Nobody believed it and instead the unthinkable happened, Italy , champion of Europe, will not play the World Cup for the second consecutive time. At home, in Palermo, the Azzurri lost to North Macedonia, a defeat that came in recovery with a shot from outside the area by Trajkovski. Portugal was already thinking of for the playoff final but here is the unthinkable: Macedonia beats us and we are out of the World Cup.
Italy out of the World Cup, a defeat beyond belief
Italy plays, plays the game for the whole 90 minutes, but as always happens in football, if you don't score then they score you. So it was. Italy played but there were very few shots on goal, against an opponent who did nothing but defend himself and try to restart. Lots of ball possession and few chances , all dirty and never without really bothering the opponents. Some players undertone, often with the wrong final pass or with little malice in front of goal.
Chiellini's words and happy Portugal
“It is difficult to explain, there is great disappointment, we are destroyed. We missed scoring but we weren't presumptuous. We certainly lacked something, they paid for mistakes made from September onwards. I am proud of my companions. We have to start again and I hope Mancini stays, we need him to do it ”. Thus the blue captain, Giorgio Chiellini to the microphones of Rai after the defeat against North Macedonia, which excludes Italy from the World Cup for the second consecutive time.
Portugal beats Turkey 3-1, celebrates and qualifies for the final of the playoffs for the World Cup, where they will face North Macedonia who beat Italy. These are the goals: in pt 15 'Otavio, 42' Diogo Jota; in st 20 ′ Burak Yilmaz, 49 ′ Matheus Nunes. At 40 'st Burak Yilmaz missed a penalty kick.
Source: Blitz Quotidiano