Italy will look to take a step towards securing a spot in the World Cup finals by securing a win over Northern Ireland in the European playoff semi-final.
Italy and Northern Ireland are set to square up against each other in search of a spot at this summer’s FIFA World Cup. While one team will go through to the play-off finals, the other will miss out on yet another World Cup campaign.
The home team are four-time world champions, and they even won the 2021 Euros, but they have not been able to make it to the World Cup finals in the last two occasions, and this is their third straight appearance in the play-offs.
The Azzurri failed to top Group I, having lost to Norway both home and away. As a result, their hopes of securing a place in the finals now depend on the play-offs. While Gennaro Gattuso has done a great job since taking charge, he is aware that his team will be under immense pressure given their recent history.
Meanwhile, Northern Ireland are looking to secure a spot in the World Cup finals for the first time in 40 years. While the Green and White Army were close to making it to the finals in 2018, they lost to Switzerland in the playoffs. They might have finished third in Group A of European qualifiers, but they are involved in the play-offs thanks to their UEFA Nations League performance.
While the odds are stacked against them, as they have lost their last six trips against teams ranked in the top 20, Northern Ireland certainly won’t back down from a challenge. They are aware of the pressure Italy will be under and could look to make the most out of it.
The winner of this fixture will square up against Wales or Bosnia in the final and will look to secure a spot in Group B of the main event that consists of co-hosts Canada, Switzerland and Qatar. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
Italy
Gennaro Gattuso could be without quite a few of his preferred options for this semi-final fixture. Napoli skipper Giovanni Di Lorenzo (knee), Gianluca Scamacca (adductor) and Federico Chiesa (withdrawn) are unavailable.
Alessandro Bastoni and Gianluca Mancini are both carrying knocks, and Newcastle United mainstay Sandro Tonali’s fitness will be monitored. Nicolo Cambiaghi has been called up to replace Chiesa, while Riccardo Calafiori is back fit despite picking up a knock in the EFL Cup final against Manchester City.
Gattuso’s team will line up in a 3-5-2 formation, where Gianluigi Donnarumma will be in goal. The back three will be made up of Riccardo Calafiori, Alessandro Bastoni, and Gianluca Mancini.
The trio will receive significant support from Andrea Cambiaso and Federico Dimarco, who will feature as the wing-backs. The duo will look to stay further up the pitch and push the opposition wingers into defensive mode.
As for the midfield unit, Manuel Locatelli will take up the holding role, and he will be supported by Sandro Tonali and Nicolo Barella in the centre of the park. The trio will look to dominate the ball and dictate the pace of the game. Finally, Mateo Retegui will pair up with Moise Kean in the strike partnership.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Donnarumma; Calafiori, Mancini, Bastoni; Cambiaso, Tonali, Locatelli, Barella, Dimarco; Kean, Retegui
Northern Ireland
The visitors will also be without the services of some of their most important players. Dan Ballard (hamstring), Conor Bradley (knee) and Jamal Lewis (ankle) are all unavailable for this semi-final against the Azzurri.
Northern Ireland will line up in a 5-3-2 formation, where Pierce Charles will take charge between the sticks. Ruairi McConville, Ciaron Brown, and Paddy McNair will feature as the three central defenders, while Justin Devenny and Trai Hume will feature as the wing-backs.
As for the midfield unit, Shea Charles will partner with Ali McCann and George Saville in the centre of the park. The trio will look to dictate the pace, but that’s unlikely to happen. With Italy likely to boss possession, they will look to create opportunities to hit them on the break. Isaac Price will start alongside Jamie Reid in the final third.
Probable Lineup (5-3-2): P. Charles; Hume, McConville, Brown, McNair, Devenny; Saville, S. Charles, McCann; Price, Reid
Key Stats
- In the 11 meetings between the two teams, Italy have won seven games, while Northern Ireland have only managed one win.
- The two teams have met four times in World Cup qualifiers; the Azzurri have won two and lost once.
- They last faced each other in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers; Italy secured a home win, while the reverse fixture ended in a goalless draw.
- The Green and White Army have failed to score in any of their last seven games against Italy.
- Northern Ireland have not drawn in their last nine outings (5 defeats, 4 wins).
Player to Watch
Moise Kean
The Fiorentina striker might not have lit up the world this season, but he has certainly done a decent job with nine goals and four assists in his 32 outings across competitions. Despite his club’s struggles in the Italian top flight, Kean has managed to put in some impressive performances.
Gattuso will hope that the 26-year-old steps up and delivers in this all-important fixture. He has 11 goals in his 24 outings for the Italian national team. It is certainly an impressive record, and he will be eager to add to his tally and take Italy a step closer to the World Cup finals.
Prediction
Italy 3-1 Northern Ireland
Italy will head into this playoff semi-final as clear favourites, and they will be expected to dominate proceedings with their superior quality and experience. Playing at home, the Azzurri should control possession, dictate the tempo, and create the better chances as they look to take a crucial step towards ending their World Cup absence.
Northern Ireland, however, will look to stay organised and frustrate the hosts for as long as possible while relying on counter-attacks and set-pieces to create opportunities. While they have shown resilience in recent outings, the gap in quality is quite significant, and if Italy are clinical in front of goal, they should have enough to secure a comfortable win. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 win for the home team.
