The Azzurri face Bosnia with a spot at the 2026 World Cup on the line.
A place in the 2026 World Cup is at stake in Zenica on Tuesday night, as Italy take on Bosnia & Herzegovina.since 2014, and they overcame what felt like a major hurdle on Thursday by beating Northern Ireland.
Nerves were rife among Italian supporters with scars from past eliminations at the hands of Sweden and North Macedonia still prevalent, but Sandro Tonali’s strike settled the tension in Bergamo. Moise Kean’s subsequent finish established comfort and ensured Italy’s progression. Gennaro Gattuso is now preparing for what he’ll undoubtedly describe as the most significant outing of his managerial career, having been a part of theFIFA’s 71st-ranked Bosnia stand in Italy’s way after it impressively overcame Wales on penalties in their semifinal. Sergej Barbarez’s side mitigated a raucous Cardiff atmosphere and fought back after Dan James’s outstanding opening goal. Bosnia & Herzegovina, too, hasn’t played on soccer’s biggest stage since 2014, and was knocked out in the group stages on their sole appearance in Brazil. A 17-point haul in qualifying made sure of its spot in the playoffs, and now it’s targeting a major upset to reach this summer’s tournament.Moise Kean has been productive for the national team. | Image Photo Agency/Getty Images Tonali’s blast before the hour mark on Thursday helped evolve a rather stodgy Italian display into one of greater assurance. That may well have been the moment the Azzurri desperately needed to rid themselves of the bleak memories of 2018 and 2022. However, they’ll have to prevail in hostile territory to reach the World Cup, with Bosnia hosting. Cameras caught some members of the Italian team celebrating their upcoming opponents’ penalty shootout victory, suggesting that a trip to Zenica was preferred to Cardiff. Those scenes will undoubtedly be thrust into the limelight should things go awry on Tuesday night, with defeat certainly not inconceivable, given Italy’s recent history.: Ranked 13th in FIFA’s world rankings, Italy are, on paper, the best nation yet to have qualified for the World Cup. Bosnia are 71st, even lower than Northern Ireland, who failed to notch a shot on target in Italy’s 2–0 victory on Thursday. This may not be an outstanding Azzurri squad, but there’s a distinct gulf in quality between these two nations.: Bosnia have only ever beaten Italy once, and that victory came in their first meeting back in 1996. They’re winless against the Azzurri in the 21st century, having played five times. Italy edged the most recent duel 1–0 in 2024.: Striker Kean has come of age in Florence over the past couple of years, scoring 19 times in Serie A for La Viola last season. His tally stands at nine for a Fiorentina team that’s slumped this term, but Kean heads into Tuesday’s playoff final with the wind in his sails for the Azzurri. On Thursday, he became the first player since Toto Schillaci at Italia ’90 to score in five consecutive appearances for Italy.Bosnia’s talisman is a 40-year-old Edin Džeko. | FotMob There’s certainly plenty of experience in Bosnia’s ranks, most notably 40-year-old Edin Džeko, who is his nation’s all-time leading scorer. Džeko recently departed Italy in favor of Schalke, who he’s trying to guide back into the Bundesliga. The veteran is the biggest name the Azzurri will encounter on Tuesday night, but they’ll also meet a few familiar faces. Tarik Muharemović and Sead Kolašinac are Serie A regulars for their respective clubs. Barbarez is unlikely to make many changes from the side that bypassed Wales in the semifinal, even though they went the distance. 18-year-old FC Salzburg starlet Kerim Alajbegovic may break into the starting lineup, though.: Vasilj; Dedić, Muharemović, Katić, Kolašinac; Memić, Tahirović, Šunjić, Alajbegović; Demirović, Džeko.There are calls for youngstriker Pio Esposito to come into Gattuso’s starting lineup on Tuesday night, but the Azzurri manager will likely retain his faith in the team he opted for against Northern Ireland. That means Mateo Retegui, who now plies his trade in the Middle East after starring for Atalanta last season, will probably once again partner the in-form Moise Kean. Tonali is set to spearhead an impressive Italian midfield, with the Azzurri also boasting a pair of attacking wingbacks in Federico Dimarco and Matteo Politano.this month through injury, but Riccardo Calafiori, Alessandro Bastoni and Gianluca Mancini came through the semifinal unscathed, having all recently dealt with minor fitness concerns.: Donnarumma; Mancini, Bastoni, Calafiori; Locatelli; Politano, Tonali, Barella, Dimarco; Retegui, Kean.
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