Equally disappointing in Belfast, Italy in the play-offs

Switzerland wins 4-0 with Bulgaria and immediately snatches the ticket for Qatar. Now the nightmare of elimination returns

The worst Italy of Mancini’s management can’t even beat Northern Ireland and signs with his own hands a sentence that is as unexpected as it is just given the performance of the last few games: Switzerland makes Bulgarian meatballs and we end up in the play-offs in March. Which will be more complicated than those that have denied us access to Russia 2018.

Ghosts, nightmares, fears; from here to four months we will be full of suggestions, but were it not that the Italians have seen and touched them, it is difficult to believe that this team and this coach have won the European title just over four months. What remains in history we would miss it, but now we have to deal with another story. And it makes you shiver to think back. Italy had to win and it never came close. For the fourth time in Mancini management, the Azzurri do not score and Northern Ireland closes the group while keeping Windsor Park immaculate.

Half an hour, the first, spent ruminating on the game without getting anything out of it, if not a sensational and obvious possession of the ball. It is useless to speak of defense to five of the Northern Irishmen, there are ten behind the ball and not a breath of air passes between the departments. Di Lorenzo’s blitz after eight minutes gives us the illusion of being able to surprise them from behind, this is Mancini’s plan more than the ball on the ground, but, in fact, they fall for it at the beginning and then, having eaten the leaf, they raise the guard. Tonali is more electric than the last Locatelli, but the admonition immediately extinguishes the cravings.

The light trident does not quail, the center forward does it Insigne but with poor results if we exclude the incursion after the combination with Barella in the 37th minute. We go to the interval just in time to know that in Basel Switzerland takes a post with Okafor and remains nailed on white par with Bulgaria. After all, it is the only risk we run in 45 minutes: the advantage of Switzerland. The moral of the first half is that without a striker it is hard: we are not very brilliant, our technique is not enough and the overwhelming superiority in ball possession (74% the blue one) is an aggravating given the rarity of shots on goal.

That Tonali’s yellow would have become a hitch is shown by the change at half-time: outside the Milan midfielder, inside Cristante, Mancini’s fixer. We begin the uphill recovery: Donnarumma saves on Saville and immediately afterwards Switzerland takes the lead. Panic in Windsor Park. Nothing happens that justifies our advantage. And doubling Switzerland is a stab in the heart.

Chiesa tries, then Belotti enters. A center forward. Desired entry but in the end useless. Il Gallo and then Scamacca: zero shots on goal anyway. Switzerland is rampant in Lucerne, the blue destiny is sealed. We drew with Bulgaria at home, threw two penalties to the wind against Switzerland, we were stopped by modest Ireland (the curse of Belfast): today’s football does not give anything, we deserve the play-offs. The medals are on the chest but do not score. Now the ides of March. And let’s stop here. –