Italy beats Northern Ireland 2-0 in World Cup playoff semifinal

Rome, Italy – Italy kept its World Cup hopes alive with a 2-0 victory over Northern Ireland in the playoff semifinal, ending a frustrating winless streak in the qualification pathway. The result gives the four-time world champions a lifeline as they seek to avoid missing a third consecutive World Cup finals.

Italy must now win one more playoff tie to secure its place at the global tournament, a crucial step for a nation still stung by its failure to qualify for the 2018 and 2022 editions. The win over Northern Ireland marks the Azzurri’s first success in the current playoff cycle and sets up a decisive final showdown.

Meanwhile, Sweden’s hopes received a major boost from forward Viktor Gyökeres, who struck a hat trick to propel his side closer to qualification. The Swedes now await their own final hurdle as the playoff picture sharpens across Europe.