Dublin - Italy qualified for the 2010 World Cup thanks to a late Alberto Gilardino goal to snatch a 2-2 draw away to Ireland on Saturday. Substitute Gilardino flicked home a last-minute equalizer after Ireland had twice been ahead through goals from Glenn Whelan and Sean St Ledger.
Whelan put Ireland one up early in the first half before Mauro Camoranesi equalized for the world champions.
The Irish squad were certain of second place in Group 8 after Bulgaria lost 4-1 at Cyprus earlier Saturday and produced a gritty start that temporarily brought them within one point of Italy.
On eight minutes, the world champions had themselves to blame for leaving Whelan free to beat Gianluigi Buffon with a swerving shot from outside the area.
The midfielder volleyed a low free-kick feed from Liam Lawrence with the inside of his foot and left Buffon without a chance to even attempt a dive on his right side.
Defender Fabio Grosso triggered Italy's reaction as he scared the crowd at Croke Park with a low cross that cut off the Irish defence but found no striker ready to deflect.
As strikers Antonio Di Natale and Vincenzo Iaquinta had virtually no opportunity to threaten, the same Grosso on 25 minutes fired a violent volley that was well blocked by Shay Given.
The Irish goalkeeper was beaten the following minute as Camoranesi rose to nod home a textbook header off an Andrea Pirlo corner kick from the left.
John O'Shea opened the second half with a harmless header and Richard Dunne on 58 minutes also tried an unsuccessful header off a corner kick as the hosts displayed more possession and Italy seemed pleased with a draw.
In one of the few telling efforts from the Azzurri, Gianluca Zambrotta on 71 tried to surprise Given with a firm shot by the first post
The game flared up with four minutes to go as a great diving header from St. Ledger put Ireland again in the lead, but Gilardino promptly levelled off an assist by Iaquinta.
Both sides remained unbeaten with one game left to the end of a qualification phase that the Irish hope to complete successfully with a play-off game to be played in November.
"This is a great satisfaction," Italy coach Marcello Lippi said. "We achieved it, but we risked a lot. Had we lost, it would have been unfair because the boys played with their heart."
Italy's celebrations were in part subdued as the players wore a black armband to honour the 28 victims of a landslide in Messina.
