This Day in History: 2022-11-01

Nr. 334

NORTHERN IRELAND KNOCK OUT ITALY (1958)

In 1958, for the first and only time in their history, Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup. While the Italians beat both Northern Ireland and Portugal at home in their group, they lost 3-0 to the Portuguese in Lisbon to set up a winner-takes-all match against Northern Ireland in Belfast. After the original December 1957 game was replaced with a 2-2 fuendly when the referee’s flight was cancelled, the sides met again on 15 January 1958 at Windsor Park. Northern Ireland led 2-0 lead at half­ time with goals from Jimmy Mcilroy and Wilbur Cush, but while Dino Da Costa responded for Italy it wasn’t enough to take them to Sweden.

Northern lreland held on to claim the 2-1 victory over ltaly that sent them to Sweden and left the ltalians disappointed at home.