Paul Fennessy reports from Tallaght Stadium

Ireland U21 0

Italy U21 2

THE IRELAND U21s’ qualification hopes are in serious jeopardy after a 2-0 loss at home to Italy this evening. 

Lorenzo Lucca’s well-taken goal after a Jake O’Brien mistake gave the visitors a first-half lead before Ireland were hit on the counter-attack in the dying moments, allowing Matteo Cancellieri to make the three points certain.

The hosts had one great chance with substitute Ross Tierney going close late on, but overall they did not test the opposition goalkeeper enough to merit a more favourable result.

Jim Crawford’s side went into this game trailing the Italians by three points and coming off the back of a disappointing 2-1 loss away to Montenegro.

At the very least, therefore, avoiding defeat was crucial in the context of the group.

Ireland started brightly and goalkeeper Marco Camesecchi had to be alert to tip a Tyreik Wright cross over the bar.

Italy began to get a grip on proceedings thereafter and went close in the 13th minute. Raoul Bellanova’s deep cross found Emanuel Vignato, whose scissors kick went just wide

Seven minutes later, Ireland threatened as a dangerous Wright cross had to be headed out for a corner by Matteo Lovato.

For the most part, though, the visitors dominated possession and territory, with Ireland pinned back into their half.

Their pressure was rewarded on the half-hour mark. O’Brien failed to deal with a Nicolo Rovella cross and Lucca pounced on the defender’s slip-up, reacting swiftly and slotting home with a clinical first-time finish.

The Italians were dealt a blow soon after as highly rated Atalanta centre-back Lovato took a knock and had to depart the action with an injury — Lorenzo Pirola came on in his place.

Vignato almost doubled his side’s advantage six minutes before the break. He was afforded far too much space on the edge of the area and drilled a low shot just wide, as the Italians continued to look the far more threatening of the two teams.

Ireland were getting some joy down the left through the pace of Wright but failed to really capitalise on some promising positions in the final third, and as the half-time whistle sounded, Italy were looking very comfortable and scarcely in danger of surrendering their lead.

GOAL ITALY – An unfortunate Jake O’Brien slip in the box allows poacher Lorenzo Lucca to pounce from close range #IRLU21 #IRLITA #U21EUROS pic.twitter.com/IwtNYVJqyH

— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) November 12, 2021

The Italians went very close to adding to their advantage just after the break. Bellanova’s cross was only half headed clear and a stunning first-time effort from Andrea Cambiaso went inches over.

Ireland’s attack, meanwhile, just wasn’t properly functioning. Conor Noss found himself in a promising position at one point, but with options on either side of him, his through ball went straight into goalkeeper Camesecchi’s arms.

In an attempt to spark their attack into life 10 minutes after the break, Ireland made a double change, as Noss and Colm Whelan were replaced by Joshua Kayode and Festy Ebsoele.

But Ireland continued to look laboured in their build-up and had struggled to create any real chances of note as the game entered its late stages.

Instead, it was Italy who looked more likely to add to their lead, and both Rovella and Vignato went close with long-distance efforts. 

As Ireland pushed bodies forward, a stray Ebsoele pass led to an Italian counter-attack, with the lively Rovella firing inches wide.

Bohs pair Ross Tierney and Dawson Devoy were also introduced late on, and the pair almost linked up for a goal amid a rare moment of attacking promise with eight minutes remaining.

Devoy’s free-kick was helped on by Joel Bagan, but Camesecchi did superbly to stop the unmarked Tierney’s effort from close range.

Down the other end, Colombo almost made sure of Italy’s victory, but Brian Maher produced an acrobatic save to keep out the attacker’s low shot following an impressive counter-attacking move.

It proved immaterial, however, as Italy added a second as the game entered stoppage time.

Ireland were opened up again as substitute Matteo Cancellieri was played through on goal, and his cool finish wrapped up a deserved three points.

Qualifying now looks like a real uphill task for Crawford’s men, and they go into Tuesday’s home game with Sweden knowing a win is even more vital than it was before tonight’s setback.

Ireland: 1. Brian Maher 2. Lee O’Connor 13. Jake O’Brien 4. Mark McGuinness, 3. Joel Bagan; 6. Conor Coventry 7. Gavin Kilkenny (Tierney 76) 8. Conor Noss (Ebsoele 55) 10. Will Smallbone (Devoy 76) 18. Tyreik Wright 22. Colm Whelan (Kayode 55).

Subs: 23. David Odumosu 5. Oisin McEntee 9. Joshua Kayode 11. Will Ferry 15. William Hondermarck 17. Ross Tierney 19. Evan Ferguson 20. Dawson Devoy 21. Festy Ebsoele. 

Italy: 12. Marco Camesecchi 2. Raoul Bellanova 6. Matteo Lovato (Pirola 34) 15. Caleb Okoli 16. Andrea Cambiaso 4. Samuele Ricci 14. Salvatore Esposito 10. Nicolo Rovella 20. Emanuel Vignato (Mullatieri 90) 9. Lorenzo Lucca 7. Lorenzo Colombo (Cancellieri 86)

Subs: 1. Stefano Turati 3. Giacomo Quagliata 5. Lorenzo Pirola 8. Filippo Ranocchia 11. Roberto Piccoli 17. Gabriele Ferrarini 18. Matteo Cancellieri 19. Samuele Mullatieri 21. Nicolo Fagioli.

Referee: Horatiu Fesnic (Romania) 

Attendance: 2,161