Euro champs Italy stunned as they fail to reach Qatar
EUROPEAN champions Italy will miss the World Cup again after suffering a shock late 1-0 defeat by North Macedonia.
Roberto Mancini’s side dominated the play-off in Palermo and sent in 32 attempts on goal.
But 29-year-old striker Aleksandar Trajkovski caused a massive upset by firing home a long-range shot in the second minute of second-half injury time to spark crazed celebrations by the North Macedonians.
The Azzurri also failed to qualify for Russia in 2018 after losing a two-legged play-off to Sweden to miss theWorld Cup for the first time for 60 years.
But since former Manchester City manager Mancini took over in May 2018, they had lost only three matches before last night and went on a world-record run of 37 games without defeat.
But the draws against Switzerland and Northern Ireland in November saw them finish second behind the Swiss in Group C – and now they have lost to a nation of 2 million people, who have never been to World Cup. Manager Blagoja Milevski’s side, who won in Germany in qualifying, will now face Portugal away on Tuesday.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s dreams of playing in a fifth World Cup remain alive after Portugal’s 3-1 win over Turkey.
Goals from Otavio, Diogo Jota and a stoppage-time third from Matheus Nunes proved enough in Porto despite an anxious final half-hour after Burak Yilmaz had pulled one back.
The hosts were forced to live on their nerves late when conceding a penalty five minutes from time, only for Yilmaz to fire his spot-kick over.
Yet Ronaldo can thank his team-mates for safe passage given he chose this first play-off match to have one of his poorest 90 minutes in a Portugal shirt.
The hosts took the lead through Otavio, pouncing after Bernardo Silva struck a post from distance.
Just before the break Jota directed a powerful low header inside Ugurcan Cakir’s near post.
Turkey grabbed a lifeline just after the hour mark through Yilmaz.
But after his penalty miss, Nunes scored with a neat chipped finish.