Goals from Keith Andrews and Simon Cox in either half saw Ireland pull off a famous victory over Italy in Liege.
Andrews scored with a low effort into the corner of the goal on 36 minutes after an excellent back heel from the impressive Stephen Hunt.
Giovanni Trapattoni's 'Boys In Green' then had to withstand pressure from the former world Champions before substitute Cox tapped home a Hunt cross at the death to make sure of the win.
It was the fourth successive win for Ireland in two weeks and was Trapattoni's first over his homeland.
Once again, Ireland's industry and commitment saw them through against technically more gifted opponents despite nine changes to the side which defeated Macedonia in Skopje at the weekend.
Cesare Prandelli's men may have dominated possession for long periods but they failed to make the most of it and when the chances came their way, the Irish back line absorbed the pressure in front of a crowd of 21,516.
The large contingent of Italian expatriates at the Maurice Dufrasne Stadium in Liege made their feelings abundantly clear on the final whistle on a night when Sean St Ledger led a gritty defensive display in his first game for 11 weeks, while midfielder Hunt turned in another terrier-like performance.
It may not have had the significance of Ireland's famous 1994 World Cup finals win over Italy at the Giants Stadium in New York, but it served to illustrate a depth to Trapattoni's squad which many of his predecessors have not enjoyed.
He in effect fielded a second XI, having dispatched senior men Shay Given, Kevin Kilbane, Aiden McGeady and Robbie Keane on top of the absent Richard Dunne, Damien Duff and Kevin Doyle in the wake of Saturday night's 2-0 Euro 2012 qualifying victory in Macedonia.
The Italy side included commanding defender Giorgio Chiellini, midfielder playmaker Andrea Pirlo and rising stars Giuseppe Rossi and Giampaolo Pazzini.
The Italians oozed class on a pitch made slick by persistent rain, with Pirlo and Riccardo Montolivo orchestrating things behind the front two and right-back Mattia Cassani playing almost as an auxiliary winger.
But for all the pressure they mounted before the break, Ireland keeper David Forde, starting his first game for his country, did not have a save of any note to make during the opening 45 minutes.
Pazzini shot wastefully wide from a tight angle with 25 minutes gone after being played in by Claudio Marchisio, and Antonio Nocerino blasted a long-range effort inches over the crossbar two minutes later.
But while the personnel had changed for Ireland, the system and the mentality had not.
When they defended, they did so in numbers and with characteristic determination, and if their approach in attack was more rugged than that of their opponents with Shane Long and Andy Keogh causing problems for Chiellini and Alessandro Gamberini, it proved effective.
Long and Keogh exchanged passes on the edge of the box before the Reading man dragged a 13th-minute shot across the face of goal to serve warning, but when the breakthrough eventually came nine minutes before the break, it was from an unexpected source.
Gamberini was penalised for the latest in a series of fouls on Long 25 yards out, and Hunt shaped to curl the free-kick towards goal.
But he instead back-heeled the ball to Andrews, whose skidding shot was firm and true as it flew past the diving Emiliano Viviano and into the bottom corner.
The goal was greeted with delight by the small band of Ireland fans inside the stadium, but did not go down well with the locals.
Prandelli made a double change at the break as Pirlo and Rossi made way for Angelo Palombo and Alessandro Matri, but the pattern of the first half was largely repeated during the early stages of the second.
Matri shot across goal with 54 minutes gone after Pazzini, who was sent off three minutes into the World Cup qualifier in Bari last April, had expertly turned Cassani's driven pass into his path.
Pazzini and Nocerino departed, as did Kevin Foley and, much to his disappointment, Long as both managers made changes, one in an attempt to rescue the game and the other hoping to close it down.
Italy threw everything they had at Ireland as the clock ran down but substitute Sebastian Giovinco's 86th-minute free-kick flew over.
Their hopes were then finally dashed at the death when Cox made ground to get on to the end of Hunt's cross to seal the scalp of the former world champions
Ireland's dramatic 2-2 draw with Italy may have secured them a 2010 World Cup play-off place but for captain Robbie Keane the result triggered mixed emotions.
Ireland thought they had snatched a win over the world champions when Sean St Ledger put them into a 2-1 lead with three minutes remaining on Saturday.
That would have pushed the Irish to within a point of Italy in Group 8 and given them every chance of gaining automatic qualification for South Africa if results went their way in the final batch of qualifiers on Wednesday.
But just as the 70,000 crowd at Croke Park were celebrating, Alberto Gilardino levelled in the final minute to send Italy through and the Irish to the play-offs.
