N. Ireland 0 - 0 Italy: Inadequate Italians Fail To Qualify Once Again In Belfast

Just like in 1958, Italy failed to beat Northern Ireland in Belfast, resulting in the ‘Gli Azzurri’ failing to qualify for the FIFA World Cup. However, on this occasion they have the safety net of settling for a play-off spot in order to qualify for FIFA World Cup 2022.

Italy went into this match knowing they would have to either match or beat Switzerland’s result, and with a better goal difference in the group, their destiny was pretty much in their own hands. 

They showed a big sense of urgency as soon as this match kicked off, but they couldn’t translate that dominance into clear scoring opportunities. ‘Gli Azzurri’ recorded nearly 70 percent of possession throughout the opening 45 minutes and dominated the opposition in terms of shots on target by a 5-0 margin, but it was not enough.

Their best chances came through Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Lorenzo Insigne, but neither player could find the back of the net. Northern Ireland simply attempted to sit back and play on the counter, but they did not provide much of a threat going forward. In a way, they can feel fortunate to have escaped the opening 45 minutes with a stalemate.

It was more of the same in the second half with Italian dominance, but Northern Ireland did spring a chance out of nowhere, forcing Gianluigi Donnarumma to make a big save from George Saville’s close-range effort. 

News of Switzerland taking the lead caused Roberto Mancini to make a host of attacking substitutes as his side now faced the prospect of the play-off positions. The increase in tempo and urgency was noticeable, and Italy came inches away from breaking the deadlock, but Chiesa’s shot went inches wide to the left post.

Italy, with all their attackers on the pitch failed to show any composure or quality in front of goal, and instead Northern Ireland soaked up all the pressure coming their way.

To make things even more complicated, Switzerland defeated Bulgaria by a comprehensive 4-0 score, a result that pushed the Swiss side to the top spot in Group C and sent Italy to the FIFA World Cup playoffs to be held in March next year. Undoubtedly, this was a negative result for the reigning European champions, as they were prejudiced by their lack of ideas in the final third.

Source: FlashScore