Thunderbolt in Palermo.
A goal from North Macedonia in added time eliminated Italy (1-0) and canceled the long-awaited play-off final against Portugal, which ruled them against Turkey (3-1) on Thursday.
Wales also qualified thanks to a double from Gareth Bale against Austria (2-1) and will play in June against the winner of Scotland-Ukraine, a match postponed due to the war.
Finally Sweden's victory in extra time against the Czech Republic (1-0 ap) promises a sumptuous duel between Zlatan Ibrahimovic, suspended Thursday, and Robert Lewandowski for the third play-off final.
Poland of "Lewa" was automatically qualified after the sidelining of Russia for the invasion of Ukraine.
cursed italian generation
But the most incredible news came from Italy.
The quadruple world champion, reigning European champion, will miss the World Cup for the second time in a row, which had never happened to him.
Already beaten four years ago by Sweden (1-0/0-0), the “Nazionale” still failed in the play-offs.
The children of Italy will live twelve years without a World Cup.
No Qatar, therefore, but quite a crossing of the desert for a whole generation of players who will have known only failures in the World Cups, since all the heroes of the last world title (in 2006) have not been there for a long time, with the exception of Gianluigi Buffon, retired international.
The World Cup thus came down to two eliminations in the 1st round (2010 and 2014) for the former Bonucci (34 years old) and Chiellini (37 years old) and one elimination in the 1st round for Verratti (29 years old), Insigne (30 years old ) or Immobile (32), so many players who may be too old for the next one in 2026.
The Executioner Trajkovski
Tense, carrying the ball too much like the Parisian Marco Verratti, Roberto Mancini's men have never found the fluid game that put them on the roof of Europe last summer.
Domenico Berardi spoiled a lot, even a gift from Macedonian goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski (30th), Giacomo Raspadori hit the bar (78th), and Aleksandar Trajkovski punished them.
His goal is superb, a chest-oriented control and a cross shot to deceive Gianluigi Donnarumma, who had a nightmarish month of March, starting with Karim Benzema's three goals at Real Madrid with Paris SG.
In the sporting history of North Macedonia, the miracle of Palermo joins the "miracle of Duisburg", the victory in Germany (2-1), which had contributed to taking them to this dam.
To compete in a second major competition, after Euro-2020, the Macedonians must beat another former European champion, Portugal.
Gareth Bale present
Portugal got scared against Turkey, especially when Lille's Burak Yilmaz shot the penalty kick for the equalizer at 2-2 (85th).
The Seleçao had been leading since goals from Otavio (15th) then Diogo Jota (42nd), but Yilmaz (65th) had revived Turkey.
At the very end of the game, Matheus Nunes secured the victory.
Cristiano Ronaldo is still on his way to joining the players who have played in five World Cups.
He did not score but participated in the goals of his team.
Wales relied on their star, Gareth Bale, captain and legend who sent his team to the final with two magnificent goals, a direct free kick in the top corner (25th) and a pivoting cross shot in the box ( 51st).
Marcel Sabitzer only reduced the score (65th).
Thanks to their leader, the Dragons are still in the race for their second World Cup, after 1958. They will have to wait until June to find out if they face Scotland or Ukraine.
In Solna, in a tense match, a superb exchange between Aleksander Isak and Robin Quaison resulted in the goal of the second (110th), ten minutes from the end of extra time.
Sport
Italy
World Cup 2022
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