Italy don hammer Northern Ireland 2-0 for one play-off semi-final match wey dem play for Bergamo, as Bosnia-Herzegovina win Wales for penalty shootout after 1-1 draw for Cardiff. Di two matches na part of di World Cup 2026 qualifying play-offs wey UEFA organize, and di winners go face each other for Tuesday final to decide who go enter Group B alongside Canada, Switzerland and Qatar.
For Italy match, Sandro Tonali from Newcastle United break di deadlock for 56th minute with one powerful shot from edge of di area. Moise Kean add second goal for 80th minute wen e cut inside one defender and finish off di post. Northern Ireland, wey dey aim to qualify for World Cup for first time for 40 years, no get any shot on target to trouble goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Michael O'Neill team wey get average age of 22.5 years – di second-youngest since World War Two – put up spirited performance but lack end product for final third. Dem miss three key players: Conor Bradley, Dan Ballard and Ali McCann. Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso rally cry pay off as im team overcome pressure to avoid missing third consecutive World Cup.
For Wales match, Daniel James score for Wales but Edin Dzeko equalize for Bosnia-Herzegovina to end normal time 1-1. After extra time no produce winner, di match go penalty shootout. Karl Darlow save Ermedin Demirovic first penalty for Wales, but Brennan Johnson miss crucial spot kick wey go high and wide.
Neco Williams penalty wey Nikola Vasilj save give Bosnia advantage before 18-year-old Kerim Alajbegovic score winning penalty to send Bosnia to final. Wales manager Craig Bellamy and Bosnia captain Edin Dzeko exchange words during extra time after one incident about ball return from throw-in.
For other play-off matches, Czech Republic come from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with Republic of Ireland before winning 4-3 on penalties. Denmark hammer North Macedonia 4-0, Poland beat Albania 2-1, Slovakia lose 4-3 to Kosovo, Turkey beat Romania 1-0, and Sweden beat Ukraine 3-1.
Italy now dey one game away from first World Cup appearance since 2014 after missing 2018 and 2022 tournaments. Northern Ireland go face Wales for friendly match for Cardiff as dem process di play-off disappointment. Bosnia-Herzegovina dey aim for first World Cup appearance since 2014 as well.
Former Wales midfielder Joe Ledley talk say di penalty loss na “cruel way to exit” but say dem get plenty positives from di campaign. Ed Mackey from The Athletic note say losing penalty shootout wey you get lead inside “must be unbearable” for both Wales and Republic of Ireland.
Di play-off finals go hold for Tuesday with Italy vs Bosnia-Herzegovina, Czech Republic vs Denmark, Poland vs Turkey, and Sweden vs Kosovo. Di winners go complete di 48-team lineup for World Cup 2026 wey go hold for Canada, Mexico and United States.
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