Italy, now Bosnia: all qualifiers for playoff finals
Bosnia will be the opponent of Italy’s coach Gennaro Gattuso in the final playoff match on Tuesday, March 31, the last stage before qualification for the 2026 World Cup. For Edin Dzeko and his teammates comes the victory on penalties in Wales, after the same former Roma, Inter and Fiorentina striker had personally signed the 1-1 draw with which regulation time and extra time ended. Also advancing are Turkey, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, the Czech Republic and surprising Kosovo.
It is precisely Dzeko who is among the big players in Bosnia’s dream, which will receive Italy in the last challenge toward the World Cup. In fact, his equalizer in Wales came in the 86th minute, after James had put the hosts ahead at 51′. In the penalty shootout, after Demirovic’s mistake, missed conversions by Johnson and Williams allowed Alajbegovic to put the ball into the net from the eleven meters to clinch the final playoff spot.
Ireland’s adventure also ended on penalties, which even in the Czech Republic had laid an excellent foundation to win its next match against Denmark. The visitors’ double lead, the result of Parrott’s goal and Kovar’s own goal, was answered by Schick on a penalty kick as early as 27′. In the end of the game the final equalizer by Krejci, before the lottery from the penalty spot that rewarded the hosts. Now on their path is, as mentioned, Denmark, which won by a landslide over North Macedonia: 4-0 the result, with goals from Damsgaard, Norgaard and a brace from Lazio’s Isaksen, all scoring in the second half.
Robert Lewandowski’s Poland also advanced, scoring along with Inter Milan midfielder Piotr Zielinski in the 2-1 comeback win over Albania (leading through Hokha). They will face Sweden on Tuesday, which won 3-1 away over Ukraine. Gyokeres’ hat trick was decisive, Ponomarenko’s goal in the dying minutes was useless.
Turkey, able to beat Romania 1-0, will finally face the fairy tale Kosovo. It was precisely the Balkan selection that managed to impose itself even 4-3 on the field of Slovakia in the most spectacular match of the evening.
