Italy advances to World Cup qualifying play-off final, Gattuso thanks fans for their support

Italy defeated Northern Ireland 2-0 in the 2026 World Cup European qualifying play-off, thanks to goals from Tonali and Keane. Gattuso expressed his gratitude for the fans' continued support and hoped the players would be fully fit for the final.

The deadlock wasn't broken until the 56th minute of the second half when Italy's attack was deflected by an opposing player, allowing Tonali to unleash a long-range shot from the edge of the penalty area, giving Italy a 1-0 lead.

In the 80th minute, Tonali gained possession and chipped the ball into the penalty area. Keane controlled the ball, dribbled past the defender, and slotted it home, extending Italy's lead to 2-0.

Ultimately, Italy defeated Northern Ireland 2-0 at home, successfully advancing to the playoff final.

In an interview, Italy coach Gattuso said, "It was a tough battle, and the process was not easy at all. They even surprised us a bit by trying more vertical passes, and we could have done better. The players remained focused, but Locatelli's position was too deep, which prevented us from organizing the attack in the way we planned. However, we eventually managed to do it, but it's not something to be taken for granted."

“Our pace was too slow, Locatelli was pushed back too far, but we picked up the passing speed after halftime, and now we have to prepare for the final. We know the next game will be tough, so we must recover our fitness as soon as possible.”

In addition, Italy will travel to Cardiff to challenge Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup qualifying play-off final, continuing their quest for a place in the World Cup finals.

Gattuso continued, "We feel the same tension as our opponents. The two teams have completely different styles, and we will face a different atmosphere in the game, but now we should enjoy this moment."

"I want to thank the fans for their support. I hardly heard any boos, and I even received applause when I went back to the locker room at halftime. So I want to thank the fans here again, and now we will march toward the final together."

Image source: Internet