Italy have failed to make the World Cup for the first time since 1958 after they were held to a goalless draw by Sweden. The four-time winners had plenty of the ball but couldn't overturn a 1-0 first leg deficit.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/L. Bruno
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Italy 0-0 Sweden
As the seconds ticked down on Italy's World Cup qualifying playoff with Sweden in Milan, the storied career of Gianluigi Buffon, the man who has been their last line of defense for 20 years, was suddenly coming to an end in the opposing penalty area.
The presence of the 39-year-old keeper at that end of the field was the telltale sign of the Azzurri's ultimately fruitless desperation. This isn't supposed to happen to them.
Buffon couldn't get on the end of the corner, just as Italy's outfield players couldn't turn their territorial dominance into something tangible. At the final whistle, it was the men in yellow shirts who were running triumphantly around the San Siro while Buffon confirmed his 175th cap will be his last, and probably most painful.
The scoreless draw meant that Italy, who was forced into the playoff round after finishing second to Spain in their qualifying group, will not participate in a World Cup for the first time in 60 years.
"I'm not sorry for myself but all of Italian football," he said through tears after the game. "We failed at something which also means something on a social level. There's regret at finishing like that, not because time passes."
Alessandro Florenzi reacts to another wasted chanceImage: Getty Images/AFP/M. Medina
Early penalty drama at both ends
A scrappy, and at times tetchy, opening half was defined more by what didn't happen than what did.
First Sweden’s Ludwig Augustinsson clumsily took down Marco Parolo from behind in the box on seven minutes before Emil Forsberg’s flick was handled by Italy’s Matteo Darmian at the other end five minutes later. Then Forsberg, who plays for RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga, had another penalty shout, this time after his pass struck Andrea Barzagli’s hand. All three could easily have been given but none were and Forsberg was booked for his protest.
As the half wore on, Italy saw more and more of the ball. Their pressure finally forced a pair of opportunities five minutes before the break. First the impressive Jorginho split the deep Swedish defense to find Ciro Immobile but the former Dortmund man could only hit then keeper on the turn, then Parolo nicked the ball off Immobile's toes but blazed over.
The deadlock remained but Italy had built up a head of steam, with Manolo Gabbiadini denied by a last ditch block and Alessandro Florenzi drawing a smart save from Robin Olsen after a lovely piece of skill on the hosts' left flank.
Sweden's Sebastian Larsson celebrates after his team qualified for the World CupImage: Getty Images/AFP/M. Bertorello
Dominance doesn't mean goals
The pattern had been set. Italy continued to press forward after the break, with the visitors happy to defend the edge of their box. The Azzurri came close to a breakthrough on 53 minutes when Parolo's acrobatic volley rolled agonisingly past the post before Immobile almost turned in a cross just after the hour mark.
As the home side threw more and more men forward, Sweden started to create a couple of promising situations on the break but they came to little.
For all Italy's possession — 75 percent by the final whistle — and increasing desperation, Immobile's first half chance remained their best until Stephan El Shaarawy's stinging volley four minutes from time as Sweden held firm against the tide of blue. In truth, the Italians didn't have a player who looked capable of picking the lock.
Nevertheless, Sweden are a side the Azzurri are expected to beat. As it was, they couldn't even muster a goal in 180 minutes of trying to break down their Scandinavian opponents. That ultimately condemns them to miss next summer's World Cup, a low point for a storied footballing nation.
World Cup 2018: Gianluigi Buffon and Christian Pulisic among those missing out
As World Cup qualifying approaches its end, DW tooks a look at who will be watching rather than featuring on TV next summer. A veteran goalkeeper, a US prospect and a Bundesliga favorite are among those who'll miss out.
