Overview
- Italy beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in Bergamo on Thursday, with second-half goals from Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean sending the Azzurri into the UEFA play-off final.
- Bosnia and Herzegovina advanced on penalties in Cardiff after Edin Dzeko’s late equaliser, and Italy now visit Zenica’s Bilino Polje on Tuesday, March 31.
- Sweden, Poland, Turkey, Kosovo, Denmark and the Czech Republic also progressed, highlighted by Viktor Gyökeres’ hat-trick against Ukraine in Valencia and Kosovo’s 4-3 win in Slovakia.
- The Czech Republic knocked out the Republic of Ireland on penalties in Prague after a 2-2 draw, following reports of Irish supporters buying seats in home sections and warnings about cancelled or fake PDF tickets.
- UEFA’s single-leg play-off format awards World Cup berths to Tuesday’s winners, a path that is especially consequential for Italy after missing the 2018 and 2022 tournaments.