Italy 2-0 Northern Ireland: Tonali inspires Azzurri to within one game of World Cup return
Italy 2-0 Northern Ireland: Tonali inspires Azzurri to within one game of World Cup return Italy overcame Northern Ireland, beating them 2-0 at the New Balance Arena, with Azzurri one game away from returning to the World Cup for the first time in 12 years. A tense, at times suffocating encounter was eventually decided by Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean, whose second-half contributions sent the Azzurri into the play-off final and kept their long-awaited comeback dream alive. As it happened As expected, Northern Ireland arrived with a clear plan: defend deep, stay compact and frustrate.
A five-man back line sat resolutely in place, limiting Italy’s space and forcing them into hopeful efforts rather than clear-cut chances. Despite dominating possession, Italy struggled to break through. Their only genuine opening came early on when Federico Dimarco tested the defence, with Tonali nearly pouncing on the rebound.
Beyond that, efforts from Kean and Mateo Retegui failed to trouble the goalkeeper in any meaningful way. Northern Ireland, meanwhile, offered glimpses of threat primarily from set-pieces and quick transitions, but lacked the quality in the final third to capitalise. Their discipline ensured Italy went into the break frustrated, with the score still goalless and tension building inside the stadium.
The second half began in a similar fashion, but one chaotic moment nearly changed everything. A disastrous mistake in midfield gifted Retegui a clear run on goal, only for the striker to lose control at the crucial moment, allowing Pierce Charles to intervene. It was a glaring miss, one that seemed like it could haunt Italy.
Moments later, Kean forced a sharp save with a powerful strike from distance. Suddenly, the tempo shifted. The pressure intensified.