Italy v Northern Ireland live stream, Sky Sports, Thursday 25th March, 7:45pm GMT
Northern Ireland begin their World Cup 2022 qualifying campaign with a tough-looking opener away to Italy on Thursday.
The Green and White Army take on the four-time World Cup winners in Parma then host Bulgaria in Belfast next Wednesday – either side of a home friendly against the United States. Lithuania and Switzerland are Ian Baraclough’s team’s other two opponents in Group C.
Apart from beating Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties in the Euro 2020 play-offs – where they ultimately lost out to Slovakia – Northern Ireland haven’t won a competitive international since a 1-0 Euro qualifying victory away to Belarus in June 2019. Their last competitive home win came against the same opponents earlier that year.
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Italy: 1/7
Draw: 13/2
Northern Ireland: 25/1
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They’ve not qualified for the World Cup since 1986, when Norman Whiteside became the youngest player in the tournament’s history at the age of 17 years and 41 days – a record which still stands today.
Italy, meanwhile, under the management of Roberto Mancini, are unbeaten in 20 games, a run stretching back to a 1-0 Nations League loss to Portugal in September 2018. The Azzurri have chalked up some thumping victories in that time, thrashing Moldova and Liechtenstein 6-0 and demolishing Armenia 9-1.
Northern Ireland’s squad features the likes of veteran skipper and Rangers midfielder Steven Davis, and Leicester and Leeds defenders Jonny Evans and Stuart Dallas. Accrington Stanley striker Dion Charles could be in line for his first cap.
As for Italy, Mancini has named a colossal 38-man squad, 34 of whom play their club football in Italy. Chelsea defender Emerson, PSG duo Alessandro Florenzi and Moise Kean – currently on loan from Everton – and Freiburg winger Vincenzo Grifo are the exceptions. Juventus’ Giorgio Chiellini, still going strong at the age of 36, captains the side.
Kick-off is at 7:45pm GMT and the game is being shown on Sky Sports Football in the UK.
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