Italy miss out on World Cup again after Bosnia and Herzegovina’s shootout triumph

Italy will miss their third successive World Cup after losing 4-1 on penalties against Bosnia and Herzegovina following a 1-1 draw

The story will be of another Italian apocalypse, yet another infamous occasion for a nation that has won four men’s World Cups but is starting to believe it may never go to another after missing out for the third time in a row.

After a North Macedonian bolt from the blue in 2022, and a stultifying two-legged defeat by Sweden five years before that they found a new way to come up short in 2026 – eliminated on penalties in their playoff final against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

But this night should also be remembered for an electric performance by the hosts, who richly deserve the place they have claimed at this summer’s tournament. Despite falling behind early to a Moise Kean goal, Sergej Barbarez’s side kept their heads, kept attacking and ultimately played the Italians off the park. The only area in which they came up short was scoring the goals their performance deserved. They put that right in the shootout, converting four out of four.

There had been more than enough chances to win this game inside 90 minutes. Even before Alessandro Bastoni was sent off for Italy on the cusp of half-time, Bosnia and Herzegovina led the shot count by 11 to two. It took them until the 79th to find an equaliser through Haris Tabakovic, but that was enough. They battled through a cagey extra-time period and won on penalties for the second time in five days.

As their celebrations began, Italy’s nightmare continued. An entire generation of players will never know what it means to play at a World Cup. It was the then president of the Italian Football Federation, Carlo Tavecchio, who used the word “apocalypse” to describe the failure to qualify in 2018 – Italy’s first time missing out in 60 years – before taking responsibility and resigning. What do we call it now that it has become the norm?

“Difficult to digest,” were the words from Italy’s manager, Gennaro Gattuso. He thanked his players for their effort, saying he thought they deserved better. “They surprised me even today with the heart they showed,” he said. “But we are talking about the umpteenth time we aren’t going to the World Cup. I personally apologise for that.”

From the outset Italy had looked nervous, giving up a chance as early as the third minute when Amar Memic was granted space to cross from the left. His low centre skirted the six-yard box before Riccardo Calafiori hacked it on to Manuel Locatelli and behind for a corner. Ermedin Demirovic fired in another shot that hopped before landing in the arms of Gianluigi Donnarumma.

What Gattuso’s side lacked in control, they made up for in ruthlessness. Mateo Retegui’s pursuit of a Bosnian backpass caused the goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj to panic and deliver the ball straight to another Italian, Nicolò Barella. He found Kean, surging through the middle, who finished first time into the top-right corner. His sixth consecutive game scoring for Italy.

Michal Sadilek’s penalty sent the Czech Republic to the World Cup as they beat Denmark 3-1 in a shootout in Prague on Tuesday following a 2-2 draw after extra time.

Tomas Chory and Tomas Soucek also scored for the Czechs in the shootout while Ladislav Krejci was denied by Danish goalkeeper Mads Hermansen. For the visitors, Christian Eriksen was the only shootout scorer while Rasmus Højlund hit the crossbar, Anders Dreyer was denied by goalkeeper Matej Kovar and Mathias Jensen fired over the crossbar.

On the chilly night in Prague, Pavel Sulc opened the score for the Czechs with a fine volley into the top corner three minutes into the game after the Danish defence had cleared a corner in his direction.

Denmark levelled in the 72nd minute when Mikkel Damsgaard’s free-kick found Joachim Andersen in the box ready with a glancing header.

Czech captain Krejci gave the hosts the lead again in the 100th minute as he picked up a ball knocked down by Soucek in a goalmouth scramble following Vladimir Coufal’s cross and his shot was deflected into the net by Danish defender Alexander Bah.

But Denmark levelled again in the 111th minute when substitute Kasper Høgh headed home Eriksen’s corner six minutes after coming on to the pitch. AFP

Barbarez had joked before kick-off that if his team scored first they might have to park the bus, but “if we concede one, we might have to put it elsewhere”. They were using it now to chase their guests all over the pitch now, driving right at their opponents with a team full of players who almost all seemed comfortable to get on the ball and dribble.

Italy looked like a team itching to hear the half-time whistle, even before Bastoni was sent off for a last-man foul on Memic. Gattuso responded to the dismissal by withdrawing a centre-forward and sending in a replacement defender, Federico Gatti. But the half ended in a flurry of Bosnian chances and the second started with Ermedin Demirovic narrowly failing to get his head to another cross by Memic.

Kean might have sealed victory for Italy in the 60th minute. Reading Memic’s intentions on a cross-field pass, he intercepted and raced beyond the home side’s centre-backs. With Vasilj advancing, he took his shot on early and fired high of the target. How Italy rued that missed opportunity, as Tabakovic pounced on a rebound from an Edin Dzeko attempt and forced the ball home to take the game to extra time.

A more cautious pace took hold. Perhaps the hosts were feeling the fatigue from their 120 minutes played against Wales. Italy appealed for their opponents to be reduced to 10 when Tarik Muharemovic brought down Marco Palestra, haring after a Sandro Tonali pass through the middle, but the defender got a yellow instead. Dzeko ended the game receiving treatment for a shoulder injury.

If Bosnia and Herzegovina were no longer troubling Italy as they had before, the visitors still appeared the more relieved side to reach penalty kicks. But Francesco Esposito smashed their first attempt over the crossbar, and Bryan Cristante smacked his penalty against it.

As the hosts celebrated, Italy stayed trapped in their own private hell, the only World Cup winners not to qualify for this year’s edition. It hardly even feels like a surprise any more.