"Gattuso acknowledged the struggles his team encountered against Northern Ireland, having only been able to register two shots on target during a frustrating first half. 'It was a struggle, this was not at all easy. They even surprised us, trying to make vertical passes. We could've done better,' Gattuso told RAI Sport."
"'We were too slow, Locatelli was pushed back, but we moved the ball quicker after the break, and now we have to play the final. It's difficult, we knew this game was tough too, so now we must try to recharge the batteries.'"
"Italy immediately improved after the break, with Kean forcing a smart stop from Pierce Charles before Tonali thundered an effort past the visiting goalkeeper in the 56th minute. Kean then sealed the win 10 minutes from time with a smartly taken finish after being teed up by Tonali."
Italy defeated Northern Ireland 2-0, with goals from Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean, to reach the World Cup play-off final. Gennaro Gattuso expressed relief at the victory, acknowledging the team's struggles during the match. Italy managed only two shots on target in the first half, but improved after the break. They will face Bosnia-Herzegovina next Tuesday after Bosnia's penalty shoot-out win over Wales. This marks Italy's third consecutive World Cup qualifying campaign featuring play-offs, having faced previous eliminations in 2018 and 2022.
Read at Soccer News
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