HOW ITALY QUALIFIED

Italy (7-1-2, 23 points) captured European Group 5 quite handily, by five points over second-place Norway. But don't let that wide margin deceive you. It was an easy group. Norway did not win in the playoffs and Scotland, which has never gotten out of the first round of a World Cup, Slovenia, Belarus and Moldova -- they had a collective record of 9-18-13 -- don't exactly make their opponents quake in their boots. The Italians clinched a spot with a 1-0 victory over Slovenia on October 8, 2005. Cristian Zaccardo scored the lone goal.

QUALIFYING RESULTS
9/4/04 Italy 2, Norway 1
9/8/04 Moldova 0, Italy 1
10/9/04 Slovenia 1, Italy 0
10/13/04 Italy 4, Belarus 3
3/26/05 Italy 2, Scotland 0
6/4/05 Norway 0, Italy 0
9/3/05 Scotland 1, Italy 1
9/7/05 Belarus 1, Italy 4
10/8/05 Italy 1, Slovenia 0
10/12/05 Italy 2, Moldova 1