Italy, mission accomplished: 2-0 to'Northern Ireland, is in playoff final
Mission accomplished for Gennaro Gattuso’s Italy, at least as far as his first half is concerned. In fact, the Azzurri won 2-0 in the semifinal of the playoffs leading to the 2026 World Cup, decisively beating Northern Ireland in Bergamo. After a goalless first half with some apprehension, it was Sandro Tonali at 56′ and Moise Kean at 80′ who signed a success that seemed to have become a curse for the Azzurri. Now all talk is postponed until Tuesday, March 31, when the summer trip to the United States, Canada and Mexico will be up for grabs.
Italy tried to start strong, so much so that it made itself dangerous three times in the first few minutes. The first to attempt the goal is Tonali himself, who on a corner impinges a header on the second post but misses his aim by inches. Then Dimarco twice engages the host goalkeeper Charles, but after this sprint start the Azzurri fade away. In fact, from the 10′ minute we have to wait until about the half-hour mark to experience another glimpse of the Nazionale: Retegui’s shot from a defiladed position. Then Kean wastes the best chance of the first half with an out-of-bounds conclusion.
A strong-willed but inevitably nervous Italy seems to confirm the theme of the match also at the start of the second half, with an intense giropalla that, however, generates few sharp chances. A colossal one happens at the feet of Retegui, who is able to sprint toward the Northern Ireland goalkeeper thanks to a restart and also a rebound. On one-on-one with Charles, however, the former Atalanta player incredibly stretches the ball, effectively delivering it into the hands of the opposing goalkeeper. The goal, however, was in the air and came at 56′, when Tonali collected a Price header rebound at the edge and with a right-footed volley put the Azzurri ahead.
With the evening finally winding down, Italy relaxed. Perhaps a little too much, as moments after a great low shot from Kean on which Charles is on time, Donnarumma startles the Azzurri with a fortunately inconsequential ball-to-toe levity. But in the 80′ Tonali found Kean who dribbled past McConville and then doubled with a left-footed left-footed shot on which nothing could Charles.
In the meantime, Palestra made his debut, on the pitch with Pio Esposito and Pisilli for a very young Italy in full control of the match. Finally a smile after so much bitterness, Gattuso’s national team also exorcises the Northern Ireland bogeyman and continues on its way and is only one game away from returning to the World Cup.
