World Cup qualifiers: Dominant first-half display gives Italy victory over dogged Northern Ireland

A commanding first-half show by Italy condemned Northern Eire to a 2-0 defeat of their opening World Cup qualifier in Parma.

Northern Eire responded strongly after the break and went shut by means of Gavin Whyte and Paddy McNair.

Ian Baraclough’s males play Bulgaria at dwelling of their subsequent qualifier.

That’s subsequent Wednesday evening at Belfast’s Windsor Park, however earlier than that on the identical venue on Sunday, Baraclough should information his squad by means of a pleasant in opposition to USA.

Having changed Michael O’Neill final 12 months, the previous NI Beneath-21 boss remains to be with no win throughout 90 minutes after 9 matches answerable for the senior facet.

This was all the time going to be a troublesome match wherein to get that first victory, with Italy, resurgent since Roberto Mancini took over in 2018, now unbeaten in 23 matches.

The four-time World Cup winners have nonetheless by no means misplaced a house World Cup qualifier, with Thursday’s win including to the ten victories they secured in 10 Euro 2020 qualifiers.

With Switzerland beating Bulgaria 3-1 earlier within the day’s different Group C match, subsequent Wednesday’s encounter at Windsor now assumes much more significance for Northern Eire as they bid to achieve a World Cup finals for the primary time since 1986.

If he would not play on Sunday, Northern Eire captain Steven Davis will hope to interrupt Peter Shilton’s British worldwide caps document in opposition to the Bulgarians, after equalling it along with his one hundred and twenty fifth look in Parma.

Berardi-inspired hosts smother guests early on

Baraclough was daring along with his formation in Parma, setting his group up in a 3-5-2 that noticed Paddy McNair making up a again three with Jonny Evans and Craig Cathcart, and Gavin Whyte becoming a member of Josh Magennis in a entrance two.

They regarded energetic whereas holding a stable form in what was a promising opening 10 minutes, however the Italians quickly discovered their rhythm and produced a dominant show of incisive passing that Northern Eire weren’t in a position to deal with.

Lazio ahead Motionless delivered the primary warning of what was to return when he discovered house in between Evans and Cathcart however failed to attach along with his volley, permitting Peacock-Farrell to avoid wasting simply.

The opening aim arrived within the 14th minute. With McNair drifting too far ahead, Berardi was in a position to run in behind wing-back Stuart Dallas and lower inside earlier than guiding an angled shot previous Peacock-Farrell at his close to publish.

With Northern Eire failing to shut him down shortly sufficient, Berardi took management of the sport, creating glorious possibilities for Motionless and Emerson Palmieri which they did not take.

If the Northern Eire keeper may have performed higher with the primary aim, he definitely ought to have performed higher for the second, letting an Motionless shot go previous him on the close to publish after the Italians broke properly when a Northern Eire assault broke down.

Spirited response offers hope for NI

Whereas enjoying with two forwards regarded like a optimistic sign of intent from Baraclough, in reality each Whyte and Magennis had been usually dropping deep for many of the first half, maybe in a bid to forestall Manuel Locatelli dictating the play from deep in midfield as he was.

It regarded bleak for Northern Eire on the break, with Mancini’s facet suggesting they might create possibilities at will, however Baraclough’s males clearly regrouped within the altering room and had been a a lot better facet within the second half.

They acquired on the entrance foot proper from the restart and the entrance two mixed in a significant means for the primary time after 47 minutes when Magennis flicked on to Whyte who discovered the side-netting with a volley.

Motionless headed huge from a superb place for Italy earlier than Whyte had an excellent higher likelihood, latching onto a poor backpass however failing to shift his ft in time and permitting AC Milan’s Gianluigi Donnarumma to return off his line and save.

From the subsequent interval of play, a superb left-wing cross discovered Smith on the again publish however he opted to volley along with his left foot and did not get sufficient energy in his shot to hassle Donnarumma.

Northern Eire had clearly performed their means into the sport, with Evans whipping in a harmful cross and captain Davis going shut with a volley earlier than McNair missed their greatest likelihood of the evening with 4 minutes left.

Davis discovered him with a intelligent cross inside and the Middlesbrough and, who has been spectacular in current matches for membership and nation, was sloppy along with his shot and despatched it over the crossbar.

So a shock outcome was an excessive amount of of an ask for Northern Eire in Parma, however Baraclough should use the second-half efficiency as a launch pad for Sunday’s pleasant and – most significantly – the go to of Bulgaria for the second qualifier subsequent Wednesday.