'Bosnians will remember this as long as we live' - A night of Bosnian delight & Italian pain

There were huge celebrations in Zenica, in central Bosnia Herzegovina on Tuesday (31st March) as the soccer team booked their place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. They beat Italy 4-1 in a penalty shootout, despite trailing for much of the match. Moise Kean had put Italy ahead in the 15th minute, and despite plenty of pressure, Bosnia and Herzegovina were unable to equalise until Haris Tabakovic scored 11 minutes from time. Neither side could break the deadlock in extra time, and Bosnia and Herzegovina were clinical from the spot in the shootout to book their place in just their second World Cup. As for Italy, they will miss the sports showpiece event for the third straight time. In Rome, many supporters gathered in bars and pubs to watch the match together, which started with an exciting goal by the Azzurri, before turning into a defeat. Disappointment among Italian fans towards the team led by Gennaro Gattuso was palpable: “What can I say? Like the system is rotten, completely rotten,” 30-year-old Federico Barbieri told The Associated Press, after watching the match in the well-known Roman district of Trastevere. “I saw Italy become world champions twice," said instead Roberto Silvi, a 56-year-old building contractor. “For me, Italy missing one World Cup is already unthinkable. Italy missing three — if someone had told me, I never would have believed it," added Silvi.