Northern Ireland v Italy (15/11/2021)

PRESIDENT’S WELCOME Welcome to the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park and welcome to the European champions

The Italian national football team (Nazionale di calcio dell’Italia) will have captured everyone’s imagination at the Euros. Teams get better from the experience of playing the best opposition. It will be great to watch our team test themselves against such a strong side; they are ranked fourth in the world. I think we have the best singing supporters to be heard anywhere. That said the Italian national anthem is one of the most interesting in the world and bursting with historical references. In one section the anthem describes Italy as a woman symbolically covering her head with the helmet of Scipio. He is revered as their greatest general for defeating Hannibal and never losing a single battle. Rousing as that anthem is, we all dare to dream of the men in green and white winning the battle tonight . There is so much at stake. Italy need a win – nothing less will do for a team of their status. We need to consolidate third place in the group to help with future seeding. Our rivals for third place, Bulgaria, travel to play Switzerland in Lucerne. Neither Switzerland nor Italy have lost a game in Group C. In short it is all to play for and there are no dead rubbers. Beating Lithuania was vital . In the first 45 minutes Bara’s men played arguably their best half during his tenure, with so much energ y and threat . Dale Taylor made his debut to his delight and that of the crowd. He only had a quarter of an hour to show what he can do but he made an immediate impression. Clean sheets are gold dust at this level and the inf luence of Jonny Evans was a huge benefit .

Looking back through time for inspiration, Northern Ireland drew 2-2 in a friendly with Italy on 4 December 1957 in front of 57,000 fans. Wilbur Cush scored both that day. Alcide Ghiggia and Miguel Montori scored for the visitors. Eddie Montgomery of Edenderry Print , who produced our programmes for many years, has fond memories of being a ball boy at that game. He still treasures the book of autographs, which has most of both teams, and I was lucky enough to get a look at it . Northern Ireland’s team included Harry Gregg, Bertie Peacock, both Blanchf lowers, Billy Bingham and Jimmy McIlroy. And here’s an even bigger inspiration. Italy actually returned to Belfast again the following month for a decisive World Cup qualifier which Northern Ireland won 2-1. And that victory ensured we qualified for the 1958 World Cup finals out of a group featuring the Azzurri and Portugal . Our scorers that day, in front of 50,000 spectators, were McIlroy and Cush. I am sure you will join me in willing Ian Baraclough’s team on to produce their very best against Roberto Mancini’s Azzurri. The world Italian is often used as an adjective to denote quality in things like leather, design and suits. Here’s hoping tomorrow they preface ‘resolve’ with Northern Irish! CONRAD KIRKWOOD PRESIDENT IRISH FOOTBALL ASSOCIAT ION

IRISHFA.COM

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