Italy secures qualification for Euro 2016 with comfortable win over Azerbaijan

Italy booked a place in France for Euro 2016 with a 3-1 win over Azerbaijan on Saturday, something that wasn't so certain for large parts of the qualifying campaign.

Eder, Stephan El Shaarawy, and Matteo Darmian all scored as the Azzurri managed to put away more than two goals in a game for the first time since Antonio Conte took on the coaching post in August 2014.

Italy produced most of the offence, despite relying on the counterattack to gain the early advantage. In the 11th minute, midfielder Marco Verratti sprung a ball for Eder, who broke free of the Azerbaijan defence and slipped the ball between the legs of goalkeeper Kamran Agayev.

But there was resistance, as it was the first time the two nations met in qualifying. Azerbaijan kept on attacking, and eventually found an equaliser. Italy's Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci both jumbled their attempts to clear from their third of the pitch, and it ended up rolling right into the box, where Dmitri Nazarov coolly converted a 31st-minute goal.

Azerbaijan continued to dominate possession throughout the first half, but yet another counter yielded a lead for the visiting side just before halftime. Eder delivered the goods to Antonio Candreva, who flipped a pass to El Shaarawy for the easy tap-in.

Related - VIDEO: El Shaarawy scores first goal for Italy in nearly three years

The third goal came in the 65th minute when Darmian jumped on a loose ball and struck it hard past the 'keeper.

A red card to Badavi Huseynov all but ended the contest three minutes from regular time.

Conte celebrated all three strikes as if they were World Cup winners. They were big all the same.

Questions had been asked of Italy - whether it could defend, whether it could shake its shyness in front of goal - but the fact remains that the team always produces the result it needs to progress. Italy's victory makes 49 qualification matches without a loss, dating back to September 2006.