Italy 0-0 Republic of Ireland
If Eileen Gleeson is to fully realise her vision of an Irish renaissance - defined by expansive, ambitious, attacking football - then Florence was a fitting place to start.
In her first game as permanent head coach, Gleeson's charges played out a stalemate at Viola Park, with the visitors just a couple of brush strokes shy of upsetting their highly-rated opponents.
There was much to admire here. Leanne Kiernan was desperately unlucky to have a late goal chalked off for offside after a terrific move that cut the Italians to shreds. The flag went up; replays suggested that was a questionable call.
And though both teams lacked a cutting edge in a well-contested game, the Girls in Green will go into Tuesday's friendly with Wales buoyed by another performance that suggested they are moving in the right direction.
Ireland's well-aired ambitions of adopting a more open approach received its greatest stress test since Vera Pauw departed last August.
Italy are ranked 14th in the world and finished second in their UEFA Nations League group, beating world champions Spain 3-2 in December.
They seemed surprised by Ireland's set-up early on. With Megan Connolly protecting the back four, Jess Ziu - making her first start in 17 months - and the excellent Izzy Atkinson provided the ammo for Kyra Carusa, with Ruesha Littlejohn and Jessie Stapleton a solid support cast.
Early doors, Katie McCabe stung the palms of Katja Schroffenegger with a sweet drive from over 30 yards out, then Carusa raced onto a clever Heather Payne through ball, the Californian losing her footing and scuffing in a tame effort that the keeper smothered.
It took until just before the half-hour mark for Italy to have a shot in anger. The dangerous Elisabetta Oliviero fed Benedetta Glionna on the right side of the box; she cut back inside before screwing a left-footed effort well wide. That triggered a period of sustained Italian possession, with Cristiana Girelli keeping Brosnan on her toes with a dipping free-kick that the Everton stopper dealt with well.
Three minutes before the break Martina Piemonte almost broke the deadlock after she drifted into the box on Stapleton's blind side. Her attempted cross spun off Stapleton's shins and dropped inches past Brosnan's far post.
Italy skipper Sara Gama made a highly emotional departure in the 50th minute to be replaced by Elisa Bartoli. It was Gama's 140th, and final, appearance for the Azzurri.
Giulia Dragoni's pot shot flew into the stands before the game sagged. Ireland remained tidy in possession while lacking a cutting edge in the final third but they were hardly stretched by their hosts.
Niamh Fahey, foot perfect in her first game since the summer's World Cup, marshalled an excellent back line.
Substitute Lucy Quinn should have done better when things opened up for her 20 yards from the goal, the Birmingham City midfielder dragging an unconvincing shot wide.
🇮🇹 0-0 🇮🇪
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) February 23, 2024
Borderline offside denies Leanne Kiernan a wonderful team goal
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Moments later, with 16 minutes to play, Ireland stitched together the move of the game. A wonderful, intricate passage of play freed Amber Barrett down the right flank, and she bent in a peach of a cross that Kiernan swept home. The offside flag robbed the Cavan woman of what would have been a glorious moment of redemption after the injury heartache she's endured.
It stung even more as replays showed the Liverpool attacker looked on.
As legs tired and both sides rang the changes, Michela Catena spurned Italy's best opportunity when she lashed over the bar with time and space in the area.
The action fizzled out thereafter, though Barbara Bonansea's snapshot at the death did cause Irish hearts to flutter.
Ireland will likely have tougher tests in the spring's Euro 2025 qualifiers, but as an early barometer, this will heighten expectations that they will, at the very least, be a tough nut to crack.
Italy: Katja Schroffenegger; Sara Gama (capt, Elisa Bartoli 50), Cecilia Salvai, Elena Linari; Elisabetta Oliviero, Aurora Galli (Arianna Caruso 76), Giulia Dragoni (Barbara Bonansea 86), Giada Greggi (Severini 76); Benedetta Glionna (Agnese Bonfantini 65), Martina Piemonte, Cristiana Girelli (Michela Catena 65)
Republic of Ireland: Courtney Brosnan; Heather Payne (Aoife Mannion 90), Niamh Fahey, Caitlin Hayes, Katie McCabe (capt); Jess Ziu (Abbi Larkin 69), Ruesha Littlejohn (Lucy Quinn HT), Megan Connolly, Jessie Stapleton (Lily Agg 69), Izzy Atkinson (Leanne Kiernan 62); Kyra Carusa (Amber Barrett 62)
Referee: Emanuela Rusta (Albania)
