Italy beat Northern Ireland 2-0 with second-half goals from Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean to progress to the World Cup play-off final on Tuesday.
Gennaro Gattuso’s side dominated proceedings with 63% possession, taking 19 shots in the game and creating two big chances.
However, it was no easy night for the Italians in Bergamo, who struggled to break down Northern Ireland sitting in their 5-4-1 defensive block.
In this article, we’ll cover
The Locatelli role
Manuel Locatelli took up a similar role for Italy as he does for his club Juventus, dropping into the first line to dictate the tempo and progress play.
The defensive midfielder had 86 touches in the game, with only Gianluca Mancini having more (95). He completed 57 of his 68 passes, including 31 out of 38 into the opposition half and created two chances.
The 28-year-old is excellent when it comes to disguising his intentions, opening his body to provoke opposition movement before firing it through the lines to progress play and find the likes of Sandro Tonali and Nicolo Barella further forwards.
Locatelli was then always in position to protect against transitions, making all three of his tackles, making four interceptions and six ball recoveries.
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Sandro Tonali all-phaser
Tonali was decisive in the final third for Italy against Northern Ireland getting the opening goal with a well struck shot on the bounce from the edge of the box, before setting up Moise Kean to make it two.
The 25-year-old Newcastle United midfielder is being linked with a summer move to multiple top clubs. And his display showed us why, creating three chances, six ball recoveries and 15 carries.
Once Italy progressed the ball and were sustaining pressure in Northern Ireland’s half, Tonali was key, using his engine to eat up ground and win those loose balls.
In regards to going forwards, Tonali was key to creating shifts in the opposition midfield unit by dropping deep and bursting forwards, having the engine to do both consistently throughout the match and creating space for those around him.
Split strikers
Gattuso’s plan worked effectively to pin Northern Ireland inside their own half, with both Mateo Retegui and Kean pinning all three central defenders.
The Northern Ireland wing-backs attached to Italy’s wing-backs in 1v1 situations, giving the wide midfielders in a 5-4-1 shape a decision to make when pressing.
Justin Devenny and Isaac Price could either jump out to apply pressure to the Italy wide centre-backs, or look to stay low, covering the space for Italy’s higher midfielders (Tonali and Barella) to receive and being close enough to double up in wide areas.
This allowed Italy to find advantages down the right side when Price stepped up, with Barella positioning himself behind the midfield line to create a 2v1 tension against Brodie Spencer at right wing-back.
Moise Kean snapshot
Kean scored his fifth goal in four games for Italy in World Cup 2026 qualification, making it 2-0 and firing his nation through to the play-off final on Tuesday.
The 26-year-old striker managed to get six shots off during the game, three of which hit the target. He had four shots from inside the box, with one being his goal in the 80th minute.
Tonali looped the ball into the box, which Kean took down with an outstretched right foot, before taking a quick second touch with the inside of his right foot, taking it back across the defender’s momentum.
But it was the strike itself that was the most impressive, despite not looking particularly eye catching, Kean’s ability to get a shot away with just two steps on his left foot was superb.
The strike found the bottom corner coming off the inside of the post, but it was the quick snapshot that caught the keeper off guard, who had parried a few earlier shots from Kean into the far left corner around the post.
Kean will be hoping to continue his hot-streak in front of goal heading into the decider on Tuesday, where Italy will face Bosnia-Herzegovina to secure a spot at the World Cup.
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