Stadion Bilino Polje in Zenica will play host to the decisive playoff final between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy on Tuesday night. Both teams are looking to bring an end to their 12-year-long wait, having missed out on the last two editions.
After finishing second in Group H during the qualifiers, Bosnia and Herzegovina squared off against Wales in the play-off semi-final. They spent much of the game playing catch-up, but eventually prevailed in a penalty shootout, thanks to an 86th-minute strike from veteran striker Edin Dzeko that kept them alive.
They will be heading into this final against Italy as underdogs, but will certainly put up a strong fight. While their track record against the Azzurri is not that great, having won just one out of the six meetings, they will be hoping they can make it happen when it counts the most, especially considering they are playing at home.
Meanwhile, Italy will be under immense pressure heading into this fixture, as they will be looking to end their 12-year wait. For a team that has won the World Cup on four occasions, missing out on the competition in the last two editions was not easy.
Gennaro Gattuso’s presence on the bench seems to have helped them, but they are still one step away from the main event. They secured a comfortable 2-0 win over Northern Ireland in the semi-final and will be looking for a similar performance. However, given the amount of pressure they are under, things could go south. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Sampdoria’s Dennis Hadzikadunic remains unavailable, but the good news is that they do not have any fresh injury concerns. Sergej Barbarez is expected to stick with a similar XI to the one that started in the semi-final.
Bosnia will line up in a 4-4-2 formation, where Nikola Vasilj will feature between the sticks. Amar Dedic and Sead Kolasinac are expected to be the full-backs, while Tarik Muharemovic will partner with Nikola Katic in the heart of the defence.
Kerim Alajbegovic could force his way into the starting XI. He will feature on the left flank, while Amar Memic will take charge on the right. In the centre of the park, Benjamin Tahirovic will partner with Ivan Sunjic. The duo would love to dictate the pace, but that is unlikely to happen with Italy’s midfielders expected to dominate the proceedings.
In the final third, Ermedin Demirovic will start alongside 40-year-old Eden Dzeko. Bosnia fans will hope the veteran striker can power them into the finals.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Vasilj; Dedic, Muharemovic, Katic, Kolasinac; Memic, Tahirovic, Sunjic, Alajbegovic; Demirovic, Dzeko
Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Federico Chiesa might not be available, but Alessandro Bastoni, Gianluca Mancini and Riccardo Calafiori are all fit after recovering from minor injuries. However, Gianluca Scamacca remains on the sidelines with an adductor issue.
Gattuso is expected to stick with the majority of the players that started in the semi-final clash. Italy will line up in a 3-5-2 formation, where Gianluigi Donnarumma will be in goal. The back three will be made up of Riccardo Calafiori, Alessandro Bastoni, and Gianluca Mancini.
They will be eyeing yet another clean sheet. The trio will be supported by Matteo Politano and Federico Dimarco, who will take charge as the wing-backs. As for the midfield unit, it will be a tried and tested trio of Nicolo Barella, Manuel Locatelli and Sandro Tonali in the centre of the park.
Locatelli will take up the defensive role, while the other two will provide much-needed support. There could be a change in the final third with the highly sought-after Pio Esposito coming into the XI to partner with Moise Kean.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Donnarumma; Mancini, Bastoni, Calafiori; Politano, Barella, Locatelli, Tonali, Dimarco; Kean, Esposito
The 20-year-old striker will not be carrying any baggage of the past, and given the kind of form he is in, Esposito will be looking to become the hero and help his nation reach the World Cup finals after a 12-year wait.
The Inter Milan striker has been involved in 40 matches across competitions and has contributed towards 15 goals (9 goals, 6 assists). Despite being on the pitch for less than 1,900 minutes, the youngster has had quite an impact. He will now be eager to carry that form into this play-off final.
Italy will head into this play-off final as favourites, but the weight of expectation could play a significant role in how the game unfolds. With a well-balanced squad and a dominant midfield, the Azzurri are expected to control possession and dictate the tempo, while looking to break down Bosnia’s defensive structure.
Bosnia and Herzegovina, however, will rely heavily on their resilience and experience in the final third, with Edin Dzeko leading the line. They are likely to stay compact and look to capitalise on set-pieces or moments of transition.
While they could make things difficult, Italy’s superior quality and depth should eventually see them get the job done and secure a long-awaited return to the World Cup finals. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-0 win for the away side.