Gilardino's killer blow left Keane and his teammates feeling as though they had lost the match.
Keane reflected: "Of course, that's the reaction you have after the game.
"If it was the 60th minute or something, it's a bit different, but the last few minutes, it's a bit heart-breaking.
"We are in the play-offs now and everyone always expected us in the play-offs. But when you are that close, who knows?
"Italy could have drawn (against Cyprus) on Wednesday. You never know.
"To be this close, it's obviously difficult. But we have to pick ourselves back up. It's done now."
Ireland's Italian coach Giovanni Trapattoni bemoaned his side's lack of experience.
"We are happy but we are also disappointed because the last two minutes we need this experience because we are a young team; we only have four or five senior players.
"I am sure this will be for us a great lesson because we could have won."
He continued: "But we must not defend the result. The last five minutes we must keep the advantage in a game, we must play we must play slowly. But with three minutes to go, we concede to a counter attack. That is inexperience when you are 2-1 against the world champions.
"That is a silly mistake or habit, to always go upfront. We must learn to control the situation. In training, we have worked on these situations.
"I thought we had it won. But we had too much enthusiasm in the final minutes. We were also tired. But it is difficult when you are building a team and you have 20 or so players from six or seven different clubs. Each of them has different habits at their own club."
Ireland were upset at FIFA's decision to introduce a seeding system for the play-offs, meaning Trapattoni's team are set to face the likes of France, Russia, Portugal or Sweden.
Asked who he wanted to meet Keane replied: "I don't know. Which teams are in it - France, Portugal?
"There are tough teams in there and I am sure we will get one of the toughest teams, there's no question about that.
"We never get an easy ride, do we? No matter what, it is going to be tough.
"We will see who we get. France, Portugal, Ukraine or whoever, it's going to be tough.
"They all have quality players in their team. No matter who we get, it is going to be difficult - but we always make it difficult for ourselves."
Derry's Ireland and Manchester United midfielder, Darron Gibson, has said that he thought Ireland were unlucky not to have won against World champions Italy last Wednesday and described the 1-1 draw as "massive".
"It was a massive result for us," said Gibson. "And to be fair we probably could have won it at the end. We all knew that we needed to get something out of the game after drawing with Bulgaria last weekend in Croke Park."
The 21 year-old midfielder replaced Blackburn Rovers player, Keith Andrews in the 55th minute. He refused to take any credit for helping the team to secure a point but praised the decision-making of manager, Giovanni Trapattoni.
"A few people have said to me that I changed the game when I came on but I wouldn't want to say that myself," he said. "For most of the match we were passing the ball sideways and when Trapattoni decided to bring me on he told me to try and pass the ball forward. Obviously his decision to change things paid dividends because Robbie went on to score the equaliser."
Gibson explained that he was not close enough to comment on the controversial sending off of Italian forward Giampalo Pazzini in the opening minutes of the game.
"It was at the opposite side of the pitch from me so it was hard to see what had actually happened. It looked like his arms were up high but I don't think he meant to catch John O'Shea the way he did and I suppose the referee made a decision from what he saw afterwards with the blood coming from John's head. But to be honest I didn't really see it so I can't really say."
Having failed to take all three points at home to Bulgaria last week, Gibson admitted that the team were disappointed but he took comfort from the fact that they can strengthen their chance of either winning the group or finishing in second when both teams meet in Sofia in June.
"We were disappointed not to beat Bulgaria at the weekend and obviously the next game is massive because they have a game in hand and they are not too far behind us. The mood in the camp is good at the minute and we are looking forward to our trip to Sofia in June."
Robbie Keane has warned reigning World Cup champions Italy that Ireland are ready to inflict further pain on them as the World Cup qualifying campaign comes to a finale.
Ireland stunned the world champions in Bari on Wednesday night when Keane snatched an 87th-minute equaliser to ensure the race for top spot in Group Eight is still alive and up for grabs.
Marcello Lippi's team remain two points clear of Ireland, who bounced back from their failure to beat Bulgaria at Croke Park on Saturday to deny the Italians a five-point lead at the top of group 8.
Robbie said: "We are still hanging in there. We still have Italy to play at home and we still have some tough games away as well - but Italy do as well.
"It is still hanging in the balance."
Asked if Ireland could still win the group, Keane replied: "Of course we can."
Giovanni Trapattoni has returned to his native Italy full of belief in his Ireland team.
The 70-year-old was quick to acknowledge his Ireland side will be big underdogs when they run out to face the world champions in Bari tomorrow evening.