Image: picture alliance/empics/N. Carson
Gianluigi Buffon, Italy
Gianluigi Buffon's 175th Italy cap will be his last. The 39-year-old goalkeeper kept a clean sheet in his side's playoff second leg draw with Sweden but it wasn't enough, as Italy missed out on the World Cup for the first time since 1958 thanks to a first leg loss. Buffon, who won the World Cup in 2006 and will now retire from international football, broke down in tears after the match.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/M. Medina
Christian Pulisic, USA
On one of the most disastrous nights in American footall history, Bruce Arena's USA team lost 2-1 to Trinidad & Tobago to end up second bottom in the CONCACAF Hexagonal. The result means Borussia Dortmund star Christian Pulisic will have to wait at least another four years to make his World Cup debut. In a double blow for the Bundesliga, Hamburg striker Bobby Wood also misses out.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/A. Estrella
Arjen Robben, Netherlands
The Bayern Munich winger is missing out on a second successive international tournament after the Netherlands failed to beat Sweden by the seven goals required to avoid elimination from Group A. “It is not realistic to think we can beat Sweden with a big score,” Robben said pre-match. “People had best leave their calculators at home." He was right and has now retired from international football.
Image: imago/VI Images/M. van Steen
David Alaba, Austria
Bayern Munich's David Alaba is another Bundesliga star who can put his feet up next summer after Austria failed to overcome Serbia and the Republic of Ireland in UEFA qualifying group D. Wales finished above an Austria team that hasn't qualified for a World Cup since 1998.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/SvenSimon
Andriy Yarmolenko, Ukraine
New Borussia Dortmund signing Andriy Yarmolenko won't be in Russia next summer after Ukraine finished third in their qualifying group behind Croatia and Iceland. Despite making an impressive start to his BVB career, the Ukrainian striker, who has scored 32 goals in 73 appearances for his county, couldn't help as his team lost 2-0 to Croatia (pictured) to seal their fate.
Image: Imago/ZumaPress
Alexis Sanchez, Chile
Despite winning two consecutive Copa Americas, Chile have missed out on qualification for the World Cup - leaving Alexis Sanchez at home (along with Arturo Vidal, who retired after Chile failed to qualify). Chile's fate was sealed after a 3-0 defeat to group winners Brazil, who will joined in 2018 by Uruguay, Argentina and Colombia. Is this the end for Chile's golden generation?
Image: Reuters/C. Recine
Salomon Kalou, Ivory Coast
"If we don't make it, we'll only have ourselves to blame," Kalou told DW ahead of the Ivory Coast's key game against Morocco. Defeat would be a "catastrophe" the Hertha Berlin attacker said - and so it proved. In Group C of African qualifying the Ivory Coast lost 2-0 and finished in second (with eight points) behind the Moroccans.
Image: picture-alliance/abaca/H. Szwarc
Gareth Bale, Wales
The Real Madrid forward scored three goals as Wales surged to the semifinals of Euro 2016 and is the country’s second highest scorer of all time with 26 goals - but he will not be in Russia next year. With Serbia winning group D, Wales’ match against Republic of Ireland was a must-win - but Ireland's 1-0 victory ended Bale's chances of leading Wales to a World Cup for the first time since 1958.
Image: imago/Sportimage/S. Bellis
Sead Kolasinac, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia's hopes of making the World Cup ended despite a 2-1 win against Estonia in the final Group H game. Bosnia finished two points behind second-placed Greece, who also missed out after losing to Croatia in the playoff. Kolasinac, Dzeko and Co. weren't able to repeat their heroic World Cup qualification of 2014 when they topped their qualifying group and finished third in Group F in Brazil.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Fotostand
Naby Keita, Guinea
RB Leipzig's Keita won't feature on the biggest stage next summer, which may please his new club Liverpool. Tunisia topped Group A, narrowly beating out the DR Congo by one point. Guinea though, finished last with three points. Not even one of the Bundesliga's brightest stars could guide Guinea to a World Cup berth.
Image: picture-alliance/ZUMAPRESS/M.Chenguang
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Gabon
Perhaps the least surprising entry on this list not because of any lack of ability but purely because of Gabon's standing in world football. The African nation won just one game in qualifying and are already out of contention, leaving the Borussia Dortmund man twiddling his thumbs this summer.
Image: imago/PanoramiC
Will Grigg, Northern Ireland
Although not considered a star, Northern Ireland's Will Grigg became one of the biggest names at Euro 2016 when a song about him rang was sung by his own fans and others alike. Northern Ireland's narrow defeat to Switzerland means Grigg and the famous Northern Irish fans won't be making an appearance in Russia this summer, but perhaps the song will still be heard.
