Italy failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup as a penalty shootout defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday meant the Azzurri will miss this year’s tournament in North America, while Turkiye, the Czech Republic and Sweden secured their places in the final.
Italy has won the World Cup four times but failed to qualify for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments and will once again have to watch from afar as the field expands to 48 teams in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Bosnia won 4-1 on penalties in Zenica after the play-off final finished 1-1 at the end of extra time, with Sandro Tonali the only Italian player to score from the penalty spot as Francesco Pio Esposito took his first penalty and Bryan Cristante crashed his shot against the crossbar.
Moise Kean had given Gennaro Gattuso’s Italy the lead in the 15th minute, but they were left with 10 men when Alessandro Bastoni was shown a straight red card at the end of the first half.
Bosnia equalized in the 79th minute thanks to Haris Tabakovic and, with no more goals in extra time, the tie was decided on penalties.
“I don’t think the guys deserved to take a hit like that,” Gattuso said. “It’s hard to digest.”
Bosnia, ranked 66th in the world, finished second in qualifying Group H behind Austria before beating Wales on penalties in the play-off semi-final.
Their only previous World Cup appearance was in 2014. They now enter Group B of this year’s tournament along with Canada, Qatar and Switzerland.
The 2014 edition was the last time Italy qualified. They were eliminated in the group stage, as in 2010. They have not won a World Cup knockout match since they last lifted the trophy in 2006.
In 2018, they failed to qualify after losing a two-leg playoff final to Sweden, and they also missed out in 2022 after losing a playoff to North Macedonia.
The Kosovo dream is over
Turkiye qualified thanks to Kerem Akturkoglu’s 53rd-minute goal that secured a 1-0 victory in Kosovo, shattering their hosts’ dream of appearing in the tournament for the first time.
It will be Turkiye’s first World Cup appearance since reaching the semi-finals in 2002. Vincenzo Montella’s team will enter Group D along with co-hosts the United States, Paraguay and Australia.
Montella’s team is ranked 22nd in the world, but this will be only Turkiye’s third World Cup appearance: they attended the 1954 tournament before placing third 24 years ago in South Korea and Japan.
“We have achieved our dreams. The World Cup is the pinnacle of this profession,” Montella said. UEFA.com.
Kosovo, ranked 78th, was aiming to participate in a World Cup for the first time, having only been accepted as a member of FIFA a decade ago.
The heroic acts of Gyokeres, the Danes denied
Sweden recovered from a desperate performance in the group stage of qualifying to secure their place in the finals in spectacular fashion.
After beating Ukraine 3-1 in last week’s semi-final, they beat Poland 3-2 in Stockholm, with Arsenal’s Viktor Gyokeres scoring in the 88th minute.
Sweden had taken the lead twice before, but they saw a comeback: Anthony Elanga’s first goal in the 20th minute was canceled out by Nicola Zalewski, but Gustaf Lagerbielke put the hosts back ahead before the break.
Karol Swiderski got Poland’s second goal early in the second half, but Gyokeres forced the ball over the line after a frantic goal fight late on.
They finished last in qualifying Group B without a win, but secured a play-off spot thanks to their performances in the UEFA Nations League.
Now led by Englishman Graham Potter, they will enter Group F of the World Cup along with Holland, Japan and Tunisia.
The Czech Republic equaled Bosnia’s achievement by qualifying thanks to back-to-back penalty shootout victories, following their success against Ireland last week by defeating Denmark 3-1 on penalties in Prague.
The match ended 2-2 after extra time, with Pavel Sulc putting the hosts ahead but Joachim Andersen equalized with a header for the Danes.
Ladislav Krejci put the Czechs ahead again in extra time, but Kasper Hogh made it 2-2.
However, Denmark converted only one of their four penalties, with Rasmus Hojlund, Anders Dreyer and Mathias Jensen missing from the penalty spot as the Czechs qualify for their first World Cup since 2006.
They enter Group A with South Africa, South Korea and Mexico.
