ITALY will have to negotiate the World Cup qualifying play-off if they are to make it to Qatar.
The Azzurri spurned the chance to make it to the competition after failing to become a resolute Northern Ireland in Belfast.
And now they run the risk of missing out on a second successive World Cup after falling to Sweden in 2018 qualifying.
A 4-0 victory over Bulgaria saw Switzerland top the group meaning the European champions will line up with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal in the play-off.
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ALL TO PLAY FOR
So who can Italy face in the semi-finals of the World Cup play-offs?
Well, so far there are only two confirmed possible opponents.
They are Austria and North Macedonia, with Austria qualifying via the Nations League and North Macedonia averaging the lowest points per game of the second placed teams.
Scotland’s win over Denmark means they will get a home semi-final and definitely avoid Italy.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal will also not face Italy in a last four clash of the titans.
However, the two sides COULD get drawn against each other in the final, meaning one of the last two European champions would be guaranteed to miss out on the World Cup.
HOW DO THE PLAY-OFFS WORK?
Italy missed out on automatic qualification to next year’s World Cup in Qatar.
Roberto Mancini’s men will compete in the play-offs along with Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal and Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s Sweden.
And you can find out exactly how they will work as well as match dates, locations and competition format HERE.
MANCINI CONTINUED…
A downcast Mancini still thinks his team has the ability to win the World Cup despite having missed out on automatic qualification.
He added: “The game with Bulgaria was the first in September after just two Serie A rounds, so those fixtures are always the toughest, as we are rusty.
“We still had the chances to win both games with Switzerland.
“Now we prepare for March and we go into the play-offs confident.
“We’ll book our place in the World Cup in March and hopefully win the tournament too.”
MANCINI SPEAKS…
Italy boss Roberto Mancini said: “We can’t do anything about it now, we have this game in March and will try to give our best.
“At the moment, we are struggling to score goals, despite dominating possession and the initiative.
“Northern Ireland put everyone in defence and we struggle to break sides like that down.
“It’s a pity, because we should’ve sealed the group long before it came to this.
“We just need to rediscover what characterised us up until today.
“We had two missed penalties in the decisive matches, so that shows we had the chances to win.”
DAVIS CONTINUED…
Davis added: “When you play against the top nations you have to deal with difficult periods in the game.
“And we carried a threat going forward as well.
“It was a mammoth effort from all the boys subs included.
“It was a good game for me personally and I enjoyed it.”
STEVEN DAVIS SPEAKS
Northern Ireland captain Steven Davis said: “We had to be very disciplined in and out of possession.
“It was a massive effort from all the boys.
“In the end we had some big chances and we’re a little bit disappointed to only take a point.”
The Rangers midfielder added: “The shape of the team was very good.
“We tried to contain them at times and restricted them to very few chances.
“Overall it was important to finish the campaign on a high and we certainly did that.”
BARACLOUGH CONTINUED…
The N. Ireland boss added: “They played with their heads too.
“We asked them not to play with too much emotion and they did that.”
Asked if fine margins were the difference, Baraclough added: “I feel for Conor [Washington] as he’s desperate to score.
“He done everything right but Bonucci is a class defender and he couldn’t get the power on it after he’d done the hard work.
“He’ll be tossing and turning in bed tonight.”
BARACLOUGH SPEAKS
Speaking after his team’s excellent point against Italy, N. Ireland’s boss Ian Baraclough said: “You know you’re going to have to work for long periods and sustain some pressure and work your socks off and we did that.
“You’re going to get one or two chances and Washington had the best chance of the game.
“The work rate and desire to get a result in a dead rubber…
“People say that but they don’t understand.
“Every game means something for them wearing the green shirt. To be thought of with pride and cherished.”
FINAL GROUP C STANDINGS!
Amid the late drama at Windsor Park, Switzerland snuck a 92nd minute effort in to make it 4-0 which meant Italy had to win 3-0 to qualify automatically ahead of the Swiss.
