Italy will miss the World Cup for the second time in a row after Italy were stunned by a counterattack goal in a World Cup qualifier in Palermo. Another World Cup agony for Italy after Aleksandar Trajkovski’s goal stopped the European Champions Italy to qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar. Italy conceded goals at the end of the playoffs to seal their fate. The defeat knocked Italy out of the European play-offs, just like the loss to Sweden four years ago.
Italy broke England’s hearts last July by winning the European Championship final, but after failing to qualify for the World Cup for the second time in a row, fans thought their Wembley triumph was nothing. The Italian team lost to Spain in the 2012 European final and won the 2020 European Championship but missed out on two World Cups, only the third time they have failed to qualify since 1958 and imagine another World Cup without them.
Roberto Mancini’s Italian team scored a total of 32 shots during Thursday’s play-off semi-final. Still, it somehow failed. Lower-ranked North Macedonia will play Portugal for a place in Qatar next Tuesday. Still, whatever happens in this play-off final, the team will never forget their trip to defeat Italy’s might in Palermo. On Thursday, Italy missed dozens of chances in their 1-0 play-off semi-final against North Macedonia. Aleksandar Trajkovski scored in injury time to secure a shocking win for the 67th ranked nation.
The visitors’ decisive blow incredibly sent North Macedonia to the World Cup play-off final at the expense of European champions Italy in one of the biggest qualifying shocks of any heat. As Italy was upset for 90 minutes by North Macedonia’s heroic defensive play, Alexander Trajkovski, a former Palermo player, scored the only goal in the World Cup qualifier in the second minute of injury time,
However, after trying to find an attack for the match, North Macedonia shocked the Italian fans and the football world at large in the second stoppage time with a goal that put them 1–0 ahead and eventually gave them the victory. After 30 minutes of dominance without a severe threat to the doors of North Macedonia, Italy had an excellent opportunity to take the lead. Italy, as expected, dominated the game but, as they had in the last few games, struggled to beat a determined visiting team. When opportunities presented themselves, they weren’t patient enough to take advantage of them.
Missing out on the FIFA World Cup for the second consecutive time, where do you think the football in Italy will go? The National team appointed Mancini as their new manager, who helped them win the EURO Cup but failed to qualify for the World Cup. Will we witness a change in the managerial role again?