Italy out of the 2022 World Cup – loses to Macedonia

Another World Cup is going away, the second in a row that the Italians will sadly watch on television.

The defeat, another blue Waterloo, materializes two minutes after the ninetieth when Trajkovski, who has been in Palermo for four years and knows this stadium well, guesses the corner away from Donnarumma. Italy is annihilated the frozen stadium. The dream of the European Championship, nine months later, turns into the worst nightmare. Macedonia wins with two shots on goal, the second is decisive. The Azzurri shoot 34 times, only 5 in the mirror and only one real chance with Berardi in the first half.

A small national team. He attacks ninety minutes with just the strength of his nerves, hitting the red wall of Macedonia. A game to forget, which unfortunately we will never forget. Perhaps the worst humiliation in our long and glorious history. A bad match. Only rambling attacks. A predictable and slow team. Suffering and humiliation. And in the end, the applause of the 35,000 of Barbera turns into whistles.

Mancini, who was fury on the bench, is, in the end, a sphinx. Just a few sentences to comment: «In July the best thing happened to me, this is the biggest disappointment. An amazing thing happened tonight. We did everything to win the match, but some matches are like that … The goal in the 90th minute seems to have been on purpose. I do not know what to say. I’m very sorry for the players. My future? The disappointment is too great to talk about. Anyway, I’m sure the team has a great one ». Then he goes straight to the locker room, while the Azzurri cry on the pitch, a scene similar to that of 2017 against Sweden.

But this time the disappointment is even more burning because we are European champions and we did not think we would end like this just nine months after the magical night of Wembley. In Palermo, however, it ends badly against Macedonia, number 67 in the ranking, the best possible that we could have drawn in the draws. We feared the away final against Portugal and instead Milevski’s boys go to Porto. Italy is the turn of the game of shame in Turkey. It could also be Mancini’s last bench.

The Federation does not intend to send him away, but the coach could decide to resign. The disappointment is too great.

Italy has a strong start, many good intentions, a lot of will, but too much frenzy and little reasoning. Berardi and Emerson Palmieri try to widen the shaky Macedonian defense, Verratti dictates the times better than Jorginho, but they lack precision and clarity, especially in the last passage. The quality of Insigne and the insertions of Barella are also missing. Much ado about nothing. The assault on the red fort is unsuccessful. The insertions of Bastoni, the scholastic push of Emerson who always misses the cross, the hindrances of Immobile inside the area. The real opportunity happens in the half-hour, but it is a gift from the Macedonian goalkeeper Dimitrievski, whom Berardi wastes badly with a flat and soft shot. Italy, by dint of attacking, stretches and reveals itself. Florenzi in a slip stops Churlinov launched at the net.

The interval does not bring advice and in the second half, the nightmare Sweden gradually resurfaces. A slow agony. Berardi tries three times, but never guesses the mirror on the door. Halfway through the second half, Mancini tries the card of the young Raspadori in place of the dull Insigne, but also the tender Sassuolo striker ends up a prisoner of the match. In the last quarter test, the coach tries with Tonali and Lorenzo Pellegrini, in place of the deflated Barella and the unwatchable Immobile with Raspadori who becomes center forward.

In the end, Chiellini’s totem (with Joao Pedro) enters for extra time. But he hadn’t reckoned with Trajkovski.