The pressure is on Italy since an entire generation — basically anyone under 15 has no memory of the last time the Azzurri played in the World Cup — an elimination loss to Uruguay in 2014 in Brazil mostly remembered for Luis Suárez‘s bite of Giorgio Chiellini’s shoulder.

Italy plays Bosnia and Herzegovina away on Tuesday at the Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica after beating Northern Ireland in the semifinals of their World Cup playoff. The winner gets a spot Group B at this summer’s tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada, with Italy having missed the last two World Cups.

For winger Matteo Politano, who has won two Serie A titles at Napoli but at 32 has still never played in a World Cup, he understands time is running out for his generation to play on the world’s biggest stage.

“We all know what we’re playing for,” Politano said. “For me, and for a few of the other senior players, it’s probably our last chance.”

If Italy is going to qualify for a first World Cup in 12 years, the Azzurri defenders are going to have to contain a striker they respect and know well.

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s 40-year-old forward Edin Dzeko has been a club teammate of all three of Italy’s starting defenders. He with Gianluca Mancini and Riccardo Calafiori while he was at AS Roma from 2015-21. Having then moved to Inter Milan, Dzeko teamed with Alessandro Bastoni on the squad that reached the 2023 Champions League final.

Italy and Inter winger Federico Dimarco contacted Dzeko to congratulate him after Bosnia beat Wales in a penalty shootout last week to set up Tuesday’s playoff final against the four-time World Cup champion.

Dzeko’s headed equalizer in the second half against Wales was his 73rd international goal. At 6-foot-4 (1.93 meters), Dzeko excels in the air — where Italy’s defenders often struggle.

“Edin is a great player and a great person,” Dimarco said. “I saw him on vacation over the summer and I’ve maintained a nice relationship with him.”

Dimarco will have to momentarily set aside the relationship, though, with Italy desperate to avoid missing out on a third consecutive World Cup.

Italy was eliminated by Sweden and North Macedonia, respectively, in qualifying playoffs for the last two World Cups.

Tuesdays’ other playoff finals are: Sweden vs. Poland; Turkey vs. Kosovo; and Denmark vs. the Czech Republic to determine the other three UEFA spots at the World Cup.

Bosnia has chosen to host the playoff in the 14,000-seat Bilino Polje Stadium, which is surrounded by apartment towers overlooking the field.

The stadium’s capacity will be reduced by 20% following punishment from FIFA for discriminatory and racist abuse by fans during Bosnia’s game against Romania in November.

Italy is concerned over the status of the stadium’s pitch after a recent snowfall in Bosnia.

“We’re expecting a difficult atmosphere,” Dimarco said. “But if we’re able to remain in the right frame of mind for 95 minutes, I think we can get the result.”

After the teams’ respective semifinal wins, Bosnia seized upon video footage of Italy’s players celebrating after seeing Bosnia beat Wales — as if they considered Bosnia an easier opponent than Wales.

“It was an instinctive reaction,” Dimarco said. “I certainly did not disrespect either Bosnia or Bosnians.”

The referee for the match in Bosnia will be Clement Turpin of France, who was also in charge when Italy was beaten 1-0 at home by North Macedonia in the playoff semifinals four years ago.

Dimarco has been a consistent force on the left wing for Serie A leader Inter this season with six goals and 15 assists.

The only World Cup he’s played in was the Under-20 version in 2017 when Italy finished third with Dimarco scoring in the quarterfinals.

“I’ve always said that goals and assists don’t interest me unless they help the team achieve results,” Dimarco said.

The Italian attack got a boost in the second half against Northern Ireland when Pio Esposito replaced Mateo Retegui. Now the 20-year-old Esposito could start in Retegui’s place alongside Moise Kean in Bosnia

Dimarco also plays with Esposito at Inter.

“He’s a special kid,” Dimarco said. “He’s mature for his age and always gives 100% – both in matches and in training. … He just needs to be left alone and we shouldn’t put too much pressure on him.”

Information from The Associated Press was used in this story.

Charleston has hired Akron‘s John Groce as its next men’s basketball coach, the school announced Monday.

