For the third straight time, Italy will miss the FIFA World Cup.
In a shock outcome, visiting Italy misplaced 2-1 (4-1 on penalty kicks) to Bosnia and Herzegovina within the closing of their UEFA playoff qualifier on Tuesday, formally eliminating the Italians from World Cup competition.
With the win, Bosnia and Herzegovina secured its spot and can tackle host Canada, Qatar and Switzerland in Group B motion.
Bosnia and Herzegovina will face Canada within the opener for each groups on June 12 in Toronto.
It took some late heroics from the Bosnians to safe their spot, as Haris Tabakovic discovered the again of the web for the equalizer within the 79th minute.
Bosnia was helped by a vital mistake from Italy simply earlier than the half-time mark. Regardless of taking a 1-0 lead into the locker room, the Azzurri went again in a person down, as centre-back Alessandro Bastoni was proven a pink within the forty first minute for denying a transparent goal-scoring likelihood with a last-gasp slide sort out.
Nonetheless, it wouldn’t be sufficient to complete the job in regulation time. Regardless of a stark distinction in possession (Bosnia out-possessed Italy 65-35) and possibilities (Bosnia out-shot Italy 30-9, with 11 pictures on purpose to Italy’s three), the house facet was unable to complete the job with out penalty kicks.
Bosnia and Herzegovina final certified for the World Cup in 2014 — its first look on the tourney — and had been eradicated in group play.