JON SHALLARD REPORTS: Shattered Italy will not be at the World Cup for a historic second successive time after losing their European qualifying playoff semi-final 1-0 at home in Palermo to North Macedonia.
For the Azzurri this was an even more cataclysmic blow than losing in the 2018 playoffs to Sweden. Only nine months ago they had been celebrating victory in the European Championship finals.
Manager Roberto Mancini has warned his team beforehand than Macedonia would be no pushovers after winning away to Germany in their qualifying group. Clearly, no-one took him seriously enough.
The hosts dominated much of the match only to be hit by a sucker-punch stoppage-time goal from Aleksandar Trajkovski who plays his football in Saudi Arabia with Al-Fayha.
His team’s reward is a play-off final in Portugal on Tuesday and a chance to qualify for the World Cup finals for the first time in their history.
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