“John Groce is one of the most decorated Head Coaches in the country. He and his staff made a tremendous impact on the Akron community during their nine seasons at the helm. The winning speaks for itself but his leadership of men and his passion for people is what impresses us the most,” athletic director Matt Roberts said in a statement. “We are excited to welcome John, his wife Allison and their three children Conner, Camden and Cate to the Charleston community. It’s a great day to be a Cougar!”

Groce, who informed his Akron team about his departure Monday, has been one of the most successful mid-major coaches over the past five years, leading the Zips to four NCAA tournament berths. He has won one Mid-American Conference regular-season title in those five years but is a remarkable 13-1 in conference tournament games with four championships.

Over that span, Groce went 127-45, including 57 wins and a 34-2 record against MAC opponents over the past two seasons. He has been at Akron for nine seasons, also winning a regular-season title in 2020 before the conference tournament was canceled because of the pandemic.

Before taking over for Keith Dambrot in 2017, Groce was the coach at Illinois for five seasons. He won 20 games three times, advancing to the second round of the NCAA tournament in 2013, his first season at the helm.

Groce also spent four seasons as coach at Ohio from 2008 to 2012, bringing the Bobcats to a pair of NCAA tournaments. He began his coaching career on staffs at NC State, Butler, Xavier and Ohio State, the latter three schools under Thad Matta.

At Charleston, Groce replaces Chris Mack, who left last week for the vacancy at South Florida. The school said Groce’s contract is for five years.

The 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup kicks off on June 11 when co-hosts Mexico play South Africa in Mexico City, but six qualification places are still up for grabs in the European and intercontinental playoffs.

The final qualified teams will be confirmed Tuesday with four European nations and the winners of the two intercontinental playoff finals sealing their spot in the Canada, Mexico and the United America this summer.

Kosovo will host Türkiye attempting to reach their first World Cup, and four-time world champions Italy must win at Bosnia and Herzegovina to avoid missing out on the finals for the third successive tournament.

Iraq (1986), Congo DR (as Zaire in 1974), Bolivia (1994) and Türkiye (2002) are all looking to end lengthy absences from the World Cup, but who will be victorious in the six qualification finals?

– World Cup: Who has qualified, and how the rest can make it
– USMNT handed reality check by Belgium ahead of World Cup
– Cost of the World Cup: The price tag to follow your team to glory

EUROPE

PATH A
Winner enters World Cup Group B (Canada, Qatar, Switzerland)

Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Italy (Zenica, Bosnia): Edin Dzeko‘s 86th-minute goal against Wales in Cardiff was the lifeline Bosnia needed to stay in the semifinal and take the game to penalties, which ended with a 4-2 shootout win for Sergej Barbarez’s team. At 40 years old, former Manchester City, AS Roma and Inter Milan striker Dzeko will become one of the oldest outfield players to appear at a World Cup if he can inspire Bosnia again in the final, but Italy will go into the game as strong favorites.

Gennaro Gattuso’s team overcame a nervous start to beat Northern Ireland 2-0 on Bergamo in Thursday’s semifinal and that victory has boosted morale in Italy following playoff heartbreak in 2018 and 2022. Bosnia have home advantage in Zenica at the hostile Stadium Bilino Polje, but Italy have the pedigree of Gianluigi Donnarumma, Sandro Tonali and Manuel Locatelli, so they will have no excuses for another playoff failure.

Winners: Italy

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Laurens: Italy face tougher test against Bosnia and Herzegovina

Julien Laurens breaks down Bosnia and Herzegovina’s dramatic penalty win over Wales ahead of their World Cup showdown with Italy.

PATH B
Winner enters World Cup Group F (Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia)

Sweden vs. Poland (Stockholm, Sweden): Viktor Gyökeres almost single-handedly sealed Sweden’s place in the final with a hat trick in Thursday’s 3-1 semifinal win against Ukraine in Valencia. Sweden, now coached by former Chelsea and West Ham United boss Graham Potter, seriously underperformed during the qualifiers witha winless group campaign, but they now have a home game against Poland to book a place at the World Cup.

