Credit: Imago

Richie Mills

Thu 26 March 2026 21:50, UK

West Bromwich Albion star Isaac Price has come under fire after Northern Ireland’s World Cup semi-final play-off defeat against Italy on Thursday.

Italy were on top for the vast majority of the first half on 26 March at the New Balance Arena, but Northern Ireland stood firm.

However, their stubborn resistance ended in the 56th minute when Sandro Tonali’s shot flew past Pierce Charles from the edge of the area, moments after he made a great save to keep out a Moise Kean effort.

West Brom midfielder Price made a half-hearted clearance from an Italian cross, and Tonali punished him in fine style.

That drew the ire of former Motherwell captain Stephen Craigan, who did not mince his words about the West Brom star, with it finishing 2-0 in Bergamo.

Isaac Price taught brutal lesson in World Cup play-off game

Price is usually such a dependable performer for West Brom, who are well on their way to preserving their Championship status.

And for his country, he has been one of their best performers, scoring 10 goals in under 30 international caps already.

But he was given a harsh lesson about how ruthless international football can be against Italy on Thursday night. Indeed, Craigan was not impressed.

He said on BBC Northern Ireland: “It is a really poor header from Isaac Price, when you put the ball back into the middle of the 18-yard box, you are inviting an opposition midfield player to strike the ball.

“You just felt that it was a period that this young Northern Ireland team had to ride out, and they didn’t manage to do it.”

This is a far cry from when he put in a superb goalscoring display for West Brom against Hull City earlier this month, as demonstrated by his Sofascore graphic below.

Now, his World Cup dream is over for another four years. Italy deserved the win, but it might have been a bit closer if Price had made a better clearance.

Focus shifts to West Brom’s relegation fight

James Morrison has taken charge of five West Brom games since the sacking of Eric Ramsay in February and is doing a stellar job.

In that time, he has lost one, drawn two, and won two, including impressive victories over Hull and Bristol City.

They are now four points above the relegation zone, with seven matches of the Championship campaign remaining.

West Brom seem rejuvenated under former player Morrison, and Price is likely to play a big role in keeping them up.

Next up, the Baggies will aim for three wins on the spin as West Brom host play-off chasing Wrexham at The Hawthorns on 3 April.

If they get a victory there, that may go some way to helping Price move on from this World Cup blow.