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Italy to miss third straight FIFA World Cup after shootout loss vs Bosnia | FIFA World Cup 2022

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One of soccer’s historic powers has reached a once-unfathomable low. Four-time champion Italy failed to qualify for a third straight World Cup after getting beat in a penalty shootout with 10 men at 66th-ranked Bosnia and Herzegovina in the European playoffs on Tuesday.


Moise Kean scored early on for Italy but then Azzurri center back Alessandro Bastoni was sent off with a direct red card before the break and Bosnia substitute Haris Tabakovic equalized in the 79th to send the game into extra time at 1-1.


The defeat added more misery for Italy’s once-proud national team after being eliminated by Sweden and North Macedonia, respectively, in the qualifying playoffs for the last two World Cups.

 

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“It’s too easy to say what’s working and what’s not working,” Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso said. “The fact is that Italy has failed to qualify for three World Cups. We’re having a tough time achieving our goals, both with the national team and with our clubs.” 
Bosnia won the shootout 4-1 and qualified for the first time since 2014 – its only previous appearance.


In the shootout, Pio Esposito and Bryan Cristante missed their spot kicks and U.S.-born Esmir Bajraktarevic converted the decisive penalty for Bosnia.


“We still don’t believe it – that we’re out and that it happened in this manner,” Italy defender Leonardo Spinazzola said. “It’s upsetting for everyone. For us, for our families, and for all the kids who have never seen Italy at a World Cup.” 
In Tuesday’s other European playoff finals, Sweden, Turkey and the Czech Republic each qualified. Sweden beat Poland 3-2; Turkey beat Kosovo 1-0; and the Czechs beat Denmark in a shootout.


Italy’s latest ouster means that the 1934, 1938, 1982 and 2006 champions will go at least 16 years without even playing a match at soccer’s biggest event.

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Italy’s World Cup struggles go back all the way to 2010 and 2014, having failed to advance from its group on both occasions. Although the Azzurri did win the European Championship in 2021.


Italy’s last World Cup knockout match was when it won the title in 2006 by beating France in a penalty shootout.


“We realize we’re in a huge crisis,” Italian soccer federation president Gabriele Gravina said.


The only other World Cup that Italy did not qualify for was in 1958.

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Lost generationAn entire generation – basically anyone under 15 – has no memory of the last time Italy played in the World Cup: An elimination loss to Uruguay in 2014 in Brazil remembered for Luis Suarez’s bite of Giorgio Chiellini’s shoulder.


None of Italy’s current players have participated in a World Cup finals.


The defeat will raise questions about the status of Gattuso, who took over from the fired Luciano Spalletti in June with the squad already in crisis mode following a defeat at Norway in its opening qualifier.


The Azzurri then went on a six-match winning streak before losing again to Norway in November to finish second in their group and end up in the playoffs again.

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Gattuso’s Italy overcame a nervy scoreless first half to beat Northern Ireland 2-0 at home in last week’s playoff semifinals. But the Azzurri struggled even more against Bosnia inside the intimate but imposing 14,000-seat Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica, which is surrounded by apartment towers overlooking the field.


“I want to personally apologize since we didn’t make it,” Gattuso said. “Today talking about my future is not important. Today it was important to get to the World Cup.” 
Gyokeres the savior 
Viktor Gyokeres has sent Sweden back to the World Cup.


The Arsenal striker scored in the 88th minute to earn the Swedes a 3-2 win over Poland, five days after netting a hat trick in the playoff semifinal victory over Ukraine.


Poland great Robert Lewandowski, at age 37, was hoping to qualify for what would likely have been his final World Cup.

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Former Chelsea and West Ham coach Graham Potter was hired by Sweden last year – initially on a short-term deal – with one goal: to get the team to the World Cup. He has succeeded.


Sweden reached the quarterfinals in its last World Cup appearance, in 2018.


No dream debut for Kosovo 
Turkey will be in the United States’ group at the World Cup after winning 1-0 at Kosovo to reach soccer’s biggest stage for the first time since 2002.


The hosts were hoping to qualify for the World Cup for the first time, fewer than 10 years since the national team was out of the international soccer family.

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It was in May 2016 that Kosovo and Gibraltar were voted into FIFA as its 210th and 211th member federations. That was eight years after Kosovo declared independence from Serbia.


Kosovo had the best chance of an entertaining first half but Turkey goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir pulled off a superb one-handed save to push Fisnik Asllani’s strike onto the crossbar.


Turkey got the breakthrough eight minutes into the second half. Kerem Akturkoglu got finest of touches to ensure Orkun Kokcu’s cross-shot went into the far bottom corner.


Long wait ended 
The Czech Republic reached its first World Cup since 2006 with a penalty shootout victory over Denmark following a 2-2 draw.

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Michal Sadilek converted the winning spotkick in the 3-1 penalty shootout success. It was the Czech Republic’s second straight victory on penalties after also prevailing on spotkicks against Ireland in the semifinal.

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Jos Buttler Says Vaibhav Sooryavanshi “Best Player I’ve Ever Seen”. 15-Year-Old Reacts

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Gujarat Titans (GT) wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler has backed young batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to dominate the sport for the next decade, stating that “the world would be at his feet.” In a freewheeling chat with Sooryavanshi and Rajasthan Royals (RR) team manager Romy Bhinder, Buttler expressed his awe for the 15-year-old prodigy. Buttler also recalled Sooryavanshi’s record-breaking 175 off 80 balls in the U19 World Cup final, noting that the youngster “broke English hearts” with his spectacular knock in Harare.

“I said don’t get him too excited. I said the best player I’ve ever seen. Imagine when he is 21 or 25, world at his feet. So good to watch. You broke English hearts in the U19 World Cup. It’s awesome,” said Buttler in a video shared by RR.

