Will it be third time lucky for Italy?

ZURICH (AP):

Italy were stopped by Sweden from getting to the 2018 World Cup. It was North Macedonia in 2022. Now, it is Northern Ireland’s turn.

Four-time World Cup winners Italy are back in the qualifying play-offs for a third straight time and the draw by FIFA yesterday plots a tricky path toward ending a remarkable 12-year wait to play on soccer’s biggest stage.

Italy first hosts Northern Ireland in a single elimination game on March 26 with the winner having to travel to face Wales or Bosnia-Herzegovina. At stake is a place at the first 48-team World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The Northern Irish team shape as a similar test to North Macedonia, who resisted waves of attacks in Palermo in March 2022 before stunning Italy with a single goal in stoppage time.

“There will be immense pressure on Italy, they have obviously missed the last two World Cups,” Northern Ireland coach Michael O’Neill told The Associated Press. “We have everything to gain in this situation.”

Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso, whose team was beaten 4-1 by group winner Norway in Milan on Sunday, declined to speak with the AP.

Among three other European play-off brackets, Ukraine will host Sweden with the winners then at home to Poland or Albania.

Ukraine played their qualifying group home games in three different Polish cities while the country is under military invasion by Russia, and could end up hosting Poland in Poland.

First, Ukraine must get by Sweden who finished last in their qualifying group won by Switzerland but earned a play-offs place by winning a Nations League group last year.