Italian drama. Rino Gattuso's national team lost on penalties against Bosnia and Herzegovina and failed to qualify for the World Cup for the third consecutive time.Italy was ready to return after 12 years since the last time (Brazil 2014) and after missing two editions, the 2018 one in Russia and the 2022 one in Qatar. In the first case, we were eliminated by a 0-0 home draw against Sweden in the decisive match of the qualifying group, while in the second case it was North Macedonia in the play-off in Palermo. This time, however, Bosnia proved fatal, winning in the one-off qualifying match played at the home of the Slavs, in Zenica. The match had started well with Moise Kean's 1-0 after a quarter of an hour, then Bastoni's expulsion at the end of the first half changed everything.
Italy held out for most of the second half, struggling greatly but also creating a few chances to score a second goal. Then, with just a few minutes remaining, the Bosnians equalized. In extra time, our opponents should have been sent off as well, but the referee penalized us. So The play-off ended in penalties, with errors by Pio Esposito and Bryan Cristante and Bosnia's 4-1 victory. Now Bosnia, as per the draw already made, will play in Group B together with Canada, Switzerland and Qatar. The first match will be on Friday, June 12th in Toronto against Canada, then against Switzerland in Los Angeles on Thursday, June 18th, and to close the group on Wednesday, June 24th in Seattle against Qatar. After this playoff, they also go to the World Cup. Vincenzo Montella's Turkey, Sweden and the Czech Republic.
