It was an evening of farewells and emotional moments in Azzurre hues, with the draw against Ireland not dampening the magical atmosphere at Viola Park. The Stadio Davide Astori witnessed a full house for the 'debut' of the National Team at Fiorentina's brand-new sports centre and for Sara Gama's final appearance. The match ended 0-0, featuring Oliviero's debut and Linari and Bonansea's 100th appearances, but all the attention and applause were directed towards number 3: she was the undisputed star of the evening.

"It's been a beautiful journey, and today is a fitting conclusion," said Gama. "I thank all the people I have met over these years. To the young girls, I say have fun because football is a beautiful sport and a life lesson. It is a team sport, and sharing emotions is what matters most. For those who will become captains, there is little to say: each will interpret their role to the best. What's important is to live things to the fullest."

An icon of Italian women's football - a leader on the field and a driving force behind the entire movement - bids farewell to the Italy jersey. Immediately after entering the field, President Gabriele Gravina and her long-time teammate Cecilia Salvai paid her a deserved tribute, presenting her with a jersey celebrating her 140 appearances and the captain's armband from the match won away against world champions Spain on 1 December. At the start of the second half, the most emotional moment occurred, with the team forming a guard of honor as she left the field, followed by a collective embrace with the Coach and staff.

"Sara is an extraordinary athlete and a symbol of the entire movement," said President Gravina. "Her 140 appearances for the National Team are a concrete testament to her professionalism, sacrifice and the pride she has always shown wearing this jersey. Off the field in recent years, she has been a tireless advocate for the needs and rights of female footballers, which our Federation has listened to and implemented. Sara remains a great asset to Italian football, so today is not considered a farewell but simply a way to honour her”.

THE MATCH - Soncin made eight changes to the side which lined up on 5 December in the victory over Switzerland, a result that allowed the Azzurre to retain their place in League A of the Nations League: Linari (her 100th Italy appearance), Salvai and Greggi were the three players to maintain their spots in the team. Schroffenegger was selected between the sticks, while Gama and debutant Oliviero also took to the pitch. Galli was tasked with breaking up play in midfield, while Dragoni was given the freedom to roam in the final third, where Glionna - on the right - was also looking to support Girelli and Piemonte.

The first half passed without much excitement; Italy did not risk anything but also struggled to threaten the Irish defence. Girelli tried her luck at the 36th minute with a free-kick from the edge of the box, but the Juventus forward's shot was safely dealt with by Brosnan. A few minutes later, a cross-shot from Piemonte almost caught the Everton goalkeeper out but finished just over the bar.

In the second half, the pace picked up as the Azzurre went on the hunt for a goal with more conviction, but the final touch was missing. The match also provided an opportunity to experiment with new playing solutions and rotate players, so Soncin decided to introduce Bartoli, Caruso, Bonfantini, Bonansea, as well as the two Viola players Severini and Catena. With 10 minutes remaining, the latter had a big chance to win it: she received the ball at the edge of the box, deceived her marker with a feint and, from an excellent position, unleashed a shot that ended just a meter over the crossbar.

"We knew it'd be a special match from an emotional perspective," said Soncin after the match. "But the team responded how I wanted them to: we adapted early on and then improved considerably as we looked to win it. There are many more positive aspects than things we need to improve on. Today provided an opportunity to look at a few players, and others will play on Tuesday. We'll continue to evolve and go down our path of growth. I'd like to thank Sara for her efforts since I’ve been here and, above all, for what she's done for the women's game. She represents the dream of all young girls; it's something that transcends the footballing side of things."

ITALY 0-0 IRELAND

ITALY (4-4-2): Schroffenegger; Gama (49’ Bartoli), Linari, Salvai, Oliviero; Glionna (62’ Catena), Dragoni (85’ Bonansea), Galli (75’ Caruso), Greggi (75’ Severini); Girelli (62’ Bonfantini), Piemonte. Unused subs: Giuliani, Baldi, De Rita, Piga, Boattin, Lenzini, Schatzer, Longo, Cambiaghi. Head Coach: Andrea Soncin

IRELAND (4-2-3-1): Brosnan; Payne (91' Mannion), Fahey, Hayes, McCabe; Stapleton (70’ Larkin), Connelly; LittleJohn (46’ Quinn), Atkinson (60’ Kiernan), Ziu (70' Agg); Carusa (60’ Barrett). Unused subs: Moloney, Whitehouse, Campbell, Caldwell, McLaughlin, Agg, Murphy. Head Coach: Eileen Gleeson

Referee: Emanuela Rusta (ALB). Assistants: Erinda Kume (ALB) and Koleta Prenga (ALB). Fourth official: Deborah Bianchi (ITA).

Note: Agg (IR) booked