Italy have failed to qualify for their third straight World Cup finals after Gennaro Gattuso’s side fell to a heartbreaking play-off defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties.
Italy players were in tears as the magnitude of the result dawned on them, with the Azzurri now the first former winners to miss three finals in a row, having failed to qualify for the 2018 and 2022 editions.
The Azzuri had taken an early lead in Zenica after Moise Kean curled in a superb effort on 15 minutes, but they found themselves with work to do before the end of the first half as Alessandro Bastoni was sent off for bringing down Amar Memic as last man in the 42nd minute.
The home side, who also beat Wales in a shoot-out in the play-off semi-final last week, fought back in the second half and got level with just over 10 minutes remaining in normal time, Haris Tabakovic bundling in after a goalmouth scramble.
That late goal took the play-off final to extra-time and though both sides traded blows in an effort to nick the win late on, neither side was able to gain control as the game headed to penalties.
Benjamin Tahirovic got the hosts off to the perfect start by scoring the first spot-kick, and Francesco Esposito blazed his effort over to leave the Italians chasing the contest.
Bosnia goalscorer Tabakovic rifled in a superb effort for give his side a 2-0 lead, and though Sandro Tonali confidently slid his effort into the side-netting, Kerim Alajbegovic sent Gianluigi Donnarumma the wrong way to make it 3-1.
Bryan Cristante then stepped up and saw his effort crash off the crossbar, leaving Esmir Bajraktarevic to squeeze past a disconsolate Donnarumma to send his side to this summer’s finals.
Meanwhile, Bosnia will now make up part of Group B at this summer’s tournament alongside Qatar, fellow European side Switzerland and hosts Canada, with their first game coming against the host nation on 12 June.
Elsewhere, Viktor Gyokeres side-footed home an 88th-minute winner as Sweden beat Poland 3-2. The result earned Sweden a first World Cup appearance since 2018 after failing to qualify four years ago.
Anthony Elanga’s opener for Sweden was cancelled out by Nicola Zalewski’s equaliser, but Gustaf Lagerbielke’s 44th-minute strike restored the hosts’ advantage and ensured they entered the break ahead.
Despite Karol Swiderski drawing the visitors level again shortly after the interval, Gyokeres capitalised on a late goalmouth scramble to fire home the winner.
“To do it on home soil is indescribable. We believed in it until the end and that’s why we’re in the World Cup. Regardless of whether you get a lot of balls or not, you try to be connected and present,” Gyokeres told Viaplay.
The result earned Sweden a spot in Group F for this year’s World Cup alongside the Netherlands, Japan and Tunisia. It also reversed the outcome of the 2022 World Cup playoff final in Chorzow, where Poland denied Sweden a place in the Qatar tournament.
The Czech Republic clinched their World Cup spot by beating Denmark 3-1 on penalties after an absorbing encounter in which they led in normal time and extra time.
The Czechs were pegged back to 1-1 at the end of 90 minutes and 2-2 after the extra period before winning the shootout to reach their first World Cup since 2006 to delight the home fans.
The hosts – who beat Ireland in a shootout in the playoff semi-finals last week – stunned Denmark when Pavel Sulc found the top corner with a first-time strike after three minutes.
The visitors levelled in the 72nd through a Joachim Andersen header before Czech captain Ladislav Krejci and Denmark’s Kasper Hogh scored in extra time to send the match to penalties.
And Turkey ended a 24-year wait to qualify for the World Cup by beating Kosovo 1-0 in their play-off final, sealing a return to football’s biggest stage for the first time since 2002 when they reached the semi-finals.
Forward Kerem Akturkoglu scored the only goal in the 53rd minute, turning the ball in from close range after Orkun Kokcu’s shot, following a driving run from Kenan Yildiz down the left.
Turkey, ranked 25th in the world, had fallen short in qualifying campaigns over the past two decades and arrived under pressure to deliver, with coach Vincenzo Montella overseeing a squad blending emerging talents and experienced internationals.
“Thank God. It has been 24 years. Some of us were not even born the last time we qualified, and some were too young to remember. We always dreamed of moments like this,” Akturkoglu told Turkish TV.
“We talked about 2002 and the success there, we always dreamed of it. Most of us don’t even remember 2002. Now we will give the next generation something to dream about at the 2026 World Cup. We want to make our country proud.
For Kosovo, ranked 79th and playing in front of a sold-out crowd, the defeat brought an end to a remarkable run that had taken them to the brink of a historic debut at a major tournament, less than a decade after joining Fifa and Uefa.
Includes reporting from Reuters
