Tabakovic makes outsiders cheer
©IMAGO
Another drama about Italy: The four-time world champion lost participation in the World Cup for the third time in a row. Despite taking the lead, coach Gennaro Gattuso’s team lost 1:4 (1:1, 1:1, 1:0) on penalties in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Italy played outnumbered for a long time after the red card against Alessandro Bastoni (41st minute).
Attacker Moise Kean (15th minute) scored the first goal of the game early on and also benefited from a serious mistake by St. Pauli goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj, whose unsuccessful pass led to the goal being conceded. Italy then limited themselves to defending and withdrew even more on the defensive after a red card for Bastoni.
They were waiting for a counterattack – and it was again Kean who had the second goal on his feet. But the striker, who was running alone towards Vasilj, put the ball just over the goal. In regular time, Italy only shot at the Bosnian goal twice.
Bosnia pushed for an equalizer for a long time, but was finally rewarded by Haris Tabakovic (79th) from Borussia Mönchengladbach. Finally, Esmir Bajraktarevic destroyed all of Italy’s World Cup dreams in the penalty shootout. Bosnia, led by Schalke striker Edin Dzeko, is taking part in the world’s most important tournament for the second time since 2014.
The Italian wait, however, continues. Already in 2018 and 2022 they failed in the playoffs to Sweden and North Macedonia. Even in front of tennis superstar Novak Djokovic, it wasn’t enough in Zenica. Bosnia will face Switzerland, Qatar and co-hosts Canada in Group B at the World Cup.
Denmark also has to watch at the World Cup: defeat in the Czech Republic
The decision between the Czech Republic and Denmark was also only made on penalties. After Pavel Sulc (3′) and Ladislav Krejčí (100′) had given the hosts the lead twice, Joachim Andersen (73′) and Kasper Høgh (117′) each equalized with their heads. The Czechs held their nerve from the point while the Danes missed three attempts. It is the Czech Republic’s second participation in a World Cup finals since 2006.
The Danish team led by Christian Eriksen, who was substituted this time, had already lost what they thought was a direct ticket at the last minute in the group phase in the fall and has now missed out on the World Cup ticket five years after reaching the European Championship semi-finals. The Czech Republic will face hosts Mexico, South Africa and South Korea in the feasible World Cup Group A.
