Northern Ireland 0, Italy 2

BERGAMO, Italy (Interstat) — Italy opened its World Cup qualifying campaign with a commanding 2-0 victory over Northern Ireland on Thursday at New Balance Arena, a result that aligned with statistical forecasts but required patience to secure. The Azzurri, playing in front of a home crowd, controlled proceedings from the outset but were repeatedly frustrated by a resolute Northern Irish defense and their own lack of precision in the final third. The visitors, organized and disciplined, held firm for the majority of the first half, limiting Italy to speculative efforts from distance. The breakthrough finally arrived in the 56th minute,… Read more...