Italy moved within one win of ending its 12-year World Cup absence with a 2-0 qualification playoff semifinal victory over Northern Ireland on Thursday thanks to second-half goals from Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean.
The breakthrough arrived in the 56th minute when Tonali pounced on a cleared cross, letting the ball bounce once before firing into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.
Kean effectively ended the contest in the 80th minute, latching onto a Tonali pass and ghosting past his marker before dispatching a low strike into the net.
The four-time world champion will on Tuesday face Bosnia and Herzegovina for a place at the tournament in the U.S., Canada and Mexico in June-July.
Pressure was high on Gennaro Gattuso’s side following Italy’s omission from the last two World Cups.
After failing to score in a 1-0 aggregate playoff defeat to Sweden in 2017 and suffering a shock semifinal loss to North Macedonia in 2022, the host started at a frantic pace.
Federico Dimarco forced an early save from Northern Ireland goalkeeper Pierce Charles with a low volley, before Kean saw his follow-up from the parried rebound drift wide from close range.
The host, spurred on by a vocal crowd, dominated the opening half but failed to break the deadlock, with Kean dragging a shot wide and Mateo Retegui firing straight at Charles from close range to leave the match goalless at the interval.
Following Tonali’s opener, Italy maintained the pressure and Kean nearly doubled the lead with an acrobatic overhead kick from Nicolo Barella’s cross.
While that effort flew narrowly wide, the striker made no mistake moments later to finally grab his goal.
Northern Ireland mounted a frantic late charge in the closing stages, but the final whistle confirmed its quest to reach a first World Cup since 1986 had reached a disappointing end.
Late goals send Bolivia into FIFA WC playoff final
Moises Paniagua and Miguel Terceros struck late as Bolivia edged closer to its first World Cup appearance in 32 years with a 2-1 victory over Suriname in their inter-confederation playoff semifinal.
Liam van Gelderen had given Suriname the lead just after halftime at BBVA Stadium when he toe-poked home after a scramble inside the six-yard box.
Bolivia equalised in the 72nd minute through Paniagua, who pounced on a loose ball and finished clinically into the bottom-right corner.
Terceros completed the turnaround seven minutes later by converting from the penalty spot after Juan Godoy was brought down by Myenty Abena.
The result means Bolivia will meet Iraq in Tuesday’s decisive playoff at the same venue.
Iraq has not qualified for the World Cup finals since 1986 while Bolivia is bidding for its first appearance since the 1994 edition in the United States.
Football’s showpiece tournament will be played in the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19.
Meanwhile, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Czechia rallied to win dramatic shootouts and move one step closer to FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification. Both trailed in normal time and on penalties against Wales and Ireland, respectively.
Bosnia and Herzegovina will play Italy, who sunk Northern Ireland, in Zenica for a ticket to North America, while Czechia will welcome rampant Denmark to Prague.
Elsewhere, Viktor Gyokeres hit a hat-trick as Sweden saw off Ukraine in their Path B semi-final.
They will now host Poland, who came from behind to see off Albania. Kosovo and Turkiye, for their part, will collide in Pristina in the Path C decider.
