Northern Ireland vs Italy: Gianluca Vialli praise for Sheffield Wednesday's Bailey Peacock-Farrell and NI team mates

Italy needed to win at the National Stadium to top the group and avoid a play-off for a place at next year’s World Cup in Qatar.

However, the Northern Irish were superb, particularly at the back with Peacock-Farrell playing his part in a special shut-out in front of a bouncing Greena and Whte Army.

And manager Ian Barraclough revealed afterwards that his side were given the perfect appraisal by legendary striker Gianluca Vialli, who is part of Roberto Mancini’s coaching staff.

“I think the players have to take massive credit for taking on board what was thrown at them, not just the starting eleven but also the players coming off the bench,” said Baraclough, who spoke to Mancini’s assistant Vialli as they walked off the pitch.

“At the end, Gianluca Vialli had a few words and said that was a typical Italian masterclass defensive performance, so I’ll take that and the boys can be proud of that.

“To be compared to a performance they can normally churn out, you know you’re probably doing something right.”

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Northern Ireland finished third in a difficult group which was topped by Switzerland, but they were guven a platform to work from for the Nations League and the next European Championships qualifiers with Peacock-Farrell and his defence having failed to concede a goal at home throughout the entire campagn.