Cassano at the double as Italy down Northern Ireland
Posted Wednesday, October 12, 2011 by YAHOO Sport
Italy completed an unbeaten Euro 2012 qualifying campaign with a 3-0 win over Northern Ireland to top Group C in Irish coach Nigel Worthington last game in charge on Tuesday.
The four-times world champions, who qualified for the finals in Poland and Ukraine last month with two matches to spare, went ahead midway through the first half when Antonio Cassano volleyed Daniele De Rossi’s clipped pass sweetly home.
An inexperienced Northern Ireland side missing several key players through injury rarely threatened and Cassano grabbed his second on 53 minutes, firing low into the corner from the right edge of the box, before Gareth McAuley put through his own net to complete an easy win.
Ending qualification with eight wins and two draws from 10 games, Cesare Prandelli’s rejuvenated Italy will go into the finals as one of the favourites, while Northern Ireland begin the search for a new coach.
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