The nature of the Ireland Under-21s' defeat to Italy on Tuesday will not hamper Jim Crawford's team in the long run, according to former Irish youth international Graham Gartland.
Jim Crawford's side travelled to Ascoli knowing a win would send Ireland directly to their first ever U21 European Championships.
Instead, individual errors saw Group F winners Italy race into a 3-0 lead before securing a 4-1 victory.
On a positive note, Ireland can still qualify for the Euros but will have to do so via a play-off in September.
Speaking on the RTÉ Soccer Podcast, former Drogheda United and Longford Town trophy winner Gartland and ex-Ireland striker Stephen Elliott shared their thoughts on the hopes for Crawford's side.
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"If you looked in at the game and didn't watch it, you'd probably think 4-1 to Italy, it's not a great result. But when I watched the game, the individual errors (cost Ireland)," said Gartland.
Gartland pointed to the early penalty conceded by Mark McGuinness which gave the Italians the lead as an example of a moment of "panic" but one that the player will learn from.
It was the first of a trio of costly errors. But the overall progression of the squad has impressed Gartland.
"The goal just after half-time kills them right away and they're three individual errors," he continued.
"The fourth goal that Italy score is really good. Jim's put together a really good campaign this year and they're the only 21s' to get to a play-off which is fantastic considering the players that are in with the (senior) team.
"It's an amazing job he's done and I actually was really proud of them in the second half watching them because I thought they kept trying to play and we've touched on it before that Irish teams go 3-0 down and they don't get a touch of the ball. Ireland kept going here and kept trying to play the right way.
"That can only bode well for the future. It's a development thing that these players are going through.
"I think (Crawford) will pick them up quick enough. If he says to them, 'Cut out the individual errors, the game ends 1-1 and you never know what Italy will try and do if the game is on the line'.
"So he needs to reiterate that to the team that these are individual errors, these are things that happen in a one-off game.
"Italy away from home, the record for their senior team and Under-21s is unbelievable. It's always a tough place to go. It was a tough ask for (Ireland) but if they can cut out the individual errors going into the play-off, I think they've got a great chance."
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