Kean: ‘I felt the whole country on my shoulders’ with Italy goal

Moise Kean ‘felt the whole country was on my shoulders’ after scoring in Italy’s 2-0 win over Northern Ireland, but they have ‘one more game to go’ for a World Cup ticket.

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The Azzurri went into the play-off semi-final with so much pressure as the favourites, but needed until the 56^th minute to finally break the deadlock with Sandro Tonali’s strike.

Tonali also provided the assist for the second goal, which Kean controlled with his right foot to cut inside the defender, placing the left-foot finish into the far bottom corner.

Kean sealed the Italy win

“There is one more game to go, we need one more step, but we are feeling positive and need to keep going,” Kean told Sky Sport Italia.

“Northern Ireland are a good team, we should’ve studied them a bit more. Our game was good tonight, now we set our minds to the next test.”

Italy have won all but one of their matches since Gattuso took over from Luciano Spalletti, but it was still not enough to snatch first place in the qualifying group from Norway.

“The coach has so much love for the Azzurri shirt, he pushes us to never give up.”

Kean admits he felt the pressure too, knowing that the Nazionale have missed the last two editions of the World Cup by losing play-offs in 2018 and 2022.

“I felt the whole country was on my shoulders, and it was wonderful when I scored, I hope to continue helping my team and my country.

“We are a strong side, and I want to keep giving my contribution.”

It remains to be seen who their opponents will be in the play-off final, because Wales and Bosnia and Herzegovina have gone to extra time thanks to a late equaliser from Kean’s former Fiorentina teammate Edin Dzeko.