JAKARTA - The match that created many possibilities when Italy faced Northern Ireland in the 2026 World Cup playoff semifinals at the New Balance Stadium or Gewiss, Bergamo, Friday, March 27, 2026 early morning WIB. Italian coach Gennaro Gattuso has also anticipated that the match must be resolved by a penalty shootout.
Italy is slightly favored in the match. The individual quality of the players and the status as a European elite team despite failing to qualify in the last two World Cups make Italy have a greater chance of eliminating Northern Ireland. Moreover, Gianluigi Donnarumma et al. play at home.
Even though the fans can be a burden because of the demands to win to pave the way to the final round, they are still the hope to provide support so as to raise the morale and fighting spirit of Italy.
If they get rid of Northern Ireland, Gli Azzurri still have to face Wales or Bosnia-Herzegovina in the playoff final before finally securing tickets to the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Italy is indeed the favorite in the match. However, it is predicted that Northern Ireland will still give resistance even though they are playing at home in Italy.
Even Gattuso, who once tasted English football when playing at Scottish elite club Rangers FC, which is Celtic's arch-rivals, told his players not to underestimate Northern Ireland.
"You need experience on the field because we will face a match that is not easy. Northern Ireland has a strategy of always directing the ball directly into the penalty box. Just look at how they do every free kick, their goalkeeper always releases a long pass forward. And there are already eight to nine players ready to fight for the wild ball or rebound," said Gattuso as quoted by Football Italia.
"We have studied their game and I always discuss this with the players every dinner or when I call them. Modern players must be able to understand every system or tactic. I'm not saying their game is based on long balls, but it's like it's the only way they play. And they do it very well," said the former coach of AC Milan and Napoli.
Not only a difficult opponent, Gattuso also faces a problem of player injuries which makes Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo had to be cut. A decision that is not easy for Gattuso because Di Lorenzo has actually shown a brilliant performance lately and brought Napoli to compete with Inter Milan and Milan in the Italian Serie A competition.
In addition, defender Alessandro Bastoni is still in the process of recovering from an ankle injury that made him absent from Inter for the past few weeks. In the latest development, Bastoni has been declared recovered and has also undergone training.
"Alessandro Bastoni has been training at least 30-35 percent. So we have to see his latest condition. Meanwhile, Gianluca Mancini, Matteo Politano and Riccardo Calafiori have no problem. They are ready to play," said Gattuso. If declared fit, Bastoni will be the starter with a 3-5-2 formation.
Gattuso also anticipated that the match had to be settled by a penalty shootout. The FIFA playoff system only holds one match. The winning team will qualify for the final to face the next team to get a ticket to the final round. If the Italian match against Northern Ireland ends in a draw, it continues with extra time and then a penalty shootout if it remains a draw.
"We have been practicing [penalty kicks]. Every player has to take three penalty kicks. So I can know who is most likely to do it. So I try all the players," said Gattuso, who has named one name who is certain to be the penalty executor.
"Mateo Retegui who has always taken penalties in recent matches. He will be one of the kickers," he said.
Retegui who has left Italy and is now playing in Saudi Arabia by strengthening Al-Qadsiah is still called by Gattuso. His penalty record is quite convincing even though the former Genoa and Atalanta striker had failed when doing so when Italy beat Estonia 3-1 in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Meanwhile, Northern Ireland could not field their best team in the crucial match. Manager Michael O'Neill lost captain Conor Bradley and Jamal Lewis who were injured. Without Bradley, it is clear that it reduces Northern Ireland's strength.
However, George Saville, who was absent in the last qualifying match against Luxembourg due to a ban, can be dropped. So is Shea Charles, Ali McCann and goalkeeper mainstay Pierce Charles.
However, Northern Ireland has a bad record every time they meet the four-time world champions. From the last seven meetings, Italy always won with a record of 16-2 goals. They need hard work to make a surprise at the Italian home.
Predicted Starting XI
Italy: Donnarumma; Calafiori, Mancini, Bastoni; Cambiaso, Tonali, Locatelli, Barella, Dimarco; Kean, Retegui.
Northern Ireland: Pierce Charles; Hume, McConville, Brown, McNair, Devenny; Saville, Shea Charles, McCann; Price, Reid.
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