Italy will miss out on a third straight World Cup after falling to Bosnia and Hercegovina in Tuesday’s breathless qualification play-off final, the Azzurri blowing their chance to reach this summer’s tournament in North America with a 4-1 penalty shootout defeat.
Esmir Bajraktarevic shot the winning spot-kick in Zenica where the Bosnians booked a place in Group B and matches against co-hosts Canada, Switzerland and Qatar and plunged Italy into a new nightmare.
Four-time world champions, Italy took the lead through Moise Kean in the 15th minute but then folded under the weight of expectation in Zenica after having to play more than half the match with 10 men.
Italy were already firmly on the back foot when Alessandro Bastoni was sent off for chopping down Amar Memic four minutes before half-time, and Haris Tabakovic poked home Bosnia’s deserved leveller in the 79th minute to take the match to extra time.
And Italy’s World Cup horror show continued in the subsequent shoot-out, with Pio Esposito smashing their first penalty over the bar, and when Bryan Cristante hit the bar and Bajraktarevic squeezed his effort under Gianluigi Donnarumma, the game was up.
Italy are the first World Cup winners to miss out on three consecutives editions of the tournament, which this year will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Bosnia meanwhile reached their second World Cup finals, and first since 2014, in front of a passionate crowd who were sent delirious by Bajraktarevic’s decisive penalty.