Italy moved to the brink of ending their twelve-year World Cup exile with a 2-0 play-off semi-final victory over Northern Ireland in Bergamo, setting up a decisive final clash against Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean provided the second-half quality needed to break down a resilient Northern Ireland defense on Thursday night.
After a tense, goalless first half, Tonali broke the deadlock in the 56th minute with a clinical strike from the edge of the area.
Following the win, a relieved Gennaro Gattuso told reporters, “After taking the lead, we cleared our minds. This should be a confidence boost for Tuesday.”
The victory was sealed ten minutes from time when Kean controlled a Tonali pass to finish expertly, ending Northern Ireland’s hopes of a first World Cup appearance since 1986.
While Michael O’Neill’s side frustrated the four-time world champions for long periods, they ultimately lacked the final ball to cause an upset.
Italy now travels to Sarajevo on March 31, knowing a win will finally secure their ticket to North America.