Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean scored the second-half goals which decided a tight game in Bergamo to book Italy a showdown away from home against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday.
Tonali’s rocket of a strike in the 56th minute and Kean’s excellent finish 10 minutes from the end were two rare moments of quality from a match which had huge significance for four-time world champions Italy.
Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso called Thursday’s fixture the biggest match of his coaching career and the tension was palpable both in the stands and on the pitch.
The Azzurri missed the last two World Cup finals in Russia and Qatar and struggled to get past a dogged and young Northern Ireland team missing Liverpool defender Conor Bradley – also national team skipper – and Sunderland defender Dan Ballard.
“We didn’t create all that much but we did well to make the most of what we did create,” Tonali told Italian broadcaster RAI.
“There was some tension at the start of the second half, but once we took the lead we started to feel a bit more free from the pressure.”
Gattuso’s team will have to be much sharper against Bosnia next week next week if they are to make this summer’s finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
“We had to work hard because it was not easy tonight,” said Gattuso.
“We knew this game would be tough, all we can do now it to try to recharge the batteries.”
Elsewhere, Viktor Gyokeres scored a hat-trick as Sweden brushed Ukraine aside 3-1 to set up a showdown with Poland for a spot at the 2026 World Cup.
Arsenal striker Gyokeres stabbed in from close range in the sixth minute in Valencia and then doubled Sweden’s lead with a well-taken goal early in the second half.
He won and converted a penalty to complete his treble and seal victory for Graham Potter’s team on 73 minutes, with Matvii Ponomarenko heading in a late consolation for Ukraine.
Remarkably, it was Sweden’s first win of an otherwise dismal qualifying campaign, but one that moved them to the cusp of only a second World Cup appearance in 20 years.
Sweden picked up just two points in six matches in their qualifying group that included Switzerland, Kosovo and Slovenia but earned another shot on the strength of their Nations League performances.
The Swedes will return home to Stockholm to face Poland, who beat Albania 2-1, next Tuesday to decide which country goes to the expanded 48-team finals in the United States, Mexico and Canada. (AFP)
Edited by Cecil Wong
