Italy did all the work in the first half with Domenico Berardi and Ciro Immobile goals, but were too complacent and error-prone in a 2-0 win over Northern Ireland.
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Italy did all the work in the first half with Domenico Berardi and Ciro Immobile goals, but were too complacent and error-prone in a 2-0 win over Northern Ireland.
Follow all the action as it happens and give your views on the LIVEBLOG.
This was the first Italy game of 2021 and the opening 2022 World Cup qualifier, in a group with Switzerland, Bulgaria and Lithuania. Jorginho, Moise Kean and Bryan Cristante were out injured, with Nicolò Barella and Federico Chiesa rested in this first of three games, so Manuel Locatelli and Domenico Berardi stepped in. It was Leonardo Bonucci’s 100th Italy cap. Northern Ireland missed Liam Boyce, Conor Washington, Jordan Jones, Nathan Gartside and Jamal Lewis.
There was a minute’s silence before kick-off and Italy wore black armbands to mark the death of five legends who passed since the last break for international duty: Pietro Anastasi, Mauro Bellugi, Mario Corso, Pierino Prati and Paolo Rossi.
Berardi opened the scoring with the first genuine chance, as he ran onto an inspired Alessandro Florenzi ball down the right, cut inside at the by-line and fired left-footed into the far top corner from a tight angle. It was the Sassuolo man’s third consecutive Italy appearance with a goal.
Ciro Immobile twice fired straight at the goalkeeper, while Emerson’s header was wide from a Berardi cross.
Immobile did get his goal when he ran onto the Insigne through ball and surprised Peacock-Farrell at the near post. The Lazio striker broke his Azzurri drought and celebrated with a mixture of joy and anger, punching the corner flag.
After the restart, Immobile nodded wide, but Gianluigi Donnarumma needed a double save on Gavin Whyte after a poor Locatelli back-pass, then again to deny Michael Smith as the cross came back in.
Donnarumma also denied Craig Cathcart, who got a toe to the cross from a corner at the near post, as Italy seemed to lose intensity and focus. They will face Bulgaria on March 28 and then Lithuania on March 31.
They really should’ve conceded at the 87th when playing out from the back, but were fortunate that Paddy McNair blasted over the bar.
Immobile hit the side-netting, as the angle was too narrow as he ran onto a Leonardo Spinazzola through ball, then Spinazzola completed a give-and-go with the Lazio striker only to prod wide.
Italy 2-0 Northern Ireland
Berardi 14 (I), Immobile 39 (I)
Italy: G Donnarumma; Florenzi, Bonucci, Chiellini, Emerson (Spinazzola 75); Pellegrini (Barella 63), Locatelli (Pessina 84), Verratti; Berardi (Chiesa 75), Immobile, Insigne (Grifo 84)
Northern Ireland: Peacock-Farrell; Smith, Cathcart, J Evans, Dallas; McNair; C Evans (Saville 46), Davis, McCann (Thomas 78); Whyte (Lavery 63), Magennis (Lafferty 78)
Ref: Palabiyik (TUR)