31/03/2026

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TUESDAY | MAR 31, 2026

Malaysian Paper

B OSNIA and Italy meet in a World Cup playoff tomor row (2.45am Malaysian time) with both sides aim ing to end a 12-year finals absence and erase memories of playoff heart break, in a fixture that rekindles memories of Bosnia’s first interna tional win. The possibility of four-time cham pions Italy missing a third consecu tive World Cup has already grabbed the headlines, and their last partici pation in 2014 coincided with Bosnia’s sole appearance on foot ball’s biggest stage. Italy fell at the playoff hurdle for both the 2018 and 2022 editions, while Bosnia’s record is equally bleak. They lost at this stage for the 2010 World Cup and have missed out in the playoffs for the last four European Championships. The meeting also carries histori cal weight for Bosnia, whose first vic tory as an independent nation came against Italy nearly 30 years ago. Bosnian players featured at World Cups as far back as 1950 as part of the former Yugoslavia, and although the country declared independence in 1992, Bosnia had to wait until 1996 to gain official Fifa membership. Bosnia’s first qualification cam paign began that year for the 1998 World Cup, but the first game to take place after the Bosnian War in the capital Sarajevo was a friendly against Italy in November 1996. Italy were the first national team to play in a city still emerging from the 1992–95 siege during the war, sending a message to the world that Sarajevo was a safe place to host international football. The game, Bosnia’s fifth official international, kicked off in the early

End of the line Italy, Bosnia chase World Cup return in playoff finals with last four European berths up for grabs

afternoon as the Kosevo Olympic Stadium did not yet have working floodlights, with 40,000 fans in atten dance and the match broadcast live on Italian television. “It hardly needs saying that the significance of this match goes far beyond the sporting and football occasion itself,” RAI commentator Bruno Pizzul said as the game began. Bosnia won 2-1 to deliver the country’s first victory, marking their arrival on the international stage, while Italy manager Arrigo Sacchi resigned in the wake of his side’s defeat. Three decades on, the stakes are very different. Another Italy loss would bring further turmoil to a proud football nation under intense pressure to perform and halt a decline stretching back to their World Cup triumph 20 years ago. Italy’s two heavy defeats to Norway in qualifying meant another playoff, and after seeing off Northern Ireland at home last week, tomor row’s game in Zenica could finally bring an end to their World Cup exile. The winner of this tie will go into Group F with the Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia. The other playoff finals that will decide the last European qualifiers for this years’s 48-team tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada are:

Sweden vs Poland Viktor Gyokeres stepped up in the absence of the injured Alexander Isak to lead Sweden past Ukraine and to the cusp of just a second World Cup in 20 years. Graham Potter’s Sweden, whose win over Ukraine was their first of the qualifying campaign, will be at home in Stockholm against a Poland side seeking to go to a third successive World Cup. Robert Lewandowski scored his 89th international last week as Poland came from behind to beat Albania in the semifinals. The winner of this tie will go into Group F with the Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia.

Kosovo vs Turkey Kosovo, the lowest ranked team to make the playoffs, are potentially 90 minutes away from reaching a first major tourna ment, a decade on from their admission to Uefa and Fifa. They edged Slovakia 4-3 in Bratislava to set up a clash with Turkey, who have not played at the World Cup since a surprise third place finish in 2002. Turkey beat Romania 1-0 with a goal from Brighton’s Ferdi Kadioglu. “We are in euphoria right now but we need to play the last game with calm,” said Kosovo coach Franco Foda. Kosovo will have home advantage in Pristina against Euro 2024 quarterfinalists Turkey. A place in Group D alongside the United States, Australia and Paraguay awaits the winner.

Czech Republic vs Denmark The Czechs rallied from two goals down to get past the Republic of Ireland on penalties, and will stay in Prague as a fancied Denmark attempt to crash the party. Denmark missed out on automatic qualification after a dramatic defeat in Scotland in November, but four second half goals saw them comfortably brush aside North Macedonia in Copenhagen to stay in the hunt. The Czech Republic last went to the World Cup in 2006, while Denmark have played at three of the last four finals. Tomorrow’s winning team will complete Group A with Mexico, South Africa and South Korea. REUTERS/AFP

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