Ciro Immobile scores twice late on as Azzurri come from behind to get out of jail in Skopje

• Italy had to come from behind to secure a 3-2 victory in Macedonia
• Andrea Belotti gave Italy the lead with a neat finish from a corner
• But Ilija Nestorovski equalised for Macedonia in the second period
• Ferhan Hasani sent the home crowd wild as he scored their second goal
• But Ciro Immobile found the net with a neat finish to level for Italy
• He then struck in stoppage time to secure all three points for his side

Lazio striker Ciro Immobile secured all-three points for Italy in Macedonia as his brace helped the Azzurri come from behind to win in Skopje.

The visitors took the lead in the first half after Torino forward Andrea Belotti guided home a corner for his first international goal, but they sat on their lead before Ilija Nestorovski and Ferham Hasani struck in quick succession to give the hosts the advantage.

They couldn’t hold on, though, as Immobile’s neat finish levelled matters before he headed home the winner in stoppage time.

It looked as if it was going to be a relatively easy evening for Giampiero Ventura’s side as they passed the ball around well early on, creating chance which they weren’t able to take.

That changed on 24 minutes when Torino’s Belotti turned home a corner superbly for his first Italy goal, on his third appearance, but it was at that point the visitors began to take their foot off the gas.

There was a warning sign when Nestorovski rattled a shot off the bar as time ticked down in the opening period, but the hosts took things up a gear in the second as they punished sloppy Italian midfield play to first equalise and then take the lead.

Philip II Stadium in Skopje went mad when Nestorovski profited from loose play to guide the ball beyond the outstretched arm of Gianluigi Buffon, with things going from bad to worse just two minutes later.

When the second came it was almost a carbon copy, as Hasani swept the ball past Buffon to send the home crowd wild.

The goals seemed to be a wake-up call for the visitors who began to push for a much-needed equaliser, while Macedonia also continued to threaten, with Immobile sending the home crowd silent with a neat finish to make it 2-2.

Marco Parolo looked to have won it for Italy when he headed home just as the stoppage time board showed five minutes were to be added on, but he was adjudged to have been offside.

The Azzurri were not to be denied, though, as Immobile’s second of the game secured victory as he nodded in a looping cross at the back post to secure the three points.

The win leaves Italy with seven points from three games in Group G, behind leaders Spain on goal difference.