Italy will miss the World Cup for the second straight time after a massive upset at the hands of North Macedonia.
Just nine months removed from winning the Euros, Italy suffered yet another national disgrace on the World Cup stage after missing out in 2018. Aleksandar Trajkovski’s 92nd-minute stunner proved to be the goal that sent Italy spiraling out of the qualifying playoff.
Despite outshooting North Macedonia 32–4, Italy only managed five shots on target in Palermo against a stalwart defensive effort from the visitors.
North Macedonia made headlines a year ago by handing Germany its first World Cup qualifying defeat since 2001, breaking the 2014 world champion’s 35-match unbeaten streak in World Cup qualifiers.