Italy have missed the World Cup for the third time in a row. Bosnia and Herzegovina eliminated the Azzurri on penalties in Zenica on Tuesday night, completing one of football's most astonishing collapses for a four-time world champion.
Moise Kean put Italy ahead in the 15th minute but Alessandro Bastoni was sent off in the 41st, leaving Gennaro Gattuso's side to defend for the remainder of the match with ten men. Bosnia threw everything at them and Haris Tabakovic equalised in the 79th minute. Extra time settled nothing. In the shootout, Italy missed two penalties and Bosnia scored four, winning 4-1 on spot kicks. Italy have now failed to reach three consecutive World Cups, having been eliminated by Sweden in 2018 and stunned by North Macedonia in 2022.
Sweden are through after a breathless 3-2 win over Poland in Solna. Viktor Gyokeres was the difference, scoring the winner late on after Poland twice levelled. It was a fitting end to Graham Potter's Sweden, who had Gyokeres in irresistible form throughout the campaign. Robert Lewandowski gave everything for Poland but it was not enough. Sweden join the Netherlands, Japan and Tunisia in Group F.
Turkey return to the World Cup for the first time since 2002 after beating Kosovo 1-0 in Pristina. Kerem Akturkoglu got the decisive touch on Orkun Kokcu's effort to seal a nervy win. Kosovo, playing in just their third major tournament cycle since joining FIFA in 2016, had the better of the first half and pushed hard for an equaliser that never came. Turkey go into Group D with the United States, Paraguay and Australia.
Czechia ended Denmark's campaign on penalties in Prague in the night's most dramatic finish. Pavel Sulc put Czechia ahead in the third minute and Joachim Andersen levelled for Denmark in the 72nd. Both sides scored again in extra time to force a shootout where Denmark missed three kicks. Czechia won 3-1 on penalties to reach their first World Cup since 2006. They join Mexico, South Africa and South Korea in Group A.
