Italy vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina live score: World Cup playoff result, stats as 10-man Azzurri battle to penalty shootout

By | March 31, 2026
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After two consecutive playoff humiliations, Italy travel to Zenica looking to reach their first World Cup since the 2014 tournament in Brazil.

Gennaro Gattuso’s side were laboured at times before getting the job done in the semifinals of this UEFA playoff path with a 2-0 victory over Northern Ireland in Bergamo.

Bosnia and Herzegovina secured a home playoff after beating Wales on penalties and also last featured at the finals in 2014. Veteran captain Edin Dzeko was on target in Cardiff, and the former Roma and Inter Milan striker would dearly love to feature on the biggest stage one last time.

MORE: Get a full look at all the World Cup playoff brackets here

Italy vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina score

Location: Bilino Polje (Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Referee: Clement Turpin (FRA)

Starting lineups:

Bosnia and Herzegovina (4-4-2, right to left): 1. Vasilj — 7. Dedic, 4. Muharemovic, 18. Katic, 32. Kolasinac (19. Alajbegovic) — 20. Bajraktarevic, 13, Basic, 14. Sunjic (6. Tahirovic), 15. Memic — 10. Demirovic, 11. Dzeko

Italy (3-5-2, right to left): 1. Donnarumma (GK) — 23. Mancini, 21. Bastoni, 13. Calafiori — 7. Politano (2. Palestra), 18. Barella, 5. Locatelli, 8. Tonali, 3. Dimarco — 11. Kean, 9. Retegui (19. Gatti)

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Italy vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina updates, highlights from World Cup playoff

Fulltime

Dzeko is down in a heap after a challenge from Frattesi. He’ll have to rouse himself to take a penalty. Looks to be in quite a lot of pain, mind. What an incredibly engrossing 120 minutes that was. It had just about everything. And now, a penalty shootout for a place at the World Cup…

120+1 mins: One added minute. Donnarumma takes his time over a clearance. Is he about to be the hero in Italy’s first shootout since the final of Euro 2020. Oh, what’s he doing? He’s about 40 yards from his own net to mop up and clear! All’s well that ends well.

119 mins: The corner is worked to the edge of the box and Tahirovic drives just wide. That’s Bosnia’s 30th goal attempt of a breathless evening.

118 mins: Bosnia piling on late pressure, Burnic down the left and Mancini clears behind with Dzeko lurking.

114 mins: The flurry of substitutions and tired limbs for those who started the match have served to rob a compelling contest of its rhythm. Penalties feel increasingly likely as Katic and Tonali go clattering into one another. The Bosnia defender is booked.

108 mins: Esposito pins Muharemovic to make room for the shot but the tumbling Bosnia defender bravely blocks it behind. The corner comes to nought. 

Kickoff: 2nd Half (ET)

We go again. As they have after every kickoff in this game, Bosnia resume on the front foot.

Halftime in extra time

Still all square. That was a really good spell from Italy before the break. They’re still furious that referee Turpin did not send off Muharemovic.

105+1 mins: Palestra involved again, floats a teasing cross to the far post. Esposito is there but Vasilj makes an excellent save. He’s there to punch the corner clear too.

105 mins: Drilled low into the wall. That wasn’t really worth th ewait.

104 mins: The free-kick is right on the edge of the D. Tonali standing over it…

102 mins: Italy wing-back Palestra is sent charging throguh the middle and Muharemovic scythes him down on the ends of the box. The card is… yellow! Burnic was back as a covering defender to probably spare him from the red card. Ooof. 

101 mins: Bajraktarevic engineers some space down the right channel and then hits a rabona cross out for a goal kick. Not great when they don’t come off.

95 mins: Italy work a set-piece situation out to the right where Mancini can cross. Vasilj claims well.

Kickoff: 1st Half (ET)

Here we go again. How are the nerves?

Fulltime

We’re heading into an additional 30 minutes. Gatusso is down to his T-shirt when everyone else on the sidelines in in heavy coats. Honestly, Italy were brilliant from about 50 minutes until Tabakovic’s equaliser. That really appears to have sapped them, though.

90 mins: Three added minutes. This is frantic and Italy’s 10 men don’t want frantic.

88 mins: Demirovic gets up at the back post and Donnarumma is down to his left to make a fine save. They’ve had quite a duel tonight.

81 mins: It seems something about the goal is still being checked. Donnarumma has been booked for dissent, for a change. The goal stands.

79 mins: GOOOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLL!!!!!! Haris Tabakovic!!!!!!

Bosnia have done it! Dedic delivers a brilliant cross, Dzeko meets it at the far post. Donnarumma saves magnificently but can do nothing as Tabakovic prods home. 

