World Cup 2026 play-offs: Italy stunned on penalties as Arsenal star sends Sweden through

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Evening Standard

·31 March 2026

World Cup 2026 play-offs: Italy stunned on penalties as Arsenal star sends Sweden through

2006 world champions missed out on sport’s top tournament once more

Italy missed out on playing at the World Cup for a third straight time after the Azzurri were beaten on penalties in the play-offs by Bosnia-Herzegovina.

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Gennaro Gattuso’s side laboured to a 1-1 draw in Zenica, in a game where Alessandro Bastoni was sent off.

Moise Kean opened the scoring on 15 minutes for the Italians, but Haris Tabakovic levelled on 79 minutes to force an additional half-hour and eventually spot-kicks.

Francesco Esposito missed Italy’s first penalty as the host stormed into a 3-1 lead, and Bryan Cristante was denied with the fourth, handing Esmir Bajraktarevic the chance to send Sergej Barbarez’s men to Canada, Mexico and the United States this summer.

He duly did so, and the 2006 world champions were denied their entry to this year’s edition.

Bosnia-Herzegovina had already defeated Wales on penalties at the Principality Stadium in the semi-final last week, and stepped up to the spot once more to book their plane tickets.

Elsewhere, Sweden snuck past Poland in a topsy-turvy affair at the Strawberry Arena.

Former Chelsea and West Ham boss Graham Potter, who recently signed a new deal with the Swedes, led his side to a 3-2 victory, with Anthony Elanga opening the scoring and Arsenal’s Viktor Gyokeres netting a dramatic late winner.

Nicola Zalewski had equalised for the Poles in the first half before Gustaf Lagerbielke restored the hosts’ advantage.

Karol Swiderski levelled once more ten minutes into the second period, before Gyokeres struck two minutes from time.

Kerem Akturkoglu’s strike was enough to send Turkey through against Romania, while the Czech Republic - who defeated Ireland on penalties in their semi-final - needed spot-kicks once more to eke past Denmark.

Manchester United loanee Rasmus Hojlund missed from the spot for the Danes, as did Brentford’s Mathias Jensen. West Ham’s Tomas Soucek tucked his penalty away for the Czechs.

In the inter-confederation tournament over in Mexico, five confederations did battle for the final two spots at this year’s World Cup.

Jamaica took on DR Congo having seen off New Caledonia in their semi-final, while Bolivia faced off against Iraq after sneaking past Suriname.