Third consecutive failure of the Italian national team!
Italy has failed to qualify for the World Cup for the third time in a row, marking its biggest failure in history.
The failures have no end for the Italian national team. The four-time World Champion "blue team" lost 4-1 on penalties to Bosnia (1-1 regular time and extra time) and was left out of the World Cup for the third time in a row...
What did you have... Italy, what did I always have! The Azzurri were left out of the tournament again, as after the 1-1 in 120 minutes in Zenica, (they were defeated 4-1 on penalties by the incredible Bosnia). And of course they will also watch this year's World Cup from their home.
The Bosnians, on the other hand, are returning to the tournament after 2014 and will face Canada, Qatar and Switzerland in the group stages.
The pace was good from the first minutes, with both teams looking for a quick goal and the Italian national team achieving it in the 15th minute. After Vasil's mistake, midfielder Barella passed to
Moises Kean who opened the scoring with an excellent shot.
The hosts pressed harder, forcing goalkeeper Gigi Donnarumma into interventions by Basic (20') and Katić (24'), with Demirović heading wide in the 38th minute. Three minutes later, the Bosnians finally secured a numerical advantage, with stopper Alessandro Bastoni being sent off for a foul on Memic and the match gaining new interest!
Playing with a player more, Bosnia pressed suffocatingly and in the 51st minute saw Donnarumma stop Alabegovic. In the 60th minute, Ken came out four by four but missed, missing a huge opportunity to double his team's goals, while in the 72nd minute the Italian goalkeeper made another stop on Alabegovic. Esposito (74') and Dimarco (77') had good chances for the 2-0, but in the 79th minute it was 1-1 for Bosnia, with Dzeko catching the header, the Azzurri goalkeeper blocking and Tabakovic pushing the ball into the net from close range! Donnarumma stopped Demirovic in the 87th minute, sending the match into extra time.
Italy came within one goal of the first half of extra time when Esposito's header was saved by Vasil, while in the 113th minute the Italian goalkeeper stopped Alaibegovic. Tahirovic's shot six minutes later was just wide, sending the game to penalties. There, the hosts were unerring, with Esposito (out) and Cristante (post) being the fatal ones and the Italian dream of returning to the World Cup fading away...
The Azzurri squad was left out of a third consecutive World Cup, as it has not competed in the final phase of the competition
since 2014.
The penalty shootout process:
• 1-0: Tahirovic executed accurately
• 1-0: Esposito sent the ball out
• 2-0: Tabakovic executed accurately
• 2-1: Tonali executed accurately
• 3-1: Alaibegovic executed accurately
• 3-1: Cristante sent the ball against the post
• 4-1: Bayraktarević executed accurately
Manos Staramopoulos
Journalist and Analyst of International Football and Affairs
Chief Editor English Zone of Discoveryfootball.com
Athens (Greece).
Post recientes
