The Italian team entered the play-off final with enormous pressure. Having won the World Cup four times and won EURO 2020, but Azzurri are absent from the last two World Cups - an unacceptable reality for a traditional football background.
This is the third consecutive time Italy has had to go through the play-off path. After the shocks against Sweden and Northern Macedonia, they at least passed the semi-finals when defeating Northern Ireland 2-0 thanks to goals from Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean.
However, the qualifying journey of the blue shirt team still leaves many concerns. Two heavy defeats against Norway have exposed problems in the defense.
Under Gennaro Gattuso, Italy has significantly improved its attacking ability, with significantly higher scoring efficiency. But in decisive matches, balance is the key factor.
Their next challenge is the away match against Bosnia Herzegovina - an opponent not highly rated for their head-to-head history, but possessing a good spirit.
The home team just overcame Wales after a penalty shootout, with Edin Dzeko continuing to play the role of leader. Home field advantage at Zenica, along with the enthusiastic atmosphere, can become a factor to make a difference.
Both teams aim for their first World Cup appearance since 2014, and the reward for the winning team is a ticket to a group with the participation of Canada, Qatar and Switzerland.
Link to watch the Bosnia Herzegovina vs Italy match live:
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