Italy 2-0 Northern Ireland Player Ratings: Sandro Tonali 8.5/10 Breaks Northern Ireland Resistance to Fire Italy Into World Cup Play-Off Final

Northern Ireland arrived in Bergamo with absolutely nothing to lose and defended as if their World Cup lives depended on it, because they did. For 55 minutes, Michael O'Neill's side were magnificent in their discipline and organisation, frustrating a nervous Italian crowd that had expected their side to cruise through. McConville and McNair were immense at the back for Northern Ireland, making clearance after clearance as Gattuso's side struggled to find any way through a low, compact defensive block that refused to be broken.

Then Tonali found a moment of magic that no defensive structure in the world could have anticipated. A loose clearance dropped perfectly for the Newcastle midfielder, who hammered a half-volley that skidded and swerved beyond Pierce Charles to finally silence the nerves inside the New Balance Arena. Kean's composed finish ten minutes later put the result beyond doubt and booked a place for Italy in the World Cup play-off final, a result that their second-half display deserved, even if the first half had been far from convincing. Here are Sportsdunia's Italy vs Northern Ireland player ratings.

Key Takeaways

• Tonali was the difference-maker, and his 8.5/10 rating was thoroughly deserved.
• Northern Ireland's first-half display was one of genuine quality and should not be overlooked.
• Italy's World Cup hoodoo at the play-off stage makes this victory particularly significant.

Italy Player Ratings vs Northern Ireland

Here are the Italy player ratings for the Italy vs Northern Ireland fixture.

Goalkeeper

Gianluigi Donnarumma - 7.0: A very quiet evening for the Italian captain. We barely saw him called into action, which tells you everything about Italy's dominance. He made one comfortable save and was good with his feet, starting attacks from the back. His command of the penalty area during Northern Ireland's few set-pieces was, as always, top-notch. It felt like he was more of a spectator for large parts of this match.

Defenders

Riccardo Calafiori - 7.5: What a performance from the defender. He was a constant threat moving forward and absolutely solid at the back. He won almost all of his duels and was a major target on set-pieces, though he will be disappointed he didn't score with a good headed chance. His passing from the back was progressive and accurate. He looked incredibly comfortable at this level.

Alessandro Bastoni - 6.5: A mixed bag for Bastoni before he was substituted. He was excellent on the ball, with a near-perfect passing percentage, and won a good number of his aerial battles. However, he picked up a needless yellow card for a poor challenge. The substitution felt like a precautionary measure. He did his job but it wasn't his most polished display.

Gianluca Mancini - 7.5: A commanding and composed performance at the heart of the defence. He was an absolute wall, winning his duels and making crucial clearances. What stood out to us was his comfort on the ball, achieving 94% pass accuracy and even creating a chance. He read the game beautifully, making it look easy against the opposition forwards.

Midfielders

Federico Dimarco - 7.5: He was a whirlwind down the left flank. The sheer volume of crosses he put into the box was staggering, creating four chances for his teammates. He was unlucky not to score himself, hitting the woodwork early on. The only downside was how often he lost possession, but that's the risk you run with such an attack-minded player. A constant thorn in Northern Ireland's side.

Manuel Locatelli - 7.5: The conductor of the orchestra in midfield. He was simply everywhere, breaking up play with tackles and interceptions while dictating the tempo with his passing. He sprayed the ball around with ease and controlled the middle of the park.

Matteo Politano - 6.5: A decent, hard-working shift from Politano on the wing. He didn't have the same impact as some of his teammates but he was always an option and delivered a couple of good crosses. He did his defensive work diligently. A solid if unspectacular outing before being taken off.

Sandro Tonali - 8.5: Our man of the match, without a doubt. He completely ran the show. He broke the deadlock with a sensational strike from distance and also provided the assist for Kean's goal. Beyond the goal contributions, his energy, creativity, and presence were immense.

Nicolò Barella - 6.0: We were a bit disappointed with Barella's performance, to be honest. It was a surprisingly quiet game for a player of his calibre. He worked hard and recovered the ball well, but he was sloppy in possession and offered very little in the final third. He even skied a good chance over the bar. Not his best day in an Italy shirt.

