Italy 4-1 Republic of Ireland
Hopefully that’s the gaffes out of the system.
That’s as positive a spin as can be put on Ireland’s horror show in Ascoli on Tuesday afternoon, as their chance of securing automatic qualification quickly evaporated under the hot Italian sun.
While the Azzurri were the better side by a long way, they were gifted the win by a string of uncharacteristic errors.
Jim Crawford’s side needed to win to clinch first place in Group F.
They’ll settle for a spot in September’s play-offs and hope that this performance was a blip.
Ireland had conceded just six goals in nine games prior to Tuesday's game and they headed to Italy hopeful of causing an upset, having won four on the bounce.
It didn’t take the hosts long to establish a foothold in the game, however, with Ireland looking nervy, uncomfortable and leggy in the punishing heat.
Mark McGuinness and Eiran Cashin are far better than this showing suggests, while goalkeeper Brian Maher had a rare off-day.
The Ireland goalkeeper’s efforts may have been hindered by an injury midway through the opening period, which as he received treatment looked set to end his game.
Communication was another problem in the Irish defence - and that was particularly evident for Italy’s third goal, just after half-time.
Further up the pitch, meanwhile, the dynamic passing and movement that troubled Bosnia and Montenegro earlier this month was missing.
That’s no criticism of Brighton striker Evan Ferguson and UCD winger Liam Kerrigan. They both appeared to have the better of their markers.
But service into the final third was almost non-existent, as Italy controlled the ball and had the Boys in Green chasing shadows in energy-sapping conditions.
The tone for the evening was set as early as the first minute when Derby County first-team defender Cashin was robbed by Pietro Pellegri deep inside the Irish half.
The Torino striker raced into the area but was denied by Derry City goalkeeper Maher’s outstretched leg.
An Irish corner after just three minutes was cleared to Nicolo Cambiaghi, who broke from inside the Italian half and shot wide of the near post from the edge of the area.
The hosts went ahead on 20 minutes when Hungarian referee Gergo Bogar spotted McGuinness wrestling Caleb Okoli to the ground inside the area.
He pointed to the spot and booked the Cardiff City man, while €22m Juventus signing Nicolo Rovella sent Maher the wrong way with his penalty.
Italy continued to press for more, with Pellegri going close on 23 minutes, while Ireland struggled to find their rhythm at the other end.
Aston Villa winger Tyreik Wright, so effective in the play-off-sealing wins over Bosnia and Montenegro, struggled to find his passing range.
And Will Smallbone, who scored three times in those two games, struggled with his touch when the ball dropped to him on 27 minutes inside the area.
Italy hacked the ball clear and pressed again for a second, which arrived 10 minutes before half-time.
Maher had gone down with what looked like a knock to his right foot - and that appeared to be a factor as he dived to his right but failed to keep out Nicolo Cambiaghi’s 25-yard drive.
Edoardo Bove and Cambiaghi were both denied before the break by Cashin and Maher respectively.
But it wasn’t long before the contest was over - and this was the biggest gift of all.
With less than a minute on the clock after half-time, McGuinness looked well in control as he chased a ball over the top.
But instead of clearing it, he tried to see it back to Maher. This allowed Cambiaghi to nick the ball into the path of Pellegri, who finished into an empty net.
Maher restored some pride when he saved well from Cambiaghi on 56 minutes, but shortly after that he was caught under an Italian corner and was spared another concession when Mattia Viti headed high over an open goal, under pressure from Smallbone.
The play quickly switched to the other end and Smallbone once again emerged the victor in a battle with Viti, who brought the Southampton midfielder down inside the area.
Conor Coventry calmly slotted home from the spot on 62 minutes to give the Boys in Green a lifeline.
But a comeback was never really on the cards and Italy restored their three-goal advantage when substitute Giacomo Quagliata sidestepped Lee O’Connor on 85 minutes and finished from close range.
ITALY: Alessandro Plizzari; Caleb Okoli, Lorenzo Pirloa, Mattia Viti, Fabiano Parisi (Giacomo Quagliata 67); Andrea Cambiaso, Samuele Ricci, Nicolo Rovella, Edoardo Bove (Fabio Miretti 67); Pietro Pellegri (Sebastiano Esposito 83), Nicolo Cambiaghi.
SUBS NOT USED: Stefano Turati, Andrea Carboni, Simone Canestrelli, Lorenzo Colombo, Filippo Ranocchia, Emanuel Vignato.
IRELAND: Brian Maher; Lee O’Connor, Mark McGuinness, Eiran Cashin (Jake O’Brien 83), Joel Bagan; Will Smallbone, Conor Coventry, Gavin Kilkenny (Conor Noss 62), Tyreik Wright, Liam Kerrigan (Mipo Odubeko 62); Evan Ferguson (JJ Kayode 74)
SUBS NOT USED: Luke McNicholas, Dawson Devoy, Ollie O’Neill, Andy Lyons, Ross Tierney.
REFEREE: Gergo Bogar (Hungary)
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