Sensation in the World Cup playoffs: Outsiders North Macedonia won the semi-final duel against Italy with a late goal. The European champion will not be present at the final round.
A very bitter day for Italy, the Tifosi are mourning this Thursday: The European champions will miss the World Cup in Qatar in winter. The “Squadra Azzurra” suffered a bitter 1-0 defeat against outsiders North Macedonia in the semifinals of the European playoffs and are out.
Aleksandar Trajkovski (90+2) gave the team from the Balkans the lead in added time with a long-range shot into the far corner, shortly afterwards referee Clement Turpin called off the game in Palermo.
Berardi misses Italy’s huge chance for the lead
Hosts Italy had every chance of winning the game within 90 minutes. Around the 30th minute: North Macedonia goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski miscalculated with a low pass, the ball landed in the legs of striker Domenico Berardi instead of his defender. But the attacker managed just a pathetic shot at an empty goal, Dimitrievski had time to rush back and save the shot.
In the second half, too, Italy dominated the game and kept scoring. However, these often got stuck in the tightly staggered defensive line of the guests. Trajkovski’s shot from a good 20 meters away was enough to decide the game – and hit the Italians in the heart.
North Macedonia is now in one of three final duels for a ticket to Qatar and will meet Portugal next Tuesday. It would be the first participation in the World Cup for the team from the two-million nation in south-eastern Europe.