“The World Cup curse:” Italy sheds tears after missing out again

ROME (Agencies): Italy woke up angry and disillusioned on Wednesday after the national team missed out on the World Cup for the third time in a row by losing a playoff to Bosnia, prolonging a sporting nightmare for the football-mad country. “The World Cup curse,” said the front page of Italy’s main daily Corriere della Sera, calling for rebuilding in a country that has produced some of the game’s greatest players but has won only one match at the finals since lifting the trophy for the fourth time in 2006. Headlines in La Gazzetta dello Sport and Corriere dello Sport, the country`s two main sports newspapers, both said “We`re all staying at home,” in reference to another summer without a World Cup. Italy suffered a 4-1 defeat in the shootout in Zenica after their play-off final finished 1-1, while Turkey, the Czech Republic and Sweden all secured their places at the finals. “I don`t think the boys deserved to suffer such a blow,” said Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso. “It`s difficult to digest. Gattuso knew he had a tough job on his hands when he was appointed in June, asked to replace Luciano Spalletti and take Italy to the World Cup with automatic qualification looking near-impossible after a 3-0 hammering at the hands of Norway.

One of the heroes of Italy’s 2006 World Cup triumph, Gattuso remained vague on his future as coach even as Gabriele Gravina, the head of Italy`s football federation (FIGC), asked him to stay beyond the end of his current contract which expires this summer. Bosnia won at the end of extra time, with Sandro Tonali the only Italy player to score from the spot as Francesco Pio Esposito blazed their first penalty over and Bryan Cristante smashed his kick against the crossbar. Moise Kean had given Gennaro Gattuso`s Italy the lead on 15 minutes,but they were reduced to 10 men when Alessandro Bastoni was shown a straight red card late in the first half. Bosnia equalised on 79 minutes through Haris Tabakovic, and with no further goals in extra time the tie was decided on penalties. The Azzurri last qualified for the World Cup finals in 2014, where Bosnia made their only previous appearance at the tournament. The Balkan team will play in Group `B` this year with co-hosts Canada, Qatar and Switzerland.

NATIONAL OUTRAGE:

The defeat sparked outrage across the country as Italy`s Sport Minister Andrea Abodi said on Wednesday that Gravina should step down “It`s clear that Italian football needs to be rebuilt from the ground up and that starts with changes at the top of the FIGC,” Abodi said in a statement. Gravina has been in charge of the FIGC since late 2018, when he was elected to be the permanent replacement for Carlo Tavecchio. A FIGC source confirmed to AFP that Gravina would hold a meeting on Thursday afternoon with the heads of Italy’s three professional divisions, and both the players and referees` associations. Some fans made their feelings known about Gravina and the FIGC by chucking eggs at the governing body`s headquarters in Rome. “It is an unacceptable disgrace. Italian football needs a complete overhaul, starting with the resignation of Gabriele Gravina,” the League Party, a member of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni`s coalition, wrote on Instagram.

INDESCRIBABLE:

On the flip-side, Bosnian football fans partied in towns and cities around the country until early dawn as the Balkan qualified for just their second World Cup. Scenes of jubilation erupted as the Bosnians beat the four-time world champions at the stadium in the Bosnian city. As Esmir Bajraktarevic netted the winning spot kick, celebrations kicked off in the stands and around the country. “The match was tense until the last second, but we knew in our hearts that we would win,” Teo Laic, 19, said shortly after the game from a watch party nearby. He was among thousands who packed live viewing sessions around the country, after tickets to the game with a stadium capacity of just 18,000 sold out in minutes. “An indescribable atmosphere. I came to experience this, I knew we would win,” said Velida Garanovic, standing among a triumphant crowd, while wrapped in the country`s blue and yellow flag.

KOSOVO DREAM OVER:

Meanwhile, Turkey qualified as Kerem Akturkoglu’s 53rd-minute goal secured a 1-0 win in Kosovo, shattering their hosts’ dream of appearing at the tournament for the first time. It will be Turkey’s first appearance at a World Cup since reaching the semifinals in 2002. Vincenzo Montella`s team will go into Group D along with co-hosts the United States, Paraguay and Australia. Montella`s side are ranked 22nd in the world but this will only be Turkey`s third ever appearance at the World Cup -they went to the 1954 tournament before coming third 24 years ago in South Korea and Japan. “We achieved our dreams. The World Cup is the pinnacle in this profession, Montella told UEFA.com. Kosovo, ranked 78th, were targeting a first ever World Cup appearance, havingonly been accepted as FIFA members a decade ago.

GYOKERES HEROICS, DANES DENIED:

Sweden recovered from a desperate performance in the group stage of qualifying to secure their place at the finals in dramatic fashion. Having beaten Ukraine 3-1 in last week`s semi-final, they edged Poland 3-2 in Stockholm, with Arsenal`s Viktor Gyokeres scoring an 88th-minute winner. Earlier, Sweden had twice taken the lead only to be pegged back, with Anthony Elanga`s opener on 20 minutes cancelled out by Nicola Zalewski, only for Gustaf Lagerbielke to put the hosts back in front before half-time. Karol Swiderski got Poland`s second early in the second half, but Gyokeres forced the ball over the line after a frantic goalmouth scramble late on. Coached by Englishman Graham Potter, Sweden will go into Group `F` at the World Cup along with the Netherlands, Japan and Tunisia. Elsewhere, the Czech Republic matched Bosnia`s achievement by qualifying thanks to back-to-back shoot-out victories, as they followed their success against Ireland last week by defeating Denmark 3-1 on penalties in Prague. The match finished 2-2 after extra time, with Pavel Sule firing the hosts ahead only for Joachim Andersen to head the Danes level. Ladislav Krejci then put the Czechs back in front in extra time, but Kasper Hogh made it 2-2. However, Denmark converted just one of their four penalties, with Rasmus Hojlund, Anders Dreyer and Mathias Jensen all failing from the spot as the Czechs qualify for a first World Cup since 2006. They go into Group A with South Africa, South Korea and Mexico.