77 mins: Another Italy chance as Barella smartly finds Dimarco with the outside of his boot, only for his Inter teammate to wastefully drag wide. Italy have played these past 25 minutes superbly. Another goal would kill it.

74 mins: Italy come forward, Palestra into the Bosnia box from the right hand side. He cuts it back to Esposito, who plants his shot over. He should really have hit the target.

71 mins: Double change for Italy and Cristante and Esposito replace Locatelli and Kean. Also two alterations for the hosts, with Tabakovic and Burnic on for Basic and Memic.

67 mins: Gatti up above Dzeko for another nerveless clearance. He’s been superb since being thrown into a crisis.

61 mins: Bajraktarevic with a fairly tame shot that Donnarumma can tumble onto and take his time. There’ll be another storm to come, for sure. But Italy look to have weathered the early second-half one.

59 mins: Ohhhh, huge change for Italy and Kean. The lone striker streams through on the break, he’s one against one versus Vasilj. He goes high and clears the crossbar.

57 mins: Mancini carries the ball smartly into Bosnian territory, is brought down by Tahirovic, who was booked a couple of minutes ago. The Italy defender milks it for all it’s worth.

56 mins: Corner taken short to Alajbegovic and he floats it wastefully over everyone.

51 mins:  Nice one-two on the edge of the Italy box before the substitute Gatti blocks Basic’s shot. Bosnia come again And Alajbegovic gets hold of a shot from outside the box. Brilliant Donnarumma save. Italy cannot hang on like this for 40 minutes, surely?

50 mins: Calafiori takes his sweet time over a throw-in. Understandable in the circumstances but it might be a little early to be so obviously killing the clock. Do 10-man Italy want tonnes of additional time?

47 mins: Ohhhh that’s a beauty of a ball in from the right by Memic, but Demirovic can’t make contact! The forward stooped to make contact under pressure from Mancini. If he had, it was surely 1-1.

Kickoff: 2nd Half

The teams are back and there are two attacking changes for the hosts. Teenage sensation Alajbegovic is coming on, as is Tahirovic. Kolasinac and Sunjic make way. For Italy, Palestra replaces the more attack-minded Politano at right wing-back.

Halftime

Well, well, well. That’s been a half of football. Kean pounced upon Vasilj’s error to continue his rich run of international form and put Italy ahead. That might have to be the goal that does it for them after Bastoni’s rash red card. Bosnia probably deserve to be level, on the balance of play, and we can expect the mother of all onslaughts with their man advantage.

44 mins: There’s been a lot of too-ing and fro-ing. Gatti is on for Retegui to restore Italy’s three-man backline. Katic gets up to the eventual set piece and Donnarumma gathers. There will be three minutes of added time.

41 mins: BASTONI RED CARD! ITALY DOWN TO 10 MEN! Oh my, drama here! Bastoni has just put Italy’s World Cup hopes in all sort of peril. Memic was surging through as Donnarumma’s goal kick was headed straight back towads the Italy goal. The Inter defender lunged in, he was the last man and he had to go.

38 mins: Dzeko involved in a rumbling Bosnia move. Bajraktarevic curls in the cross from the right-hand corner of the box, Demirovic gets up and glances just wide.

35 mins: Raking ball forward from Bosnia and Memic gets on the end of it, heading over. Now the offside flag goes up. Nice idea, though.

32 mins: Barella smartly draws a foul in midfield. Italy have belatedly taken the sting out of things. They could still be getting the Inter Milan star and their other ball-playing midfielders in possession a lot more, though.

24 mins: An Italy defender gets up above Dzeko and half-clears. The ball comes back in and Katic is unmarked at the far post. He can’t get enough power on the header and Donnarumma gathers, but it’s another warning sign.

23 mins: More Bosnia pressure. Memic’s shot deflects off Locatelli and it’ll be another corner.

20 mins: Oh my, big Donnarumma save! The corner is cleared to the right-hand edge of the box, where Basic absolutely clatters the shot. Italy’s skipper gets his big frame in the way. That was travelling.

19 mins: Bosnia have responded well to that setback and have asked a few questions of their opponents. Italy have, in a very un-Italian but very Gattuso way, contributed to the game becoming more frantic the goal. Calafiori heads behind and the hosts have a corner.

15 mins: GOOOOOAAAAALLLLLL!!!!! Moise Kean!!!!!

Oh, it’s a nightmare for Vasilj, who duffs his clearance straight to Barella. He slips a pass to Kean, who dispatches a sublime first-time finish into the top corner. That oozed confidence from the Fiorentina man.

13 mins: Corner to Italy on the right. Tonali… ploughs it into the side-netting. Given the Azzurri haven’t really been able to get going yet, that’s just so wasteful.

9 mins: Ooof, Locatelli gets to a loose ball and Sunjic steams into a hard but fair tackle. Bosnia are right up for this. You sense they might need to harness this early momentum and get a lead.

