Jorginho misses late penalty to leave Italy’s World Cup bid in balance
ROME: Italy’s bid to return to the World Cup after eight years away is still in the balance after a late penalty miss from Jorginho led to the European champions drawing 1-1 with Switzerland on Friday.
The Azzurri remain ahead of the Swiss at the top of Group C on goal difference thanks to Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s first-half header which equalised Silvan Widmer’s early opener for the away side.
However passage to next year’s tournament in Qatar is far from secure after Chelsea midfielder Jorginho blasted over a spot-kick in the final moments following a VAR check for a foul on Domenico Berardi.
Now the only two sides who can claim the group’s single guaranteed qualifying spot head into their closing fixtures on Monday with it all still to play for.
Roberto Mancini’s side travel to Northern Ireland while Switzerland, who recovered some pride at the Stadio Olimpico after being thumped at the same ground by Italy at Euro 2020, host Bulgaria.
Italy now have to match Switzerland’s result to ensure a place in the World Cup, assuming that Switzerland fail to beat Bulgaria heavily enough to finish the group with the superior goal difference.
That leaves Italy facing the spectre of the play-offs, where in 2017 they failed to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in six decades following a miserable aggregate defeat to Sweden.
“He (Jorginho) is one of our penalty takers and he wanted to take it so it’s logical that he took the penalty,” Mancini told broadcaster RAI.
“We played well in the second half after a difficult first half, the only thing missing was the goal. We start the final day with an advantage, which is not nothing.”