Italy return to the top of Group H with win over Bulgaria

Italy returned to the top of Euro 2016 Qualifying Group H with a 1-0 win over Bulgaria at the Stadio Renzo Barbera in Palermo on Sunday evening.

Daniele De Rossi netted the only goal of the game with a sixth-minute penalty, but the Roma midfielder was then sent off in the second half for kicking out at Bulgaria striker Ilyan Mitsanski, who was also dismissed by Russian referee Sergei Karasev for his role in the incident.

Italy are now two points ahead of second-placed Norway, who beat Croatia 2-0 in Oslo earlier on Sunday, and four points ahead ahead of Niko Kovac's side in third.

However, Croatia are appealing to UEFA against a one-point deduction imposed on them by European football's governing body after a swastika was painted on the pitch before the qualifying match against Italy in June.

Gianluigi Buffon, winning his 150th cap for the Azzurri, made a superb save in the first half to deny Mitsanski and prove his worth to the side 18 years after his first appearance for the national team.

Antonio Conte's side, who are now assured of third place in the group and a play-off place, next face Azerbaijan in the National Stadium in Baku on 10 October, and conclude their Group H campaign against Norway at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome three days later.

Bulgaria still have a mathematical chance of finishing third in the group, but they need to beat Croatia in Zagreb on 10 October and Azerbaijan in Sofia on 13 October, and hope that other results go their way and that UEFA do not uphold Croatia's appeal against the one-point penalty.

4' – PENALTY! Yordan Minev trips Candreva on the edge of the area and the referee Sergei Karasev rightly points to the spot. De Rossi scores but the referee says that some Italy players encroached so the Roma player must take it again.

6' - GOAL! Italy 1-0 Bulgaria. De Rossi sidefoots the ball into the right-hand corner for his 17th international goal in his 101st game for Italy.

17' – SAVE! Buffon is brilliantly down to his right to get a strong hand onto Mitsanski's shot from outside the box, following De Rossi's mistake in midfield.

25' – CHANCE! El Shaarawy wins a free-kick on the left-hand edge of the area. Pelle cannot divert Verratti's drilled free-kick on target in the six-yard box.

38' – CHANCE! Pelle sets De Sciglio free down the left and the Milan defender cuts the ball back to Candreva, whose low shot is saved down to his left by Mitrev.

54' - RED CARD! De Rossi kicks out after taking exception to a challenge from Mitsanski and referee Sergei Karasev immediately produces a straight red card.

55' - RED CARD! And now the Russian referee has sent off Mitsanski too. Why, I do not know. His own challenge on De Rossi wasn't the worst.

65' – CHANCE! El Shaarawy shows good footwork down the left but his hopeful effort from the edge of the box is clutched gratefully to his chest by Mitrev.

88' – CHANCE! Bonucci heads over in the six-yard box from Florenzi's drilled set-piece from the left.

90+1' – CHANCE! Buffon beats out an effort from Milanov from 25 yards after the CSKA Moscow midfielder holds off the challenge of Parolo.

Is Graziano Pelle now a guaranteed starter for Italy? Pelle has taken a roundabout route to the national team, finally coming of age in the Eredivisie at Feyenoord eight years after his first-team debut as a 18-year-old at hometown club Lecce. He forced his way into Conte's plans with 18 goals in his debut season at Southampton, and he has looked a natural at international level, with three goals in his six appearances so far. His intelligent link-up play allows Conte to go with a 4-3-3 formation rather than the 5-3-2 he preferred when managing Juventus.

Stephan El Shaarawy (Italy). The Monaco striker started on the left of Graziano Pelle in Conte's 4-3-3 formation, and was a constant, impish presence when linking up with the Southampton striker. The 22-year-old, winning his 14th cap, is still a work in progress and has to improve his decision making in the final third, but he adds pace and intent to a rather ponderous Azzurri side.

Italy: Buffon 7, Darmian 7, Bonucci 7, Chiellini 7, De Sciglio 7, Verratti 7, De Rossi 6, Parolo 6, Candreva 6, Pelle 7, El Shaarawy 8. Subs: Zaza 6, Florenzi 7, Eder 7.

Bulgaria: Mitrev 7, Minev 6, A Aleksandrov 6, Bodurov 5, Minev 6, Dyakov 6, Chochev 5, Nedelev 6, Popov 6, Milanov 6, Mitsanski 5. Subs: Bandalovski 6, M Aleksandrov 6, Rangelov 6.