7 mins: Demirovic, who missed his penalty against Wales, gets a shot off from outside the box that Donnarumma gets behind. The turf appeared to cut up horribly beneath his boot when he too the shot. The pitch looks…mossy. One to keep an eye on.

4 mins: Donnarumma comes for the corner and gets a meaty punch on it to clear the danger.

3 mins: Sharp lay-off from Dzekom Bajraktarevic’s shot is blocked. Bosnia pile forward to pick up the scraps, Memic drills across goal and Calafiori is forced to scramble behind. The atmosphere is electric.

2 mins: Kean with a first chance to stretch his legs for Italy. He finds Politano on the left but the wing-back scuffs his cross.

Kickoff: 1st Half

Off we go, then. Muharemovic looks to pump a ball forward that’s intercepted. Bosnia seem keen on a fast tempo.

2 mins before kickoff: There’s an apartment block overlooking one end of the stadium, which has a roofless grandstand. Residents and fans in the apartments have let off a load of flares out of the windows. Imagine being the neighbour who doesn’t much like football.

5 mins before kickoff: The players are in a very compact tunnel. Captains Donnarumma and Dzeko share a joke before the serious business gets underway. Here they come. Which team will end their 12-year wait? A warm embrace between the two head coaches before the national anthems.

40 mins before kickoff: Here’s the Italy team bus arriving at Bilino Polje. Home advantage could be key for Bosnia tonight.

1 hour before kickoff: And this is how the Bosnia team looks. It’ll be the hosts’ 4-4-2 against Gattuso’s 3-5-2.

1 hr 15 mins before kickoff: The teams are in. Italy are unchanged from the Northern Ireland game.

1 hr 30 mins before kickoff: It’s wild to think that the last time either of these sides featured at a World Cup was 2014. Both failed to make it past the group stage as well; Bosnia on their first ever appearance at the tournament and Italy maintaining an unbroken run of featuring at ever World Cup from 1962.

2 hours to kickoff: It wasn’t particularly pretty, but Italy got past Northern Ireland to book this final showdown with Bosnia and Herzegovina for a place at the World Cup. Bosnia beat Wales on penalties after a late penalty from their veteran captain Edin Dzeko and have home advantage. It might not take much to set Azzurri nerves jangling after missing out on the 2018 and 2022 tournaments. It can’t happen to the four-time winner again… can it?

MORE WORLD CUP NEWS:

Italy vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina kick off time

This UEFA World Cup playoff final match kicks off at Bilino Polje on Tuesday, March 31 at 8:45 p.m. local time in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Here’s how that time translates across some of the major territories around the globe

  Date Kickoff time
USA/Canada Tue, Mar. 31 2:45 p.m. ET
USA/Canada Tue, Mar. 31 11:45 p.m. PT
UK Tue, Mar. 31 7:45 p.m. BST
Australia Wed, Apr. 1 5:45 a.m. AEDT
India Wed, Apr. 1 0:15 a.m. IST

Italy vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina lineups, team news

Bosnia boss Sergej Barbarez has the opportunity to stick with a settled line-up.

Edin Dzeko, now 40, was substituted after regulation time against Wales and should be ready to go again up front alongside Ermedin Demirovic.

Ivan Basic gets the nod over Benjamin Tahirovic having replaced his fellow midfielder after the hour in Cardiff

Bosnia and Herzegovina starting lineup (4-4-2): Vasilj — Dedic, Muharemovic, Katic, Kolasinac — Bajraktare, Basic, Sunjic, Memic — Demirovic, Dzeko

Bosnia and Herzegovina subs: Hadzikic (GK), Zlomislic (GK), Celik, Tahirovic, Gigovic, Bazdar, Hadziahmetovic, Burnic, Alajbegovic, Radeljic, Tabakovic

Gennaro Gattuso could stick with the same XI that faced Northern Ireland, although towering Inter Milan youngster Pio Esposito could nudge Mateo Retegui out of the starting XI. 

Fellow striker Gianluca Scamacca is still struggling with an adductor problem

Italy starting lineup (3-5-2): Donnarumma (GK) — Mancini, Bastoni, Calafiori — Politano, Barella, Locatelli, Tonali, Dimarco — Kean, Retegui

Italy subs: Carnesecchi (GK), Meret (GK), Palestra, Spinazzola, Buongiorno, Raspadori, Pisilli, Esposito, Cristante, Frattesi, Gatti, Cambiaso

Italy vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina live stream, TV channel

Here is how to watch the match in some of the world’s major regions:

Region TV Streaming
USA Fox Sports 1 Fubo, Foxsports.com, Fox Sports App, ViX
Canada Fubo TV Canada DAZN
UK — Amazon Prime Video
Australia — Stan Sport
India — —

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