- Northern Ireland’s World Cup dream ends with a 2-0 defeat in Bergamo
- City centre-back McConville rated among the best players on the pitch
- Italy advance to face Bosnia-Herzegovina in the World Cup play-off final
Northern Ireland are out of the World Cup, beaten 2-0 by Italy in Bergamo, but Norwich’s Ruairi McConville shone again. The 20-year-old was able to carry the form he’s shown for City on to the international stage and was rated among the best players on the night.
Sandro Tonali opened the scoring on 56 minutes with a strike from the edge of the area, and Moise Kean sealed it in the 80th minute to end Northern Ireland’s hopes of reaching a first World Cup since 1986. Italy now face Bosnia-Herzegovina in the play-off final.
Michael O’Neill’s side remained competitive for long periods, and McConville was a central figure in a defiant defensive effort.
Young side, big ask
Northern Ireland were without Conor Bradley, Dan Ballard and Ali McCann, and fielded a starting XI with an average age of just 22.5, their second-youngest since the Second World War.
Paddy McNair was the only player over 24. That left McConville, with just ten caps, tasked with anchoring a defence against a four-time world champion desperate to reach a first World Cup since 2014.
For the opening hour, Northern Ireland were compact and obdurate, and McConville was central to it. In their player ratings, the Belfast News Letter gave him 8/10, noting, “height and positioning proved key as Italy looked so often to attack down his side across the first half. Was so often in the right place at the right time.”
The Irish FA’s match report backed that up, highlighting important blocks from McConville and Brodie Spencer that “kept the marauding Italians at bay during the early exchanges,” plus headers cleared, danger snuffed out, and a late tackle on Matteo Politano as Italy oiled on the pressure.
BBC Sport’s audience ratings scored him at 8.13, behind only Trai Hume, Paddy McNair and Shea Charles.
What City fans will take from Bergamo
Since Philippe Clement has taken charge, McConville has become a mainstay in the centre of City’s defence. He has started every game aside from Clement’s first game at Birmingham and the two he missed with a knee injury.
For him to be thrust into an away World Cup play-off semi-final, with half of O’Neill’s first-choice defence missing, and emerge as one of Northern Ireland’s best players was a huge achievement.
So, sadly, no summer World Cup for McConville, but he has time on his side. There will be many good days ahead, hopefully for both club and country.
