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Italy moved within one win of ending their 12-year World Cup absence with a 2-0 qualification playoff semi-final victory over Northern Ireland on Thursday thanks to second-half goals from Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean, Reuters reported. 

The breakthrough arrived in the 56th minute when Tonali pounced on a cleared cross, letting the ball bounce once before firing into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.

Kean effectively ended the contest in the 80th minute, latching onto a Tonali pass and ghosting past his marker before dispatching a low strike into the net, according to Reuters. 

France started their preparations for the World Cup in convincing fashion as Kylian Mbappe inspired them to a 2-1 friendly win over Brazil despite being reduced to 10 men early in the second half on Thursday, Reuters reported. 

Captain Mbappe, showing no sign of the knee problems that had troubled him in recent weeks, opened the scoring in the first half, while Hugo Ekitike found the net after Dayot Upamecano was sent off 10 minutes into the second half.

Gleison Bremer pulled one goal back for Brazil, according to Reuters. 

The Czech Republic clinched their place in ​a World Cup qualification playoff final after edging past Ireland on penalties on Thursday in a ‌thrilling encounter that finished 2-2 after extra time, Reuters reported. 

Jan Kliment scored the winning penalty to send the Czechs through to Tuesday's final where they will play Denmark for a place at the tournament in June-July in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

"We didn’t start ​well but we handled it as a team and we’re moving on — that’s what matters most," ​said Czech goalkeeper Matej Kovar, who saved two penalties in the 4-3 shootout win, according to Reuters. 

Croatia secured a 2-1 win over Colombia in a ​World Cup warm-up match on ‌Thursday, overturning an early deficit with goals from Luka Vuskovic and Igor Matanovic, Reuters reported. 

Jhon ​Arias put Colombia ahead in the ​third minute, his deflected shot beating ⁠Croatian goalkeeper Ivica Ivusic after ​a smart back heel from Luis ​Suarez.

Croatia responded three minutes later when Vuskovic scored a brilliant equaliser from outside the box, ​his shot bouncing off the ​post and into the net, according to Reuters.