Italy 2-0 Northern Ireland: Tonali inspires Azzurri to within one game of World Cup return | OneFootball

Italy overcame Northern Ireland, beating them 2-0 at the New Balance Arena, with Azzurri one game away from returning to the World Cup for the first time in 12 years.

A tense, at times suffocating encounter was eventually decided by Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean, whose second-half contributions sent the Azzurri into the play-off final and kept their long-awaited comeback dream alive.

As it happened

As expected, Northern Ireland arrived with a clear plan: defend deep, stay compact and frustrate. A five-man back line sat resolutely in place, limiting Italy’s space and forcing them into hopeful efforts rather than clear-cut chances.

Despite dominating possession, Italy struggled to break through. Their only genuine opening came early on when Federico Dimarco tested the defence, with Tonali nearly pouncing on the rebound. Beyond that, efforts from Kean and Mateo Retegui failed to trouble the goalkeeper in any meaningful way.

Northern Ireland, meanwhile, offered glimpses of threat primarily from set-pieces and quick transitions, but lacked the quality in the final third to capitalise. Their discipline ensured Italy went into the break frustrated, with the score still goalless and tension building inside the stadium.

The second half began in a similar fashion, but one chaotic moment nearly changed everything. A disastrous mistake in midfield gifted Retegui a clear run on goal, only for the striker to lose control at the crucial moment, allowing Pierce Charles to intervene. It was a glaring miss, one that seemed like it could haunt Italy.

Moments later, Kean forced a sharp save with a powerful strike from distance. Suddenly, the tempo shifted. The pressure intensified. The crowd sensed it, and then came the breakthrough.

In the 56th minute, Italy finally found their moment. A cross from Matteo Politano was only half-cleared, falling perfectly to Tonali on the edge of the box. Without hesitation, he unleashed a fierce half-volley that flew past Charles and into the net.

Relief more than celebration followed. After nearly an hour of anxiety, Italy had their goal, and it came from the one player increasingly defining this new era. The strike not only broke the deadlock but shifted the emotional weight of the match. Northern Ireland, so resilient until that point, suddenly looked vulnerable.

With the visitors forced to open up, spaces began to appear. The home side pushed forward with greater confidence, and the second goal felt inevitable.

It arrived in the 80th minute. Tonali, once again at the heart of it, delivered a superb ball under pressure into Kean. The forward controlled brilliantly, shifted inside his defender, and fired a composed finish in off the far post.

Game over. World Cup dream intact. Northern Ireland’s brave resistance had been broken and its hopes extinguished in a matter of minutes.

At full-time, the significance was clear: Italy are through to the play-off final, where they will face either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina. One more match now stands between them and a return to the World Cup, a stage they have missed for far too long.

For Gennaro Gattuso’s side, this was not a perfect performance, but it was a necessary one. The tension, the struggle and ultimately the release, all reflected a team carrying the weight of expectation.

Italy analysis: Tonali strike shifts momentum into Azzurri’s favour

For 55 minutes, Italy looked burdened by the occasion. Slow in possession and short on ideas, they played exactly the kind of game Northern Ireland wanted. The breakthrough changed everything.

Tonali was the difference-maker, not just for his goal but for his leadership and composure in decisive moments. Once Italy scored, their confidence surged, and the match opened up accordingly.

There are still concerns, particularly about creating chances against deep defences. But what matters most is the outcome: Italy are one win away from returning to the World Cup.