ZENICA: Italy suffered yet another World Cup disaster after losing 4-1 in a shootout to Bosnia and Herzegovina after a 1-1 extra=time draw in Zenica.

To compound the pain, the Azzurri had taken a 15^th-minute lead through Moise Kean but conceded a second-half equaliser only after being reduced to 10 men by the 42^nd-minute expulsion of defender Alessandro Bastoni.

Bosnia levelled 11 minutes from time through Haris Tabakovic and both Pio Esposito and Bryan Cristante missed their penalties while the hosts ​made no mistake from the spot to repeat their semi-final shootout win over Wales.

This will be third successive finals absence for the four-times champions who

lost out at the playoff stage in the previous two ‌World Cups. Ironically their last qualification in 2014 coincided with Bosnia’s only previous appearance. Since lifting the trophy in 2006, Italy have won only one game at the finals.

Bosnia will play in Group B at the World Cup, joining co-hosts Canada, Qatar and Switzerland.

Bosnia had suffered plenty ​of playoff heartbreak themselves, missing out on the 2010 World Cup and the last four European Championships, but they came from behind on ​Tuesday and their keeper did not need to make a save when the shootout came around.

World Cup qualification was once a mere formality for Italy — their only previous absence before this barren spell came in 1958 — but they are now the only tournament winners to miss out on three successive finals.

“Italian children will see another World Cup without Italy,” tearful winger Leonardo ​Spinazzola told RAI.

“I still can’t believe that we went out like this, after playing with 10 men. With grit, we took it to penalties, we could ​have scored three or four goals and it’s really a great disappointment for everyone.”

The expected cagey affair never materialised, with a frantic start and the pace rarely letting up ‌in an ⁠enthralling game in Zenica.

A poor attempted pass out from Bosnia keeper Nikola Vasilj allowed Italy to take the lead.

The wayward ball fell to Nicolo Barella and he laid it off to Kean who met the pass with a splendid first-time shot from outside the area which sailed into the top corner for his eighth goal in his last six games for Italy.

Bosnia came surging forward, with Gianluigi Donnarumma stretching to parry away a powerful effort from Ivan Basic and the keeper then saved ​Nikola Katic’s header.

Italy went down ​to 10 men in the 42nd ⁠minute with Bastoni punished for a late last-man tackle as Amir Memic raced towards goal and Bosnia continued to create plenty of chances.

Donnarumma got down well to palm away Benjamin Tahirovic’s shot but was eventually beaten when Tabakovic, who ​had been on the pitch for seven minutes, pounced to net a rebound after the keeper had kept out ​Edin Dzeko’s header.

Italy coach ⁠Gennaro Gattuso prowled the sidelines throughout it all, looking for all the world like a man with the weight of a nation’s hopes and expectations on his shoulders.

Dzeko was injured right at the end, holding an ice-pack to his shoulder before the coin toss ahead of the shootout, but Bosnia had no need for their ⁠40-year-old all-time ​top scorer. Esposito blasted Italy’s first penalty over and, after Cristante sent his spot kick crashing off ​the crossbar, Esmir Bajraktarevic completed Bosnia’s perfect penalty strike rate.

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