At 3:45 a.m. Beijing time on March 25, the World Preliminary Round European Zone Play-off Group C Semifinal: Italy hosts North Macedonia. According to the rules, the winner of this match will compete with the winner of the battle of Portugal vs Turkey for a place in the 2022 World Cup in the final.
In the campaign, Italy started 433, Inmobile, Insigne, Berardi formed a forward trident, midfielders Jorginho, Villati, Barrera, four defenders Emerson, Bastoni, G. Mancini, Florenc, goalkeeper Donaroumma. The total value of the starting eleven is 431 million euros.
North Macedonia started 442, With Ristovsky and Trajkovsky double forwards, midfielders Kurlinov, Nikolov, Admi and Balshi, four defenders Listowski, Verkovsky, Musliu and Arioski, goalkeeper Dimitrevsky. The total value of the starting eleven is only 35.75 million euros, compared with Italy, the overall strength gap is obvious.
After the match began, the two sides fought fiercely, and Italy, which was playing at home, quickly took over the offensive. In the 2nd minute, Emerson took the ball from the edge of the penalty area and fired a long-range shot that was deflected off the line. In the 5th minute, Berardi turned around and fired a powerful shot from the edge of the penalty area, which was blocked by Musliu.
In the 19th minute, the North Macedonian backfield pass was wrong, italy broke the ball to counter-attack, Berardi took the ball into the box and shot at the goal, was intercepted, because Mobile shot again, and was blocked.
In the 29th minute, when forced to grab, North Macedonia goalkeeper Dimitrovsky made a mistake, Berardi followed up with a steal and pushed the empty goal, and the responsive Dimitrovsky fell to the ground to hold the ball.
In the 30th minute, Verratti headed straight in, followed up by Mobile and was touched high over the crossbar by the goalkeeper.
In the 37th minute, Emerson's reverse triangle cross, Verratti did not stop the ball and shot directly at the goal, was blocked by the defender, because Mobile shot again, and was blocked again.
In the 38th minute, Mancini Jr. made a mistake, and North Macedonia quickly counterattacked to the front after breaking the ball, but was chased back by Florenc at high speed to solve the danger.
In the 53rd minute, Berardi cut inside from the right and fired a long-range shot that deflected off the line.
In the 57th minute, Verratti broke away from the defence and sent a direct pass, and Berardi, who was holding the ball, fired a high shot.
In the 62nd minute, Verratti crossed the top to pick out the middle of the penalty area, and Berardi's chest stopped the ball and shot from close range.
Italy's attack, which has been thunderous and rainy, has never been able to break through the opponent's gate. North Macedonia only had sporadic counter-attacks, and of course it was difficult to threaten the gate guarded by Donnarumma, but the defense was very good, and the 0-0 score was maintained until 90 minutes of regular time.
Entering the 91st minute, Trajkovsky fired a long-range shot and the ball went in! It's a killer ball! In the end, Italy lost 0:1 to North Macedonia and missed the 2022 World Cup.
Italy, which has won the World Cup four times, has already missed two consecutive World Cups. The last time Italy played in the World Cup was in Brazil in 2014, when the main striker was Balotelli. After the group exit, Bashin quickly left the Italian national team.
In the 2018 World Preliminary Round, Italy fell into a weak edge, Ba Shen took the initiative to ask for a fight, but in the end did not get Ventura's call-up, in the play-offs, Italy lost 0:1 in two legs to Sweden, and missed the World Cup for the first time in 60 years. It is worth mentioning that before this play-off, Mancini originally recruited his former love Balotelli into the national team, but when it came to determining the big list, Ba Shen was again defeated.
Full-time statistics, 70% of the possession rate of Italy, 30% of North Macedonia, Italy shot as many as 32 times on goal, of which 5 shots were on target, and North Macedonia only had 4 shots on goal, of which 2 shots were on target. If Mancini had a terminator like The Pinnacle Bashen, he might have secured the victory long ago, but unfortunately he did not, but was killed by his opponent at the last moment.
Shortly after winning the European Championship, he missed the subsequent World Cup, and fate was too big a joke for Italy, coached by Mancini?