Italy failed to qualify for their third consecutive World Cup after they were beaten on penalties by Bosnia & Herzegovina on Tuesday.
The 2006 champions were one of four European sides to miss out on a place at this summer’s tournament at the last hurdle after losing their qualification playoff final.
Extra time and penalties were also required in Prague, as Czech Republic secured their place at the World Cup for the first time since 2006 with a shootout victory over Denmark.
Kosovo were denied a World Cup debut by Turkey, who will be in the United States men’s national team’s group at this summer’s tournament after their 1-0 win.
Sweden return to the World Cup after missing out on the 2022 edition after Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres scored a late winner to secure a 3-2 victory over Poland.
The two final World Cup places will be determined during the Intercontinental playoff finals in Mexico later on Tuesday, with DR Congo playing Jamaica and Iraq facing Bolivia, by which point all 48 teams competing at this summer’s tournament in the U.S., Canada and Mexico will be confirmed.
What happened in the playoff finals?
(Getty Images/Getty Images)
A favourable draw on paper, but one Italy seemed intent on sabotaging. They led after 15 minutes when Moise Kean whipped a brilliant finish into the top corner, capitalising on Nikola Vasilj’s loose pass after Bosnia lost possession high up.
But a moment of madness from Alessandro Bastoni handed Bosnia a lifeline, with the Inter defender sent off for a reckless sliding challenge on Amar Memic as he bore down on goal.
From there, Italy largely parked the bus, but their resistance was broken in the 79th minute when Haris Tabakovic scrambled home from close range.
Bosnia pushed for a winner, but once it went to penalties, Italy looked favourites with Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal. Yet again though, Bosnia ripped up the script, converting all four of their spot-kicks as Pio Esposito and Bryan Cristante missed the target for Italy.
It was a deserved victory for Bosnia, leaving Italy to pick up the pieces of a third successive failure to reach the World Cup.
Conor O’Neill
(Michal Cizek/AFP via Getty Images)
Czech Republic 2-2 Denmark (Czech Republic win 3-1 on penalties)
For the first time in 20 years, the Czech Republic will be at a World Cup.
Pavel Sulc gave them the lead in the third minute and were forced to absorb plenty of pressure. Denmark eventually found their equaliser in the 72nd minute through Joachim Andersen’s header. By this point, Czech Republic were struggling to get out of their own half.
They found new life in extra time and went ahead through captain Ladislav Krejci 10 minutes into extra time. At club level he is battling relegation with Wolverhampton Wanderers, but he has relished this international window, scoring two crucial goals.
Kasper Hogh found a second equaliser 11 minutes later, but Denmark missed three of their four penalties in the shootout.
Eduardo Tansley
(Linnea Rheborg – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
Sweden 3-2 Poland
Viktor Gyokeres’ late winner crowned a madcap game to send Sweden to the World Cup.
Winless in qualifying, the country had not made a major tournament since the 2018 World Cup — hiring former Chelsea and West Ham United head coach Graham Potter in the autumn in a last-gasp effort to make it through the play-offs.
Their 3-2 win over Poland — having beaten Ukraine 3-1 in Valencia last week — was the antithesis of Sweden’s usual footballing identity, a nation built on structured defence and calm game management. Tuesday was a scramble in which they were pegged back twice by a spirited Poland, who will be bitterly disappointed they did not go on to win after asserting control in the second half.
Anthony Elanga put Sweden into the lead after firing home from Yasin Ayari’s superb backheel, before passive defending and weak goalkeeping allowed Nicola Zalewski to level. A set-piece goal from Gustaf Lagerbielke restored his country’s lead in first-half stoppage time, but Sweden regressed into their shells as the second half went on, and were deservedly punished by Karol Swiderski.
Gyokeres had been anonymous to this point, and was most visible when clearing balls from Sweden’s own box — but after Ayari and Lucas Bergvall both went close in a goalmouth scramble, the Arsenal striker used his strength to chest down the ball before blasting it into the roof of the net.
He wheeled off into the corner on full-time, whipping his shirt off in celebration. At the other end of the pitch, Poland’s greatest ever player, Robert Lewandowski, sank to his haunches. At 38 years old, this looks to be the end of his World Cup journey.
Jacob Whitehead
(Armend Nimani/AFP via Getty Images)
Turkey huffed and puffed but secured their spot in the World Cup following a 1-0 win over Kosovo in Pristina.
There was little to separate the teams for most of the game. Turkey created multiple half-chances, with Kenan Yildiz and Hakan Calhanoglu seeing shots blocked. But it was Kosovo who had the best opening of the first half, with Fisnik Asllani’s shot from distance brilliantly tipped onto the crossbar by Ugurcan Cakir, and all-time top scorer Vedat Muriqi blasting the rebound over an empty net.
The second half was familiarly close but Turkey eventually found the goal they needed in the 53rd minute. Orkun Kokcu was able to collect in midfield and feed Yildiz, who cut the ball back. Kokcu reached the pass but mishit the shot, which fell kindly to Kerem Akturkoglu to guide into an empty net at the far post.
There were questions of offside but the goal stood. Kosovo were the dominant team from thereon, but struggled to bring Muriqi into the game. Cakir was required to make another sprawling save late on but was not troubled much thanks to a stubborn rearguard, ending Kosovo’s hopes of making a first World Cup.
Anantaajith Raghuraman
Which World Cup groups will the newly-qualified teams be in?
Bosnia & Herzegovina will be Group B with co-host Canada, Qatar and Switzerland. Turkey will also join a host country in the group stages, facing Australia, Paraguay and the U.S. in Group D.
Sweden are in Group F with Japan, the Netherlands and Tunisia. Czech Republic will join Group A with South Korea, co-hosts Mexico and South Africa.
Elsewhere, Jamaica or DR Congo will go into Group K with Colombia, Portugal and Uzbekistan. The winner of Iraq vs. Bolivia will face France, Norway and Senegal in Group I.
