Italy’s World Cup nightmare has continued after the four-time champions were stunned by Bosnia and Herzegovina in a penalty shootout on Wednesday (AEDT).
Comparative minnows Bosnia won the do-or-die European qualifying shootout 4-2 in Zenica after the teams were locked 1-1 after regulation and extra time.
Youngster Pio Esposito blazed Italy’s first penalty attempt over the bar and Bryan Cristante then hit the post as Bosnia began to believe.
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Pio Esposito of Italy reacts after missing his penalty. UEFA via Getty Images
Italy’s legendary goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was unable to save his country as Bosnia were on target with all four spot kicks.
Italy have won four World Cup titles but incredibly have not qualified since 2014 after also failing to advance to the 2018 and 2022 tournaments.
Italy’s Alessandro Bastoni was sent off for a last-man challenge in the first half.
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“We did not deserve this,” Italy manager Gennaro Gattuso said.
“We show passion, we played with 10 men since minute 40… we are sad, but this is football. I’m proud of my team. We are hurt.”
The defeat added more misery for Italy’s once-proud national team after being eliminated by Sweden and North Macedonia, respectively, in the qualifying playoffs for the last two World Cups.
“It’s too easy to say what’s working and what’s not working,” Gattuso said.
“The fact is that Italy has failed to qualify for three World Cups. We’re having a tough time achieving our goals, both with the national team and with our clubs.”
It had all started so well for Italy when Moise Kean continued his prolific form with a 15th minute goal.
Osman Hadzikic and Kerim Alajbegovic of Bosnia and Herzegovina celebrate victory. UEFA via Getty Images
But, playing against 10 men, Bosnia started to apply pressure in the second half and Haris Tabakovic equalised in the 79th minute.
US-born Esmir Bajraktarevic converted the decisive penalty for Bosnia.
“We still don’t believe it – that we’re out and that it happened in this manner,” Italy defender Leonardo Spinazzola said.
Bosnia have stunned Italy. Stan
“It’s upsetting for everyone. For us, for our families, and for all the kids who have never seen Italy at a World Cup.”
On paper, it was a massive mismatch between 12th-ranked Italy and Bosnia, which is ranked 54 places below the Azzurri by FIFA.
Italy has a population of nearly 60 million while Bosnia’s is about 3.5 million.
Gianluigi Donnarumma of Italy reacts after Haris Tabakovic scored. UEFA via Getty Images
“I want to personally apologise since we didn’t make it,” Gattuso said.
Italy’s last World Cup knockout match was when it won the title in 2006 by beating France in a penalty shootout.
“We realise we’re in a huge crisis,” Italian federation president Gabriele Gravina said.
Meanwhile, the Socceroos will play Turkiye in their opening World Cup game on June 14 (AEST) in Vancouver.
Turkiye beat Kosovo 1-0 in Pristina to seal the final Group D berth along with Australia, the United States and Paraguay.
Kerem Akturkoglu scored what proved to be the winning goal in the 53rd minute to spark wild celebrations.
Kenan Yildiz of Turkiye celebrates his team’s first goal scored by teammate Kerem Aktuerkoglu. Getty
Turkiye are ranked 22nd in the world and boast genuine star power in captain Hakan Calhanoglu (Inter Milan) and young gun Arda Guler (Real Madrid).
The Socceroos – who thumped Curacao 5-1 in Melbourne on Tuesday – are 27th.
Turkiye’s best World Cup finish was third in 2002.
The hosts were hoping to qualify for the World Cup for the first time, fewer than 10 years since the national team was out of the international football family.
It was in 2016 that Kosovo and Gibraltar were voted into FIFA as its 210th and 211th member federations.
That was eight years after Kosovo declared independence from Serbia.
Kosovo had the best chance of an entertaining first half but Turkiye goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakır pulled off a superb one-handed save to push Fisnik Asllani’s strike onto the crossbar.
Turkiye got the breakthrough eight minutes into the second half.
Akturkoglu got finest of touches to ensure Orkun Kokcu’s cross/shot went into the far bottom corner.
The Czech Republic and Sweden also secured World Cup spots.
The Czechs upset Denmark 3-1 on penalties after being locked 2-2 after regulation and extra time.
Sweden advanced by beating Poland in a 3-2 thriller.
In an international friendly, Japan beat England 1-0 thanks to Kaoru Mitoma’s 23rd minute goal.
Both countries had already qualified for the World Cup and England manager Thomas Tuchel fielded an experimental lineup, with key regulars like captain Harry Kane, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka missing because of minor injuries.
“It was not necessary to lose the match. Unfortunately, we lost it, which is disappointing, and I hate losing, like no-one else, and it will take a while to digest. But it will not affect us massively for when we arrive in the US,” Tuchel said.
– with AP
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