Italy are set to host North Macedonia at Renzo Barbera in Palermo in the semifinal of their World Cup 2022 qualifying playoff on Thursday night with kickoff at 22:45.
Italy will be desperate to make it to the World Cup finals this year after painfully failing to make it to the 2018 edition. The Azzurri were forced to take the long an risk road of playoffs after a number of autumnal wobbles in Group C of the Euro World Cup Qualifiers, finishing second behind Switzerland in the group.
Roberto Mancini’s side head into the match in poor form having only won two of their last seven matches across all competitions, picking up four draws and one defeat in the process. The form represents the worst Italy have been after missing out in the 2018 World Cup finals in Russia.
However, the Azzurri have never failed to make it to the World Cup twice on the bounce and have never lost a World Cup Qualifying match on at home, and enter the Thursday’s clash as clear favorites to get on the final of Path C.
Meanwhile North Macedonia are looking to their first appearance in the World Cup finals after featuring in their first-ever major tournament as an independent nation at Euro 2020. They showed their determination in the group stage as they finished second in Group J after claiming 18 points from 10 matches.
They head into the match in good form having only lost once in their last seven quilting matches, claiming three victories and three draws in the process and are coming off back-to-back victories against Armenia 0-5 and Iceland 3-1.
Macedonia will desperate to make a debut in the World’s most elite competition in football, and we expect them to give everything in the match, although, they are naturally the underdogs in this fixture.
Italy vs North Macedonia head to head
Both sides met in the qualifiers of the 2018 World Cup with Italy winning away while drawing at home in Group G.
- Italy 1-1 North Macedonia 06/10/17
- North Macedonia 2-3 Italy 09/10/16
Home
- North Ireland 0-0 Italy
- Italy 1-1 Switzerland
- Italy 2-1 Belgium
- Italy 1-3 Spain
- Italy 5-0 Lithuania
Away
- North Macedonia 3-1 Iceland
- Armenia 0-5 North Macedonia
- North Macedonia 0-4 Germany
- Liechtna m 0-4 North Macedonia
- North Macedonia 0-0 Romania
Italy team news
Italy have named a strong squad that includes the likes of Gianluigi Donnarumma, Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini, Jorginho, Manuel Locatelli and Ciro Immobile. Also ypoung attackers Giacomo Raspadori and Gianluca Scamacca have also been called.
However, the Azzurri will be without Giovanni Di Lorenzo due to injury.
North Macedonia team news
North Macedonia have no injury concerns and the likes of Elif Elmas, Ezgjan Alioski and Stole Dimitrievski are among the stars in Blagoja Milevcki’s squad.
Prediction and odds
- Italy win
- Both sides to score(No)
- Goals over 2.5
