Qualification for the soccer World Cup: Switzerland goes to Qatar, Italy must continue to tremble

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Italy's Emerson is horrified: The European champions miss the direct qualification

Photo: Peter Morrison / dpa

Italy missed direct qualification for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar four months after its glamorous EM triumph. In the long-distance duel for overall victory in Group C with Switzerland, who went tied on the last match day, the Squadra Azzurra gambled away the ticket to the golf with a disappointing 0-0 in Northern Ireland and the simultaneous 4-0 (0-0) success of the Swiss Confederates in the first attempt and must hope for a success in the play-offs in the spring. In contrast, the Swiss can celebrate their fifth participation in the World Cup in a row.

In Belfast, three days after the dramatic 1: 1 in a direct duel with the Confederates, Italy could no longer wipe the gap of the missed chance to make the early jump to Qatar.

The four-time world champion, who had already only been a spectator at the last World Cup finals in Russia in 2018, largely missed most of the qualities he had so highly praised last summer.

The team of coach Roberto Mancini could rather thank his goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma not to fall behind.

Under the pressure of the information about the Swiss goals in the parallel game, the Italians acted more and more hectic and could hardly put the hosts in serious danger.

With five Bundesliga legionaries in the starting line-up, the Confederates initially failed to take the lead they had hoped for in Lucerne.

But shortly after the break, Noah Okafor (48th) broke the spell.

Augsburg's Ruben Vargas made the decision nine minutes later (57th) before Cedric Itten (72nd) from Fürth made it 4-0 shortly after his substitution and a disallowed goal from the hosts and Remo Freuler (90th).

In the closing stages, coach Murat Yakin's players increasingly focused on the score in Belfast before the Swiss cheered.

In Qatar, Switzerland will be among the finalists for the twelfth time in World Cup history.

England booked the ticket to the Gulf in Group I with the highest victory in 57 years with 10-0 (6-0) at the outsider San Marino and let persecutors Poland hope in vain for a mistake by the British.

kfr / sid