World Cup, all in ninety minutes: Italy challenges the Northern Ireland nightmare
In Belfast (tonight, at 20.45) the Azzurri will play the direct qualification
All in ninety minutes. Italy will play tonight (in Belfast, 8.45 pm) the qualification for the World Cup in Qatar.
The challenge is against Northern Ireland, who never lost at home at Windsor Park in these qualifiers, and therefore in a game to be taken with a grain of salt: the Azzurri will have to win, hoping that Switzerland does not overwhelm Bulgaria.
For Mancini's boys, who also have to cope with many absences, the watchword is "no anxiety", also to avoid too many missteps committed against Switzerland.
"It is not a game of bad thoughts - specified Mancini -: let's think about playing the ball on the ground and fast, and so we avoid having to resort to the repair exam, the March playoffs".
On Irish soil in the history of the national team there is also a bad precedent, a defeat that on 15 January 1958 cost them the failure to qualify for the World Cup in Sweden.
"I didn't go to review the news, but I know the story - explained Mancini -: let's avoid going so far back in time ..".
Tonight we will need a spark from the men of greater charisma. Domenico Berardi, orphan of Immobile and with a Belotti not at his best physically, wants to replicate the goal of the first leg against Northern Ireland. Instead, he dreams of the first goal with the senior national team Gianluca Scamacca, Berardi's teammate in Sassuolo. The Roman striker, who scored 9 goals in 15 appearances with the Under 21 team, could undermine Baraclough's defense thanks to his physique and header. Bonucci and his teammates, on the other hand, will have to pay attention to Joshua Magennis, striker of Hull City, who has already stamped the card 8 times with his national team.
Mancini also assures that he saw a Barella recovered from the fatigue with which he arrived in retreat. "He's recovered, he's fine: even better than with Switzerland", he specifies.
"At the European Championship this magnificent team had a particular spirit - says the captain, Bonucci - Nobody will ever cancel what we did this summer, but now we have to find that team spirit and multiply it percent".
(Unioneonline / vl)
