Italy stands just one victory away from securing a spot in the World Cup, a tournament they have not featured in since 2014. The upcoming match pits the Azzurri against Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica, located northwest of Sarajevo.

Italy's Rocky Path to Qualification

The Azzurri continued their dramatic World Cup qualifying journey with a recent 2-0 victory over Northern Ireland on Thursday. However, the performance was far from convincing, as Northern Ireland managed to keep Italy scoreless through the first half.

It took until the 80th minute for Moise Kean to score, finally giving the Italians breathing room. While Italy ultimately deserved the win, this performance mirrors a pattern of underwhelming results that has marked the team over the last five years.

Recent Tournament Struggles Highlight Concerns

Italy’s recent history includes a disappointing 2-0 elimination by Switzerland in the Round of 16 at Euro 2024. Furthermore, World Cup Qualifying saw them lose twice to Norway, derailing their chances of topping what was expected to be an easy group.

The team has also been involved in high-scoring, tense matches. They needed to stage comebacks twice against Israel in a 5-4 thriller and relied on two late goals to secure a 2-0 win over Moldova.

Bosnia and Herzegovina: The Physical Challenge

Despite these past struggles, Italy only needs to secure a result against Bosnia and Herzegovina to qualify. The talent advantage clearly favors the Azzurri in this contest.

However, the Golden Lillies are formidable opponents and will benefit from a passionate home crowd in Zenica. Bosnia and Herzegovina is known for being a dogged and physical side.

Tactical Outlook for the Match

It is anticipated that Bosnia and Herzegovina will focus on grinding out a victory rather than trying to outplay Italy technically. Their approach is expected to resemble Northern Ireland's strategy of defensive organization.

If Bosnia and Herzegovina adopts a deep defensive posture, Italy could face the exact type of situation that has unsettled them repeatedly in recent years. This Italian squad often appears uncomfortable when tasked with dictating the tempo of a match, regardless of the opposition.

Sometimes, the sheer talent of the Azzurri is enough to secure a narrow win, as demonstrated when Sandro Tonali proved decisive against Northern Ireland. On other occasions, however, mounting pressure leads to errors, leaving Italy vulnerable to counter-attacks.