Italy plotting strong finish against Northern Ireland
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
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With qualification for UEFA EURO 2012 already secured Italy will be looking to finish on a high as they entertain a Northern Ireland side who have failed to score in four matches against the Azzurri.
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Italy know that a place at UEFA EURO 2012 already awaits them as winners of Group C as they take on Northern Ireland in their final game in the section.
• Italy dropped their only points in their first eight Group C games when they were held to a 0-0 draw in Belfast in the sides' last meeting on 8 October 2010, and Northern Ireland might have done better had David Healy or Steven Davis been able to convert presentable opportunities.
• Italy's record in eight games against Northern Ireland reads W5 D2 L1 (W5 D0 L0 at home).
• Prior to this campaign, the only competitive matches between the two rivals came in qualifying for the 1958 FIFA World Cup. Italy edged their first encounter 1-0 in Rome on 25 April 1957 but lost 2-1 in Belfast in the return fixture on 15 January 1958.
• In between those meetings, the teams contested a friendly in Northern Ireland on 4 December 1957, when the score ended 2-2.
• There have been four further friendly matches since then, all of them held in Italy and all producing wins for the home side; the most recent finished 3-0 to the Azzurri in Pisa on 6 June 2009.
• Somewhat ominously, Northern Ireland have not scored in their last four games against Italy, a run which stretches back to a 3-2 friendly loss in Bologna on 25 April 1961.
