March 25, (THEWILL) – North Macedonia pulled off one of the biggest World Cup qualification upsets in history, when Aleksandar Trajkovski scored an injury-time winner to eliminate Euro 2020 champions Italy.
The visitors put in a strong defensive performance, holding off their illustrious opponents until late in the game to set up a showdown with Portugal for a place in the finale in Qatar later this year.
Stole Dimitrievski gave the ball away carelessly to Domenico Berardi, but the Sassuolo winger could not connect with enough power, and the goalie scrambled back and recovered.
Despite keeping level, North Macedonia were chasing shadows, and Milan Ristovski had an opportunity to break free after Gianluca Mancini made a mistake in possession, but Alessandro Florenzi recovered to make a fine challenge before a shot could be taken.
Long into the second half, the visitors continued to disturb their hosts, with Berardi wasting two chances in rapid succession.
The European champions were kept at bay by North Macedonia, whose defenders hurled themselves at every shot, resulting in a staggering number of blocks as attackers Lorenzo Insigne and Ciro Immobile were kept quiet.
North Macedonia then produced a wonderful moment that will be remembered by their fans for a long time. Trajkovski worked some pace on the edge of the box on the break and blasted a fantastic drive into the far corner past an uneasy Gianluigi Donnarumma to give North Macedonia a memorable triumph.
Italy has failed to qualify for the World Cup for the second time in a row, despite demonstrating its world-class credentials by winning Euro 2020.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