Here’s how Group C finished up.
FANTASTIC ACHIVEMENT
Every single Northern Ireland player out there tonight deserves that point to a man.
And if anything, as the game wore on they had the better chances.
Conor Washington and Saville in the second-half will probably be disappointed they didn’t score from promising positions.
But every single member of the raucous Windsor Park crowd and Northern Irish fans around the world can be very proud of their country’s showing tonight.
FULL-TIME!!!!!!!!
N. Ireland 0 – 0 Italy
An absolutely phenomenal performance from N. Ireland as they deny Italy automatic qualification for next year’s World Cup in Qatar.
Play-offs for Italy, top spot for Switzerland who won 3-0 against Bulgaria and N. Ireland go a full qualifying campaign without conceding at home.
Superb stuff from the green and white army.
N. IRELAND 0 – 0 ITALY
90+3. Just seconds remaining and Italy launch another long ball forward…
THREE MINUTES OF STOPPAGE TIME!
N. IRELAND 0 – 0 ITALY
90. CHANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I CANNOT BREATHE!
Ball over the top to Washington, Donnarumma rushes out and overcooks it, Washington bears down on goal with the ball against two Italian defenders but his scuffed effort is blocked by Bonucci on the line.
That would have been magic for these home fans.
N. IRELAND 0 – 0 ITALY
89. Mancini is nearly level with the N. Ireland penalty area as he desperately tries to get a reaction from his men.
It would be some sort of miracle to see them get two now as they resort to launching long straight balls into the box.
N. IRELAND 0 – 0 ITALY
88. It’s 11 men camped in their own half for N. Ireland but they’re not for breaking.
An attempted cross deflects off Davis and out for a corner…
But it doesn’t even beat the first man.
The crowd are deafening as they roar their side on.
N. IRELAND 0 – 0 ITALY
85. Italy are piling men forward.
Chiesa swings one in from the right with an overload at the back post.
It’s kept alive with a header but Lewis makes no mistake and heads out for a corner.
It’s whipped in and Bonucci’s header is blocked.
N. IRELAND 0 – 0 ITALY
80. SUB!
Scamacca ON
Emerson OFF
BOOKED!
Peacock-Farrell for time wasting.
N. IRELAND 0 – 0 ITALY
82. CHANCE!
OH MY GOODNESS!
N. Ireland break, some beautiful inter-play sees Lewis in space on the left.
He cuts it back, Davis steps over it and it falls to Dallas in acres of space around 20 yards out with the whole stadium willing it in.
He fires a right-footed effort in but he also drags it mere inches wide. That was the moment.
N. IRELAND 0 – 0 ITALY
80. CHANCE!
Former Chelsea left-back Emerson gets fed about 25 yards out and he tries a shot from distance.
It fizzes just wide of the right hand post and the ref points for a corner despite replays showing it went straight out.
N. IRELAND 0 – 0 ITALY
79. Washington getting the crowd going here by busting a gut to shut down Bonucci around half-way as Italy prepare to throw on another striker.
N. IRELAND 0 – 0 ITALY
73. SUBS
IN
Corry Evans, Conor Washington.
OUT
Saville, Whyte.
N. IRELAND 0 – 0 ITALY
CHANCE!
75. Washington played in down the right, he holds off a challenge, bursts into the side of the penalty box, tries to slide it across but it cannons off Bonucci’s leg and out for a corner.
N. Ireland might fancy getting a win here as Italy take more and more risks going forward.
GROUP C UPDATE – SWITZERLAND GOAL!
Italy need to win at least 2-0 here to qualify automatically!
Cedric Itten put the Swiss 3-0 up against Bulgaria which means Italy’s head-to-head record against the Swiss will see them lose out even if they get a 1-0 win here.
N. IRELAND 0 – 0 ITALY
69. SUBS!
OFF
Jorginho, Insigne.
ON
Bernadeschi, Locatelli.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