Forwards

Mateo Retegui - 6.0: It was a tough night for the striker. He was physically dominated by the Northern Ireland defenders, losing the majority of his duels. He had one good shot saved but otherwise struggled to impose himself on the game before being substituted. He just couldn't seem to find any space to operate.

Moise Kean - 8.0: A fantastic, all-action performance. He was a constant menace, taking six shots and looking dangerous every time he got the ball. He finally got the goal his performance deserved, sealing the win with a cool finish. His movement and power were too much for the opposition to handle. A great display.

Substitutes

Francesco Pio Esposito - 6.5: Looked bright after coming on, immediately setting up a great chance for Kean.

Federico Gatti - 6.0: Slotted in seamlessly for Bastoni and helped see out the clean sheet.

Marco Palestra - N/A: Not on long enough to rate.

Niccolò Pisilli - N/A: A late change for the brilliant Tonali.

Giacomo Raspadori - N/A: Came on for the final few minutes.

Manager

I. Gattuso - 7.5: He got his tactics spot on. His Italy side was set up to dominate possession and press high, and they executed the plan perfectly. The team looked balanced and controlled the match from start to finish. His substitutions were logical and helped maintain control. A very professional win masterminded by the gaffer.

Northern Ireland Player Ratings vs Italy

Check out the Northern Ireland player ratings vs Italy.

Goalkeeper

Pierce Joseph Charles - 7.5: The young keeper was outstanding. He made five saves, including a couple of really top-drawer stops to deny Retegui and Kean. Without him, the scoreline could have been much worse for Northern Ireland. He was confident and composed despite the relentless pressure. A performance he can be very proud of.

Defenders

Terry Devlin - 6.5: A battling performance. He threw himself into challenges and made some crucial blocks and clearances. He was part of a defensive unit that was stretched to its limit but he never gave up. A really committed display before he was substituted.

Trai Hume - 6.5: The captain had an incredibly busy evening. He led by example with his work rate and made a brilliant clearance off the line to prevent a certain goal. It was a tough task against Italy's fluid attack but he stood up to the challenge well for the most part.

Ruairi McConville - 6.0: You can't fault his commitment. The man made 13 clearances, which is a staggering number and shows just how much defending he had to do. However, he struggled in his individual duels and was a bit clumsy at times.

Patrick James Coleman McNair - 6.5: Another defender who spent the entire night putting out fires. He racked up 10 clearances and was generally solid. He tried to be composed on the ball when he could, but those opportunities were few and far between.

Brodie Gilmore Spencer - 6.0: It was a difficult assignment for Spencer against Italy's dynamic wingers. He made a couple of important tackles but was often on the back foot. He worked hard but was ultimately overwhelmed by the quality of the opposition.

Midfielders

Ethan Galbraith - 6.5: He ran his socks off in the engine room. It was a thankless task trying to contain Italy's midfield but he never shirked a challenge. He was tenacious and disruptive, though he gave away a few fouls. A battling display.

Isaac Price - 6.0: Very neat on the ball when he had it, boasting a high pass completion rate. The problem was that he barely saw the ball. He was bypassed by the Italian midfield for large spells of the game.

Justin Devenny - 6.0: Showed some flashes of quality, with a couple of successful dribbles and he even created a chance. But like his fellow midfielders, he spent most of his time chasing shadows. He worked hard defensively but couldn't influence the game going forward.

Shea Emmanuel Charles - 7.0: From our perspective, he was Northern Ireland's best outfield player. He looked composed and classy on the ball despite the pressure. He created a couple of chances and made some vital interceptions.

Forwards

Jamie Paul Donley - 5.5: A really tough and isolating night for the lone striker. He was starved of service and well-marshalled by the Italian defence. He won a few fouls but that was about the extent of his impact. He looked frustrated and couldn't get into the game at all.

Manager

M. O'Neill - 6.0: His team was organised and fought with tremendous spirit, which is a credit to him. The defensive setup was designed to frustrate Italy, and it worked for a while. However, they offered almost nothing going forward and were ultimately undone by superior quality. There was little more he could have done with the players at his disposal.

Man of the Match

Sandro Tonali was the man of the match.

Worst Performer

Jamie Paul Donley was the worst performer.