However, the former Italy coach has been in football long enough to know the odds are not always the best indicator of what will happen on the night.
Trapattoni said: "Sometimes, I think about legends, I think about the famous legend of David and Goliath. We should be David and Italy should be Goliath.
"Legends remain legends but I have a lot of trust in my team, a lot of belief.
"We have to believe in everything we have done so far. We still have five matches to go before the end of the qualification and one of the most important matches is going to be tomorrow against Italy."
Italy have played seven senior internationals in Bari over the years - including the third-fourth place World Cup play-off against England at Italia 90 - and have won each of them, although Trapattoni did not want to be reminded of the statistic.
He said: "I am a believer, so don't jinx me."
Lippi's side extended their lead at the top of Group Eight from goal difference to two points on Saturday evening as a result of their 2-0 win in Montenegro while Ireland could only draw 1-1 with Bulgaria at Croke Park.
But a win for Ireland in Bari would throw the race for automatic qualification wide open again.
Asked if a win over his home country would be the biggest of his career, the wily Trapattoni said: "Thank God, I have had many other victories.
"It's a very important game for our qualification. I am the Ireland coach and I want to win - I would be a hypocrite if I said I wouldn't be happy with a win.
"But it's all about our qualification."
The game promises to be an emotional occasion for a man who is regarded as one of Italy's finest coaches despite his relative lack of success in the national job.
While he insists there will be no divided loyalties, he admits there will be a lump in his throat when the Italian anthem is played.
He said: "It's my national anthem - but I get equally emotional when I hear the Irish anthem."
Trapattoni will not name his team until tomorrow morning as he gives Celtic winger Aiden McGeady until the last minute to prove his fitness after he suffered a knee injury in the Bulgaria game, with Andy Keogh standing by to replace him.
But one man who will definitely be in the starting line-up is skipper Robbie Keane, who had a brief spell in Italy with Inter Milan after being snapped up by Lippi earlier in his career.
He is under no illusions about the task ahead of his side but is convinced they can leave with something to show for their efforts.
Keane said: "I am not naive enough to think we are going to come here and walk all over the Italians.
"It's going to be a difficult game. But we have to be positive enough to come here and hope to get a good result because, as players, you go into every game and you want to win every game.
"But if we get something out of the game - as long as we don't lose, that's the most important thing."
That is a sentence that could have come straight from the mouth of the current Ireland manager, whose safety-first reputation as a coach goes before him, both at home and abroad.
Giovanni Trapattoni has named 26 players in an initial squad for the forthcoming World Cup Group 8 qualifiers, of which 23 will be selected for the matches against Bulgaria on 28 March and Italy on 1 April.
The only addition to the party announced for last month's 2-1 win over Georgia is uncapped Celtic defender Darren O'Dea, who scored for his club in their CIS League Cup final victory over arch-rivals Rangers yesterday.
Speaking after he announced the squad, the Italian coach told reporters: 'So far in this group, Bulgaria have drawn all of their three World Cup qualifying matches. I have no doubt they will be invigorated by the appointment of their new manager, Stanimir Stoilov, and they will come to Croke Park looking for a win to kick-start their World Cup qualifying campaign.'
'Bulgaria have a strong tradition of football in their country with many well known players in their squad so we are under no illusion as to the task that awaits us on 28 March. This game represents a real opportunity to open a significant gap at the top of the table in Group 8.
For the next six months we will be playing away so strong support in this last home game until October will be vital. Every point gained will be valuable in the race to qualify for South Africa.'
Goalkeepers:
Shay Given, Dean Kiely, Kieren Westwood
Defenders:
Alex Bruce, Damien Delaney, John O'Shea, Kevin Foley, Paul McShane, Richard Dunne, Stephen Kelly, Stephen Finnan, Kevin Kilbane & Darren O'Dea.
Midfielders:
Aiden McGeady, Damien Duff, Darron Gibson, Glenn Whelan, Keith Andrews, Liam Miller, Stephen Hunt & Andy Keogh.
Forwards:
Caleb Folan, Kevin Doyle, Robbie Keane, Shane Long & Noel Hunt.
The Italian Football Association has confirmed that the San Nicola stadium in Bari will host the forthcoming World Cup qualifier, Italy v Ireland on April 1, 2009.
Italy, who visit Montenegro four days before the match, lead Group Eight with 10 points from four games.
Ireland are three points behind in second spot after two wins and a draw under former Azzurri manager Trapattoni.
Ireland have home matches against Georgia and Bulgaria on February 11 and March 28 respectively before visiting the world champions in the southern Italian city.
