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Italy have failed to reach the World Cup for the second successive time after a humiliating home defeat by European minnows North Macedonia ensured they will not be in Qatar later this year.
PALERMO, Italy : Italy missed out on the World Cup finals again after losing 1-0 at home to North Macedonia in their playoff semi-final on Thursday as Aleksandar Trajkovski's last-gasp strike earned the visitors a famous win.
PORTO: Portugal are through to a decisive World Cup qualifying playoff final next week after beating Turkey 3-1 in Porto on Thursday (Mar 24), but only after Burak Yilmaz missed a crucial late penalty for the visitors.
PORTO, Portugal : Portugal coach Fernando Santos said he warned many times that North Macedonia could shock Italy and he was proved right when they won their World Cup qualifying playoff semi-final 1-0 in Palermo on Thursday.
Roberto Mancini has lamented Italy's bad luck for their shock World Cup play-off defeat by North Macedonia, before remaining coy on his future.
European champions Italy did not qualify for the World Cup four years ago, their first failure to reach soccer's global showpiece tournament since 1958, but they dominated from the off in Palermo and looked on course for victory.
Italy will miss their second World Cup in a row after slumping to a shock 1-0 play-off semi-final defeat to North Macedonia.
European champions Italy will not feature at the World Cup later this year after a monumental upset defeat to North Macedonia in their play-off semi-final.