Italy, a four-time World Cup champion, has failed to qualify for the World Cup for three consecutive editions, losing 1-1 and then 1-4 in a penalty shootout against Bosnia and Herzegovina with only ten men.

On April 1st at early morning Beijing time, the final of the European zone playoff for the 2026 USA-Canada-Mexico World Cup kicked off at Bilino Polje Stadium in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The four-time World Cup champion Italy faced Bosnia and Herzegovina away. After 120 minutes of intense battle, Italy, playing with ten men, drew 1-1 with their opponent and ultimately lost 1-4 in the cruel penalty shootout. This defeat means the Azzurri have missed the World Cup finals for three consecutive editions, once again falling in the playoffs; many fans jokingly call Italy the "European version of China's national team." Bosnia and Herzegovina qualified for the World Cup for the second time in their history, returning to the World Cup stage after the 2014 Brazil World Cup.

From the start of the match, Italy took control away from home, showing strong offensive desire. Their pressing paid off miraculously in the 15th minute: Bosnia and Herzegovina goalkeeper Vasilij made a fatal mistake when distributing the ball from the back, the ball was directly intercepted by Nicolò Barella, who calmly passed it across to assist; the following Moise Keen executed a precise curling shot from the edge of the penalty area, the ball flying straight into the top corner of the net! 1-0, Italy achieved a dream start, and Keen continued his hot streak of scoring consecutively for the national team.

However, the turning point of the match arrived near the end of the first half. In the 41st minute, Donnarumma's long kick was headed back by the opponent, Bosnia and Herzegovina formed a quick counterattack, Memić dribbled into the penalty area creating a one-on-one chance. As the last line of defense, Alessandro Bastoni helplessly had to make a sliding tackle to disrupt the play, referee Turpin毫不犹豫地出示红牌将其罚下. Italy had to play with 10 men for the remaining nearly 80 minutes (including extra time), manager Gattuso被迫用后卫加蒂换下前锋Retegui, the team's tactic shifted from control to desperate defense.

Playing with one man less, Italy endured immense defensive pressure in the second half. Although goalkeeper Donnarumma performed brilliantly,多次化解波黑队的必进球机会, the pressure on the defense grew increasingly intense. In the 60th minute, Keen had a one-on-one chance during a counterattack,可惜他的劲射稍稍高出, missing the opportunity to secure victory for the team.

In the 79th minute of the match, Bosnia and Herzegovina's sustained siege finally yielded reward. A cross from the team's right flank, veteran Dzeko's powerful header at the back post was heroically saved by Donnarumma, but the following Haris Tabaković easily tapped in the rebound at the goalmouth, equalizing the score to 1-1! This goal彻底点燃了主场球迷的激情, also注入强大的信心 into Bosnia and Herzegovina.

After 90 minutes of regular time, both sides drew 1-1, the match entered extra time. During extra time, the ten-man Italy displayed tenacious willpower, defending全力死守, while Bosnia and Herzegovina also未能再次改写比分. The match ultimately entered the fate-deciding penalty shootout.

In the penalty shootout, Italy's psychological防线彻底崩溃. The first penalty taker, Pio Esposito,直接踢飞 the ball, while the third出场 Cristante击中横梁. In contrast, Bosnia and Herzegovina's four penalty takers全部稳稳命中. Ultimately, Italy lost 1-4 in the penalty shootout, eliminated with an aggregate score of 2-5.

This defeat is another heavy blow for Italian football. As a four-time World Cup champion, they had previously missed both the 2018 and 2022 World Cups consecutively. Now,他们在2026年世界杯预选赛中再次倒在附加赛, becoming the first champion team in World Cup history to miss the finals for three consecutive editions. From losing to Sweden in 2018, to being绝杀 by North Macedonia in 2022, to now losing on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina, the decline of Italian football and its psychological fragility in关键比赛暴露无遗. After the match, the players could not hide their失落, even痛哭落泪, while Bosnia and Herzegovina时隔12年,再次站上了世界杯的舞台.

Starting Lineups of Both Teams:

Italy Starting XI: 1-Donnarumma, 23-Mancini, 21-Bastoni, 13-Calafiori, 3-Di Marco, 8-Tonali, 5-Locatelli, 18-Barella, 7-Politano, 9-Retegui, 11-Keen

Bosnia and Herzegovina Starting XI: 1-Vasilij, 15-Memić, 4-Muharemović, 18-Katić, 5-Kolašinac, 7-Detić, 14-Sanjić, 13-Bašić, 10-Demirović, 19-Bajramović, 11-Dzeko

Match Statistics:

Bosnia and Herzegovina had高达65% possession,狂射30 shots, with 11 on target; Italy仅有9 shots, with 3 on target.