Italy battled via additional time right down to 10 males after Alessandro Bastoni’s purple card and a Moise Kean purpose, however capitulated to Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties, so miss a 3rd consecutive World Cup.
The Azzurri within the semi-final with Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean targets, so caught with the identical beginning XI in Zenica. Edin Dzeko’s late equaliser pressured additional time and Bosnia finally beat Wales on penalties, however was Ivan Fundamental for Benjamin Tahirovic. Acquainted faces included Atalanta defender Sead Kolasinac and Sassuolo’s Tarik Muharemovic.
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There have been a few early scares with Riccardo Calafiori’s clearance taking a double ricochet to go over for a nook, then Ermedin Demirovic firing straight at Gianluigi Donnarumma on the counter-attack.
Italy took the lead with their first real alternative, as Mateo Retegui harassed the goalkeeper into an error, so his cross was intercepted by Nicolò Barella, rolling throughout for Kean to comb it first-time into the highest nook with the within of the fitting boot from the sting of the world. Kean turned solely the fourth participant to attain in six consecutive Italy appearances after Adolfo Balonceri in 1928, Gigi Riva in 1969 and Roberto Bettega in 1977, netting eight in that interval.
ZENICA, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – MARCH 31: Moise Kean of Italy celebrates after scoring his group’s opening purpose in the course of the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-offs match between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy at Stadion Bilino Polje on March 31, 2026 in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Photograph by Getty Photographs/Getty Photographs)
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Katic nodded large and Dzeko fired over, however Donnarumma had his gloves stung by a ferocious Fundamental strike following a nook, whereas Retegui’s weak end was smothered.
Demirovic’s glancing header flashed large from a Bajraktarevic cross, however the sport had a turning level when Donnarumma’s poor purpose kick was intercepted by Amar Memic, who was surging on purpose when introduced down from behind by Bastoni. The purple card was inevitable, and Federico Gatti got here on for Retegui to bolster the defence.
ZENICA, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – MARCH 31: The referee Clèment Turpin exhibits the purple card to Alessandro Bastoni of Italy in the course of the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-offs match between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy at Stadion Bilino Polje on March 31, 2026 in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Photograph by Getty Photographs/Getty Photographs)
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Bosnia poured ahead, Memic nodding large of the again submit, and so they threw on 18-year-old sensation Kerim Alajbegovic for the second half, whereas Italy responded with full-back Marco Palestra for the extra attack-minded Matteo Politano.
Demirovic simply didn’t get his head to a harmful cross and Alajbegovic stung Donnarumma’s gloves from the sting of the world, however Kean almost doubled Italy’s lead when he intercepted a ball inside his personal half and sprinted ahead, firing over previous the on-rushing goalkeeper.
Memic went off injured, however Donnarumma obtained down for a sensational save to fingertip the Benjamin Tahirovic low drive spherical the bottom of the close to submit.
Moments later, substitute Francesco Pio Esposito fired over from the sting of the field on a sensible Palestra pull-back.
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Federico Dimarco additionally scuffed large from a Barella pull-back, however Bosnia obtained their equaliser when Donnarumma made a sensational save on Dzeko’s header on the again submit from Dedic’s cross, however might do nothing on the Haris Tabakovic tap-in on the rebound.
ZENICA, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – MARCH 31: Haris Tabakovic of Bosnia and Herzegovina scores his group’s equalizing purpose in the course of the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-offs match between Bosnia & Herzegovina and Italy at Stadion Bilino Polje on March 31, 2026 in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Photograph by Getty Photographs/Getty Photographs)
Donnarumma made one other essential save on the Demirovic header to power additional time.
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Palestra ran onto a Sandro Tonali via ball and was introduced down on the sting of the world by Muharemovic, however this was solely a yellow card and never a purple, regardless of being nearer to purpose and in a extra central place than Memic within the Bastoni scenario.
Palestra additionally stood up a cross for Esposito’s header on the again submit, forcing a tricky response save from Nikola Vasilj.
Esposito additionally turned Muharemovic and the end was deflected large off the defender’s shoulder, whereas Davide Frattesi charged down the Alajbegovic scorcher.
Tahirovic additionally drilled large from the D after a brief nook within the closing minutes of additional time, so it went to a penalty shoot-out.
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Esposito ballooned the primary Italy kick over the bar, then Bryan Cristante blasted his onto the underside of the crossbar, permitting Bajrakterovic to keep up the right report in opposition to Donnarumma and ship Bosnia to the World Cup.
Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-1 Italy (aet)
Kean 15 (I), Tabakovic 79 (B)
Despatched off: Bastoni 41 (I)
Penalties: Tahirovic (B, purpose), Esposito (I, miss), Tabakovic (B, purpose), Tonali (I, purpose), Alajbegovic (B, purpose), Cristante (I, miss), Bajrakterovic (B, purpose)