Sooryavanshi was seen smiling as Buttler praised him, and the two shared a warm handshake.

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The former RR player urged Sooryavanshi to keep up the hard work.

“Playing so well, great to watch, keep it up. That freedom is so good to watch,” he added.

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During the chat, RR manager revealed that Sooryavanshi once expressed his wish to win trophies like Buttler.

Sooryavanshi, the youngest centurion in IPL history, started the new season with a 17-ball 52 against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in a winning cause.

Buttler, on the other hand, made a scratchy 33-ball 38 during the campaign opener against Punjab Kings.

He will be eyeing a return to his dominant best against RR, his former franchise.

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Last season, Buttler made 538 runs in 13 innings in his debut with GT after a long run with RR from 2018-24. These runs came at an average of 59.77 and a strike rate of over 163, with five fifties. In 122 IPL matches and 120 innings, he has made 4,158 runs at an average of 39.98 and a strike rate of almost 149, with seven tons and 24 fifties and a best score of 124.

(With ANI Inputs)

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Kai Rooney and Man United team-mates respond to new deal announcement for starlet

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The Manchester United youngster was among several to send their messages of support after a new deal was announced for Jaydan Kamason

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Kai Rooney was among the Manchester United starlets to send their messages of support to youngster Jaydan Kamason after he signed a new contract until the summer of 2028, with the option of a further year. Last season, the full-back was part of a strong Under-18 squad and was included on the bench under Ruben Amorim in both the home and away matches of the Europa League quarter-final and semi-final.

The 19-year-old has missed parts of the current campaign through injury, but has still managed 15 appearances for the Under-21s. United signed Kamason from grassroots outfit Stockport Vikings for the Emerging Talent Programme (ETP) aged 10 and became the first player from that scheme to put pen to paper on a professional deal with the club.

After signing a new deal, Kamson took to social media and said: “Proud moment for me and family to sign a new long-term contract at this special club. We thank God and keep pushing. More to come, just a matter of timing.”

Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our United WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our United Facebook page by clicking HERE and don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.

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Several Manchester United youth stars were quick to off their support, with Kai Rooney attaching a video of a man applauding.

Jack Fletcher responded with a fire emoji, while his brother Tyler Fletcher sent a red loveheart emoji. Fellow United prospect Chido Obi commented with a laughing and flames emoji.

Jacob Devaney and Habeeb Ogunneye both commented: “Congrats bro [loveheart emoji].”

Fomer Man United youngster Joe Hugill commented: “Nice u [applauding emoji].”

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U21s head coach Adam Lawrence heaped praise on Kamason after his goal against Arsenal in the FA Youth Cup last season. He said: “Jaydan has been in real good form of late, so he’s in that position where he’s put in some real strong and consistent performances, as you’d expect from a second year U18 player here.

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“He’s in a real good space. He’s such a fantastic kid, he’s got real good athleticism and he likes to get forward on the outside. And listen, he’ll be watching that goal back for a while.

“He’s always been a full-back that has liked to get forward and he can wear people down, he’s wiry, he’s very athletic and can get on top of people and really impact the game in the final third.

“We’re really excited about him and think that he has real big potential, but he’s a humble kid and he’ll know he needs to get better and that he’s got things to work on.”

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“I was really hurt” – Stefanos Tsitsipas extends drama with ex-coach Goran Ivanisevic after brutal criticism

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Stefanos Tsitsipas recently reacted to the brutal criticism that has been meted out to him by his ex-coach Goran Ivanisevic. Responding to the Croatian, the World No.49 stated that he had been ‘really hurt’ by his comments.

Tsitsipas and Ivanisevic began working together in May 2025, after the Greek star fired his father. However, their partnership was short lived and they parted ways only two months later after a series of uninspiring results. After their split, Ivanisevic publicly criticised Tsitsipas, telling SportKlub

“He has to find a solution for his back issue. I was shocked. I’ve never seen such a poorly prepared player in my life. Me, at my age and with this bad knee, I’m three times in better shape than him.”

More recently, Ivanisevic doubled down on his criticisms about Stefanos Tsitsipas. Reacting to the Croatian’s harsh words, the former World No.3 told The Times,

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“If it was a way of him pushing me into working harder and getting my s— together, it was definitely not the right tactic. I was really hurt. I never expected that a coach could do that to me, and the worst thing is what he said was not true. I was not fit because I had been injured. I hadn’t been practising properly for over two weeks. It was like he kicked me when I was already down.”

Since parting ways with Goran Ivanisevic, Tsitsipas has paired up with his father Apostolos once again.

Stefanos Tsitsipas set to begin Monte-Carlo Masters campaign against Francisco Cerundolo

Tsitsipas at the <a href='https://www.sportskeeda.com/go/miami-open-wta' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer'>Miami Open</a> (Image Source: Getty)Tsitsipas at the <a href='https://www.sportskeeda.com/go/miami-open-wta' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer'>Miami Open</a> (Image Source: Getty)
Tsitsipas at the Miami Open (Image Source: Getty)

Stefanos Tsitsipas spent the latter half of his 2025 season on the bench as he struggled with a back injury. The Greek star returned to action earlier this year with the Adelaide International, but he has failed to string together consistent wins.

His best result this season has been a quarterfinals finish he accomplished at the Qatar Open. Except for that impressive outing in Doha and a round of 32 appearance at the Miami Open, the 27-year-old has failed to move past the second round in any tournament, including the Australian Open and Indian Wells.

Now, Stefanos Tsitsipas is scheduled to kick off his clay season at the Monte-Carlo Masters. The event takes place between April 5 and April 13 at the Monte-Carlo Country Club and promises some exciting tennis action. Tsitsipas will begin his campaign at the ATP 1000 event against 16th seed Francisco Cerundolo.