Italy defeats Northern Ireland 2-0, advances in World Cup playoff
Italy beat Northern Ireland in the European playoff semifinal Thursday, moving one win away from qualifying for the 2026 World Cup after missing the last two tournaments.
6:42 PM
Italy defeated Northern Ireland 2-0 on Thursday in Bergamo in the semifinal of Route A of the European playoff for the 2026 World Cup, advancing to the final round of qualification.
Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean scored the goals for the Azzurri at the Gewiss Stadium. The victory puts Italy one win away from securing a place at the tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada after absences from the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
Italy's next opponent will be determined by the outcome of the Wales versus Bosnia and Herzegovina match, also played Thursday. The final is scheduled for Tuesday, March 31, with Italy playing away from home.
Manager Gennaro Gattuso had emphasized the magnitude of the challenge before the match. "We must fight for every ball as if it were the last of our lives. This will be the most important match of my career. I carry the weight of an entire country on my shoulders," Gattuso said Wednesday.
Italy employed a 3-5-2 formation with Mateo Retegui starting in attack. The team prioritized tactical discipline and defensive organization throughout the match, particularly in the first half, which sources described as difficult.
Tonali opened the scoring in the second half, providing both a goal and an assist that helped secure the victory. Kean added the second goal in the 80th minute. Receiving a pass from Tonali on the left flank, Kean controlled the ball with his right foot and finished with his left from inside the penalty area. The shot struck the post and bounced into the net.
Northern Ireland offered limited attacking threat during the encounter. The match was controlled by Italy despite the team not producing a particularly fluid performance, according to reports.
Italy has not qualified for a World Cup since 2014 in Brazil. The team missed qualification for Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022, marking consecutive absences from the tournament.
The winner of Tuesday's final will secure one of the four remaining spots available to European nations at the 2026 World Cup. The playoff structure required Italy to navigate two matches to achieve qualification, with Thursday's victory representing the first step toward that objective.