EXTRA TIME

Tuesday Delight for Four

March 31, 2026 at 11:21 pm Leave a comment

The European World Cup playoff finals brought delight for four nations, but heartbreak for all fans of the Italian national team and their wonderful anthem. With a 1-1 draw after 120 minutes and a 1-4 in the penalty shootout the Azzurri failed to qualify for a third World Cup in a row. Former Austria Wien player Haris Tabakovic had scored Bosnia and Herzegovina’s goal to make it 1-1 in the 79th minute against ten-men-Italy (due to Bastoni’s red card in the 41st minute).

Turkey reached their first World Cup in 24 years as Kerem Akturkoglu’s goal gave them a narrow win in their play-off with Kosovo.

The Czech Republic drew 2-2 with Denmark, but won their second penalty shootout within five days. The Czech Republic (with West Ham‘s Tomas Soucek in the team) have last appeared on the global stage in 2006, while Denmark will be absent for the first time since the 2014 tournament.

Last but not least, Sweden won their play-off final 3-2 against Poland to reach this summer’s World Cup. They did not need extra time or a penalty shootout for booking their trip to the USA, Canada and Mexico, but scored a dramatic 88th-minute winner through Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres. Former West Ham manager Graham Potter who had landed the Sweden job last autumn, just four weeks after having been sacked by the Hammers, helped Sweden gain revenge as they had been beaten by Poland in the World Cup qualifying play-off final four years ago.

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