The China Mail - Gattuso not underestimating anyone ahead of World Cup qualifying play-offs

Mateo Retegui netted twice and Gianluca Mancini headed home the third late as Italy made sure of at least second place in Group I, with only top spot offering automatic qualification for next year's finals in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

Italy trail leaders Norway by three points with two games remaining. However, the Norwegians have a vastly superior goal difference and will be expected to beat fourth-placed Estonia ahead of their clash with Italy.

Norway, who visit the San Siro in their final group fixture next month, have a perfect 18 points from their six matches and hammered Italy 3-0 in June.

"Football has changed, these days you can lose to anyone, you understand that we can't afford to underestimate anyone... especially after what we've been through," Gattuso told reporters.

"We're coming from years of not being able to underestimate anyone, we have a lot of respect for everyone and we're that team that has to do things as they're supposed to be done."

Tuesday's match was preceded by a large pro-Palestinian demonstration which ended with a small group clashing with police, but began with a largely peaceful march in which at least 10,000 people protested at the fixture being played.

Police used a water cannon and tear gas against a group of protestors who engaged in disorder in the streets of Udine, a violent end to weeks of build-up to a match which meant more to many people than just the three points on the table.

The Gaza ceasefire deal signed on Monday did nothing to quell demands for a sporting boycott of Israel following a two-year military offensive in the Gaza Strip which has killed more than 67,869 Palestinians.

Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip was triggered by Palestinian militant group Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.

Only 10,000 fans were present in the stands at the Bluenergy Stadium in Udine, with only a hundred or so supporting Israel.

"It's pointless hiding it, today was not easy, neither for us nor for you," Gattuso told journalists after the match.

"There were many days in which we thought that there might be the possibility that we might not even play the match. We came here knowing it wouldn't be a party atmosphere and we felt that.

"I hope that in the future things will be a bit calmer. I think it will be, I don't know what other problems could come out."

Z.Huang--ThChM