Czechia 2-2 Denmark – Czechia win 3-1 on penalties
Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-1 Italy – Bosnia win 4-1 on penalties
Kosovo 0-1 Turkey
Sweden 3-2 Poland
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ITALY WILL MISS out on a third straight World Cup after falling to Bosnia and Hercegovina in a breathless European play-off final, the Azzurri blowing their chance to reach this summer’s tournament in North America with a 4-1 penalty shootout defeat.
Esmir Bajraktarevic shot the winning spot-kick in Zenica where the Bosnians booked a place in Group B and matches against co-hosts Canada, Switzerland and Qatar and plunged Italy into a new nightmare.
Four-time world champions, Italy took the lead through Moise Kean in the 15th minute but then folded under the weight of expectation in Zenica after having to play more than half the match with 10 men.
Italy were already firmly on the back foot when Alessandro Bastoni was sent off for chopping down Amar Memic four minutes before half-time, and Haris Tabakovic poked home Bosnia’s deserved leveller in the 79th minute to take the match to extra time.
And Italy’s World Cup horror show continued in the subsequent shoot-out, with Pio Esposito smashing their first penalty over the bar, and when Bryan Cristante hit the bar and Bajraktarevic squeezed his effort under Gianluigi Donnarumma, the game was up.
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Italy are the first World Cup winners to miss out on three consecutives editions of the tournament, which this year will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Bosnia meanwhile reached their second World Cup finals, and first since 2014, in front of a passionate crowd who were sent delirious by Bajraktarevic’s decisive penalty.
Meanwhile, Viktor Gyokeres sent Sweden through as he netted a dramatic late winner to hand his country a 3-2 win over Poland.
With the match locked at two-apiece, the Arsenal striker forced the ball over the line after a frantic goalmouth scramble with just two minutes remaining to qualify Sweden for the finals. They join the Netherlands, Japan and Tunisia in Group F.
Viktor Gyokeres celebrates. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Earlier, Anthony Elanga and Gustaf Lagerbielke had twice given Sweden the lead before Nicola Zalewski and Karol Swiderski hit back for Poland.
After missing out on the last edition in 2022, it is a return to football’s global showpiece tournament for Graham Potter’s side after eight years away.
After a disastrous qualifying campaign, Sweden qualified for the play-offs thanks to topping Group C1 in the Nations League.
For Poland, it was the first time they have failed to reach a World Cup finals since 2014.
And Turkey qualified after Kerem Akturkoglu’s goal secured a 1-0 win away to Kosovo,shattering their hosts’ dream of appearing at the tournament for the first time.
Akturkoglu diverted Orkun Kokcu’s shot into the net in the 53rd minute in Pristina for the only goal of the game, ensuring Turkey will go to their first World Cup since reaching the semi-finals in 2002.
Their players, including captain Hakan Calhanoglu of Inter Milan, Real Madrid’s Arda Guler and Kenan Yildiz of Juventus, waved giant Turkish flags as they went across to celebrate at full-time in front of the travelling support.
Vincenzo Montella’s team will go into Group D at the World Cup, along with co-hosts the United States, Paraguay and Australia. They will begin their campaign against Australia in Vancouver on 13 June.
You can read about Czechia’s win over Denmark here, as Ireland’s conquerors march on.
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Play-off round-up: Italy to miss third straight World Cup as Bosnia spot on
2027 World Cup European play-off results
****
ITALY WILL MISS out on a third straight World Cup after falling to Bosnia and Hercegovina in a breathless European play-off final, the Azzurri blowing their chance to reach this summer’s tournament in North America with a 4-1 penalty shootout defeat.
Esmir Bajraktarevic shot the winning spot-kick in Zenica where the Bosnians booked a place in Group B and matches against co-hosts Canada, Switzerland and Qatar and plunged Italy into a new nightmare.
Four-time world champions, Italy took the lead through Moise Kean in the 15th minute but then folded under the weight of expectation in Zenica after having to play more than half the match with 10 men.
Italy were already firmly on the back foot when Alessandro Bastoni was sent off for chopping down Amar Memic four minutes before half-time, and Haris Tabakovic poked home Bosnia’s deserved leveller in the 79th minute to take the match to extra time.
And Italy’s World Cup horror show continued in the subsequent shoot-out, with Pio Esposito smashing their first penalty over the bar, and when Bryan Cristante hit the bar and Bajraktarevic squeezed his effort under Gianluigi Donnarumma, the game was up.
Italy are the first World Cup winners to miss out on three consecutives editions of the tournament, which this year will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Bosnia meanwhile reached their second World Cup finals, and first since 2014, in front of a passionate crowd who were sent delirious by Bajraktarevic’s decisive penalty.
Meanwhile, Viktor Gyokeres sent Sweden through as he netted a dramatic late winner to hand his country a 3-2 win over Poland.
With the match locked at two-apiece, the Arsenal striker forced the ball over the line after a frantic goalmouth scramble with just two minutes remaining to qualify Sweden for the finals. They join the Netherlands, Japan and Tunisia in Group F.
Earlier, Anthony Elanga and Gustaf Lagerbielke had twice given Sweden the lead before Nicola Zalewski and Karol Swiderski hit back for Poland.
After missing out on the last edition in 2022, it is a return to football’s global showpiece tournament for Graham Potter’s side after eight years away.
After a disastrous qualifying campaign, Sweden qualified for the play-offs thanks to topping Group C1 in the Nations League.
For Poland, it was the first time they have failed to reach a World Cup finals since 2014.
And Turkey qualified after Kerem Akturkoglu’s goal secured a 1-0 win away to Kosovo, shattering their hosts’ dream of appearing at the tournament for the first time.
Akturkoglu diverted Orkun Kokcu’s shot into the net in the 53rd minute in Pristina for the only goal of the game, ensuring Turkey will go to their first World Cup since reaching the semi-finals in 2002.
Their players, including captain Hakan Calhanoglu of Inter Milan, Real Madrid’s Arda Guler and Kenan Yildiz of Juventus, waved giant Turkish flags as they went across to celebrate at full-time in front of the travelling support.
Vincenzo Montella’s team will go into Group D at the World Cup, along with co-hosts the United States, Paraguay and Australia. They will begin their campaign against Australia in Vancouver on 13 June.
You can read about Czechia’s win over Denmark here, as Ireland’s conquerors march on.
– © AFP 2026
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