Qatar will remain a mirage for Italy: despite its coronation at the Euro and its four stars on the shirt, the Nazionale will miss the World Cup for the second time in a row, unheard of.
The Azzurriunable to score despite an avalanche of chances (32 shots), were crucified in added time by Macedonian striker Aleksandar Trajkovski.
Macedonia, generally harmless for 90 minutes, won the right to go to the play-off final in Portugal to try a new feat: going for the first time in its history to the World Cup.
Very far from its lightness of last summer, when it seduced Europe and triumphed over England at Wembley, the National from Roberto Mancini stumbled for 95 minutes once morest the courageous Macedonian team.
Here is Italy back four years, at the bottom of the wave where the defeat had left it, in the round-trip play-offs, once morest Sweden (0-1, 0-0), deprived of the World Cup in 2018 for the first time in 60 years.
That “apocalypse” which has long haunted Italian football, and that the “magic nights“from Wembley finally seemed to have chased away, will no doubt have weighed in the heads of the Italians, who played too much”small arm“as the captain feared on Wednesday Giorgio Chiellinientered at the end of the match and who will no longer have the opportunity to play in the World Cup.
too much frenzy
In an attempt to ease the pressure, Italy had nevertheless headed south, in search of the warmth of Sicily and the public of Palermo, and had obtained an exemption to be able to play in front of a full stadium (33,000 spectators), a first in Italy since the start of the coronavirus pandemic two years ago.
But it was ultimately the small colony of a few hundred supporters from Macedonia who celebrated at the final whistle, up there in the stands.
The fans did not spare their support, however, but howls of disappointment concluded each of the Italians’ incursions.
There were among these Azzurri under pressure, overtaken by their ghosts of 2017, a lot of desire but also too much frenzy.
They forced too many strikes, like Marco Verratti above (25′) imitated by Nicolo Barella next door (28′), when they did not come up once morest the compact Macedonian defense like Ciro Immobile (20′, 38′) or on the goalkeeper as Lorenzo Insigne (33′).
Gianluigi Donnarumma will have to wait
Italy’s biggest chance of the first half was for Domenico Berardiin legs on the right side, but who did not press enough his shot in front of the empty goal, following a completely failed recovery from goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski (29 ‘)!
Too happy to see half-time arrive on this 0-0, Macedonia, generally harmless, even gradually gained confidence: Alessandro Florenzi had to come back at full speed on Darko Churlinov who was on goal (39′) and Gianluigi Donnarumma fell well on the first Macedonian strike of the match, signed Aleksandar Trajkovski (45′).
As if overtaken by this “small arm“that Giorgio Chiellini feared the day before, Italy tried once more by all means following the break, with an active Marco Verratti in the maneuver but a so clumsy Domenico Berardi: he framed without danger (53 ‘) then missed the target of nothing (54′), shot over in a good position (58′) then was blocked five meters from the line (63’).
Substitutes – Giacomo Raspadori entered in place of a transparent Lorenzo Insigne, Lorenzo Pellegrini and João Pedro – did not do better, always seeing a foot push back their strike.
And as Roberto Mancini threw Giorgio Chiellini into the bath to launch the final assault, it was Macedonia who struck. Gianluigi Donnarumma mightn’t do anything this time around. The PSG goalkeeper will still have to wait to discover the pleasure of playing a World Cup match.