Italy Set To Join Portugal In Playoffs After Failing To Secure Direct World Cup Berth

By Godswill Inneh

European Champions, Italy on Monday failed to book an automatic place in next year’s FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

In a drab encounter at Windsor Park in Northern Ireland, the Azurri needed a win to be sure of an automatic qualification for the World Cup but a superb showing from the home side kept the Italians at bay for the entirety of the game, denying them a straightforward ticket.

Northern Ireland produced their best performance of the qualifying campaign to earn a 0-0 draw and with Switzerland’s 4-0 hammering of Bulgaria, it now means that they go through, ahead of Italy. What this means for Italy however is that they are faced with the prospects of the dreaded playoffs, the same fate as Portugal after they failed to beat Serbia on Sunday.

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Roberto Mancini’s Italians, who came into the match ahead of the Swiss on goal difference, must now prepare for a play-off in March, having missed out on the last World Cup by losing a play-off to Sweden. It will bring back bitter memories if the Italians ultimately fail to qualify, because it will not only mean that they have failed to get past the playoffs for the second consecutive time, but also that they miss out on two consecutive World Cups for the first time.

If that were to be the case, it would end an otherwise remarkable year for the Italians who were crowned European Champions in July, and made it to the semi-finals of the UEFA Nations League, Europe’s second intercontinental competition.