Two second half goals from Daniele Rugani and Marcello Trotta helped Italy U21s to an essential win over Northern Ireland and keep them in with a shout at qualification for the European U21 Championship.
Italy knew they had to win it, especially given that Serbia would go on to trounce table toppers Belguim, but did not start like a side with that urgency.
Roma’s Federico Viviani impressed at the heart of the action, captaining his country on a wet, windy Wednesday afternoon at Mourneview Park in Lurgan. The classic and lazy football cliché it may be, but doing it in such conditions on a poor pitch shows his class.
After a stuttering opening 10 minutes, the Azzurrini began to find their groove and put the Irish three-man defence under a little more pressure but despite their cute use of possession, struggled to create and clear cut chances which both sides were still waiting for at the midway point of the half.
It eventually arrived shortly afterwards through a Carl Winchester volley on the right but it was easily dealt with by Francesco Bardi in the Italian goal. As Danilo Cataldi and Viviani’s class in the middle of the park began to show, only a brilliant block denied Viviani from a curling indirect free kick inside the penalty box.
Both Federico Bernardeschi and Salvatore Molina had efforts deflected away from danger in the ensuing moments while Rugani swept up anything with ease at the other end and Liam Donnelly had to put in a match-saving clearing header to deny Gianmario Comi who was lurking behind him.
Three minutes before the break things roared to life for Luigi Di Biagio’s men as Viviani brought a superb low stop out of Conor Brennan, Comi narrowly missed out on the rebound then Viviani blasted in another that was blocked before Cristian Battocchio curled one into the side netting. Whirlwind football it was but the Northern Ireland backline survived.
In first half injury time, came the chance that Italy were waiting for. A Northern Ireland free kick was cleared to half way where Bernardeschi was waiting and he drove onwards at goal, racing unchallenged into the area but rippled his shot against the side netting despite cries from the Italy support believing it had found the inside netting.
Italy started the second half very much on the front foot and after dictating all of the opening play, took the lead 13 minutes after the restart. Viviani, who had threatened with his deliveries for much of the evening, flighted a free kick perfectly on to the head of Rugani who deftly swung his header in off the post.
From his new position on the right, Bernardeschi won possession back for his side and then sent a sweet strike curling for the far corner and was unlucky to see it bend inches past the upright and Comi had a volley on the turn blocked as LDB’s charges turned the screw.
Only a last gasp Luke McCullough stop prevented substitute Marcello Trotta from racing through and finishing while a clever corner kick saw Viviani pick up the ball from 25 yards and fizz one narrowly passed the post.
The lively Trotta had another goalbound attempt deflect just wide, story of the Italy evening, before it was he who made the game safe in the final minute of normal time.
Fellow substitute Jacopo Dezi picked him out through a crowd on the left of the area and he effortlessly shimmied inside past the challenge before sidefooting high into the net at the near post past a helpless Brennan.
The victory keeps the Azzurrini in third place in the Group Nine table but they are just one point behind Serbia and Belgium who occupy the top two spots.
Italy U21: Bardi; Sabelli, Romagnoli, Rugani, Murru; Molina (Trotta 55), Viviani (C), Cataldi, Battochio; Comi (Dezi 73), Bernardeschi (De Col 84).
