{"id":15652,"date":"2026-04-01T09:28:01","date_gmt":"2026-04-01T06:28:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/news\/?p=15652"},"modified":"2026-04-01T09:28:02","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T06:28:02","slug":"italy-crash-out-as-bosnia-seal-historic-world-cup-qualification","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/news\/football-news\/italy-crash-out-as-bosnia-seal-historic-world-cup-qualification\/","title":{"rendered":"Italy Crash Out as Bosnia Seal Historic World Cup Qualification"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Italy\u2019s nightmare on the international stage continued as they failed to qualify for the FIFA World Cup for a third consecutive time. A 1-1 draw against Bosnia & Herzegovina at the intimidating Bilino Polje Stadium forced extra time and penalties, where the hosts emerged victorious in dramatic fashion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Bosnia, this was more than just a win\u2014it marked a long-awaited return to the World Cup after 12 years, sparking wild celebrations across Zenica and beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First Half: Italy Strikes First, But Trouble Looms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The match began with Bosnia showing early intent. Ermedin Demirovi\u0107 tested Gianluigi Donnarumma, setting the tone for a high-pressure encounter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, a costly mistake from goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj handed Italy the advantage. Nicol\u00f2 Barella intercepted the loose ball and set up Moise Kean, who curled home a clinical finish to give Italy the lead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite going behind, Bosnia responded strongly. Ivan Ba\u0161i\u0107 and Nikola Kati\u0107 both came close, while Demirovi\u0107 continued to trouble the Italian defense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Italy\u2019s situation worsened just before halftime when Alessandro Bastoni was sent off for a last-man challenge. That red card shifted momentum completely in Bosnia\u2019s favor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Italy
Photo courtesy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Second Half: Bosnia Turn Up the Pressure<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With a numerical advantage, Bosnia dominated possession and piled on relentless pressure. Donnarumma was forced into multiple saves, keeping Italy in the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Italy had a golden chance to double their lead when Kean broke through one-on-one, but he failed to convert\u2014an opportunity that would prove costly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bosnia\u2019s persistence paid off in the final stages. After sustained pressure and a series of close calls, Haris Tabakovi\u0107 bundled the ball into the net to level the score, sending the home crowd into a frenzy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Extra Time: Tension and Controversy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Extra time was cagey, with both teams cautious yet desperate. A controversial moment saw Italy denied a potential red card decision after Marco Palestra was brought down on the edge of the box.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chances were few, though Bosnia continued to look the more threatening side. Benjamin Tahirovi\u0107 came closest with a low effort that narrowly missed the target.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With neither side able to find a winner, the match headed to penalties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Italy
Photo courtesy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Penalty Shootout: Bosnia Hold Their Nerve<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In front of a roaring home crowd, Bosnia showed composure from the spot. Italy, on the other hand, faltered under pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sebastiano Esposito missed Italy\u2019s opening penalty, setting a nervous tone. Bryan Cristante then struck the crossbar, leaving Bosnia firmly in control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Esmir Bajraktarevi\u0107 stepped up and calmly converted the decisive penalty, sending Bosnia to the World Cup and Italy crashing out once again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key Talking Points<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1. Italy\u2019s Historic Collapse<\/strong>
<\/strong>Missing three consecutive World Cups is unprecedented for a nation with Italy\u2019s pedigree. Questions will now be raised about leadership, squad depth, and long-term planning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Bosnia\u2019s Resilience<\/strong>
<\/strong>Bosnia showed grit, determination, and belief. Their performance\u2014especially after going behind\u2014highlighted a team ready for the global stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Donnarumma\u2019s Heroics Not Enough<\/strong>
<\/strong>Despite several world-class saves, Donnarumma could not prevent the inevitable as Bosnia\u2019s pressure finally broke through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Italy
Photo courtesy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Bet Smart with Bangbet<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Looking to take advantage of thrilling football action like this? Bangbet<\/strong><\/a> offers competitive odds, exciting markets, and a seamless betting experience tailored for Kenyan players.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From World Cup qualifiers to international friendlies and major tournaments, you can place your bets with confidence and enjoy fast payouts via mobile money options like M-Pesa. Whether you\u2019re backing underdogs like Bosnia or giants like Italy, Bangbet<\/a> gives you the edge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion: A New Chapter for Bosnia, More Questions for Italy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This result will go down as one of the most shocking moments in modern football. Bosnia & Herzegovina rises again, while Italy is left to reflect on yet another missed opportunity on the world stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the road to the 2026 World Cup continues, one thing is certain\u2014football remains as unpredictable as ever.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Italy\u2019s nightmare on the international stage continued as they failed to qualify for the FIFA World Cup for a third consecutive time. A 1-1 draw against Bosnia & Herzegovina at the intimidating Bilino Polje Stadium forced extra time and penalties, where the hosts emerged victorious in dramatic fashion. For Bosnia, this was more than just […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":15657,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4563,35],"tags":[377,5150,5148,5147,743,5149,5146,5145,5151],"class_list":{"0":"post-15652","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-football","8":"category-football-news","9":"tag-bangbet-kenya","10":"tag-bilino-polje-match-report","11":"tag-bosnia-penalty-shootout-win","12":"tag-bosnia-world-cup-qualification-2026","13":"tag-football-news-kenya","14":"tag-italy-eliminated-world-cup","15":"tag-italy-vs-bosnia","16":"tag-italy-world-cup-failure","17":"tag-world-cup-playoffs-europe"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15652","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15652"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15652\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15658,"href":"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15652\/revisions\/15658"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15657"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15652"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15652"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15652"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}