Good first. Italy beat Northern Ireland 2-0 inat the New Balance Arena in Bergamo, archives the first juncture of the playoffs and he takes the final which is worth a place at the 2026 World CupIt wasn't a normal match, and it was evident from the first few minutes: tension, tense play, heavy ball, and the constant feeling that any mistake could reopen the ghosts of a past still too close.
The Azzurri, however, did not let themselves be consumed by fear this time. They suffered in the first half, struggling to find space against the physical and defensive organization of Northern Ireland, but in the second half they changed gear and found victory with two men symbol of the evening: Sandro Tonali, who unlocked the match in the 56th minute, and Moise Kean, which closed it out in the 80th minute. The first hurdle is behind us, now the final act remains: Bosnia, Tuesday, March 31, in Zenica.
Italy-Northern Ireland: First half stalled, then the turning point in the second half
The game was exactly what Italy feared. Staggered, sloppy, and tense, with Northern Ireland eager to slow the pace, close down the spaces, and turn every ball into a physical battle. In the first half, Gattuso's team attempted to build, but with little fluidity, paying the price for a lackluster play and a certain frenzy in trying to force the decisive play early on.
La the turning point came in the second half, when Italy began to move the ball with greater speed and attack more consistently. After a missed opportunity for Retegui and another attempt by Kean, the The lead came in the 56th minute. on the developments of a corner, Tonali pounced on a rebound from the Northern Irish defence and unloaded a right-footed volley from the edge of the area, angled and unstoppable. A weighty, liberating goal that changed the emotional momentum of the evening.
From then on Italy gained confidence, despite having to deal with a tough match. The changes from the bench added further energy, with Pio Esposito immediately entering the match and close to making his mark. the doubling came in the 80th minute, yet with Kean, who, after several attempts, found the right shot: a shot from inside the box, the ball hitting the post and then into the net. At that point, Bergamo could truly breathe.
Gattuso: less spectacle, more substance
The success also bears the signature of Gennaro Gattuso, who read the game after the match without hiding the difficulties encountered by the Azzurri.It was hard work, it wasn't easy and they even surprised us with the way they played. It wasn't a given today." Gattuso also admitted some errors in his initial reading of the match: "We've also made our lives a little more complicated for ourselves.“, before explaining that the the real turning point came after the break, when "in the second half we picked up the pace."
More than the aesthetic side, this time it was the substance that countedAnd this, perhaps, is the most important sign that emerged from the night in Bergamo: Italy's ability to remain unfazed in a tense, tense, and tense match. "This group's flaw was falling apart at the first difficulty, and today we didn't do that," Gattuso observed.
The coach then insisted a lot on thegroup attachment, a theme he considers central to this new Azzurri cycle. "Bastoni definitely shouldn't have played, Mancini trained in pain," he said, adding that a different spirit was evident around the team, even off the pitch: "I didn't ask for anything, they came spontaneously."
Words that well explain the meaning of an evening in which Italy, despite being tense and slow in the first half, found more composure, more patience, and more conviction in the second half.
Bosnia is next: the final will take place in Zenica.
The semi-final in Bergamo was the first step. The second step, the decisive one, will bring Italy to BosniaSergej Barbarez's team will in fact be the Azzurri's opponents in the play-off final on March 31st in Zenica. Bosnians eliminated Wales in Cardiff on penalties, after having caught up with the match at 1-1 in the 86th minute thanks to the eternal Edin DzekoA mockery for the British, who had home advantage and were relishing the chance to play the World Cup in front of their own fans.
No trip to Cardiff for Italy then but trip to Bosnia, on a pitch that promises to be hot, hard, tense. Zenica will not only be a technical challenge: it will above all be a environmental and nervous testThe Azzurri arrive with an added confidence, that of having won a dirty, high-pressure match, but also with the awareness that the final step will be even more complicated.
Other results: here are all the finals
In the other routes, the Türkiye has narrowly overtaken Romania for 1-0 and the qualification will be played against Kosovo, who signed one of the most surprising results of the evening by winning 4-3 at home to Slovakia. In table B it will be instead Sweden-Poland: Swedes beat Ukraine 3-1, while Poland beat Albania 2-1.
In path D, finally, the Denmark swept North Macedonia 4-0 e will face the Czech Republic, qualified after a penalty shootout victory against Ireland in a 2-2 draw.
The playoff finals, therefore, will be these:
- Bosnia-Italy
- Sweden-Poland
- Kosovo-Türkiye
- Czech Republic-Denmark
Italy vs. Bosnia: When is the match?
For Italy, it's time to rest before the final step. On Tuesday, March 31st, in Zenica, the Azzurri will play everything against Bosnia. The match will be broadcast live on Rai 1 and will also be available streaming on RaiPlay.
Ninety minutes, maybe more, to win the 2026 World Cup and finally put an end to the nightmares of the pastThe mission isn't over, but Italy is still standing. And that was the only thing that really mattered tonight.