The Poles had to fight back from going a goal down against Albania in Warsaw before winning 2-1 with goals from Robert Lewandowski and Piotr Zielinski and they go into the Sweden game having run Netherlands close in their qualifying group. Recent form suggests that Poland will be favorites, but Sweden are at home and the confidence of a big win against Ukraine. It will be close, but Sweden will shade it — maybe even on penalties.

Winners: Sweden

PATH C
Winner enters World Cup Group D (United States, Paraguay, Australia)

Kosovo vs. Türkiye (Pristina, Kosovo): Though Türkiye’s semifinal against Romania went as expected with Vincenzo Montella’s team winning 1-0 through Ferdi Kadioglu‘s goal, Kosovo upset the odds with a 4-3 win away to Slovakia. Kosovo went into the playoffs as the lowest-ranked European nation still alive in the competition, sitting in 78th position between Israel and Oman in the FIFA World Ranking, but they dominated in Bratislava to seal a deserved victory.

Franco Foda’s team is young, bold and full of pace and energy, and they have the ability to shock a Türkiye team stacked with top talent including Arda Güler, Hakan Çalhanoglu and Kenan Yildiz. Türkiye have won the two previous meetings between the teams and will be favorites, but Stadiumi Fadil Vokrri will be rocking in Pristina on Tuesday, and a passionate atmosphere could tip the balance in Kosovo’s favor.

Winners: Kosovo

PATH D
Winner enters World Cup Group A (Mexico, South Korea, South Africa)

Czechia vs. Denmark (Prague, Czechia): Czechia looked dead and buried against the Republic of Ireland after finding themselves 2-0 down in Prague after 23 minutes, but Miroslav Koubek’s team fought back to take the game to penalties before winning 4-3 from the spot kicks.

But the Czechs will face a Denmark side that showed its quality with a 4-0 win against North Macedonia in Copenhagen, so the Danes will be strong favorites heading into the final. The questions about Denmark have nothing to do with their quality — coach Brian Riemer has Christian Eriksen, Rasmus Højlund and Christian Norgaard on his roster — but whether they can handle the pressure of being favorites. A draw against Belarus and defeat against Scotland saw them blow their hopes of automatic qualification, so will they feel the heat against the Czechs? That’s the danger for Denmark, but perhaps beating North Macedonia has proved their mettle.

Winners: Denmark

INTERCONTINENTAL PLAYOFFS

PATHWAY 1
Winner enters World Cup Group K (Portugal, Uzbekistan, Colombia)

Congo DR vs. Jamaica (Zapopan, Mexico): Jamaica toiled to a 1-0 win against rank outsiders New Caledonia in the semifinal, so they will have to step up several levels to have any hope of beating Congo DR.

Congo, nicknamed the “Warriors of the Equator,” have top-level European experience in their squad with Aaron Wan-Bissaka (West Ham United), Arthur Masuaku (Lens), Yoane Wissa (Newcastle United) and captain Chancel Mbemba (Lille), so they should be too strong for a Jamaica side led by interim coach Rudolph Speid. Wrexham’s Bailey Cadamarteri scored the match winner for Jamaica against New Caledonia, but repeating that effort will be tough against one of the strongest African teams.

Winners: Congo DR

PATHWAY 2
Winner enters World Cup Group I (France, Senegal, Norway)

Iraq vs. Bolivia (Guadalupe, Mexico): Iraq’s preparations for their playoff have been thrown into disarray by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, forcing coach Graham Arnold to ask FIFA for the game to postponed due to the difficulties of his squad being about to travel from the region. But Tuesday’s match will go ahead and the Lions of Mesopotamia will have a full squad due to call on after being given the use of a private jet to travel to Mexico. Whether the disruption to their plans will affect Iraq’s chances remains to be seen, but Bolivia’s 2-1 semifinal win over Suriname, when they overturned a 1-0 deficit to claim victory, showed that the South American nation is match ready — the same cannot be said for Iraq. Having had no competitive games since December, Iraq might struggle to win this game and end a 40-year wait for a World Cup appearance.

Winners: Bolivia