Dzeko Goal Controversy: Should It Be Disallowed for Handball?

Italy has been eliminated from the 2026 World Cup after a penalty shoot-out defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina during the play-off final on March 31, 2026. The match, held at Stadion Bilino Polje in Zenica, ended in a 1-1 draw after extra time, marking the third consecutive tournament cycle in which the Azzurri have failed to qualify for the World Cup.

Italy initially took control of the game in the 15th minute when Moise Kean scored with a first-time finish. However, the momentum shifted before the end of the first half when Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni received a straight red card for a challenge on Amar Memic, leaving Italy to play the remainder of the match with 10 men.

Controversy Over Equalizing Goal

The 10-man Italian side maintained their lead until the 79th minute, when Bosnia and Herzegovina scored the equalizing goal. The play began with a cross from the right flank that led to a tussle at the back post between Edin Dzeko and Gianluca Mancini. Reporting indicates that the ball clearly came off the arm of Dzeko during the sequence.

While Gianluigi Donnarumma managed to save the initial attempt by Dzeko, Haris Tabakovic scored on the rebound from point-blank range. The goal stood despite the arm contact, which went unnoticed and unreported by referee Turpin. The decision sparked an outcry from the Italian bench led by Gattuso, as the incident was viewed as a crucial turning point in the qualification process.

Extra Time and Refereeing Disputes

The match proceeded into extra time, where further refereeing decisions caused frustration for Italy. In the 102nd minute, Muharemovic brought down Palestra while the latter was moving toward the goal. Referee Turpin issued a yellow card for the foul, but the Italian bench appealed for a red card.

According to reports, the referee was not called to review the incident via VAR, leaving the decision as a yellow card.

Penalty Shoot-out Failure

The contest was decided by a penalty shoot-out following the 1-1 draw. Italy struggled in the opening stages of the shoot-out, with both Pio Esposito and Bryan Cristante missing their attempts within the first three kicks.

Bosnia and Herzegovina were more clinical, scoring each of their first four penalties to secure their victory and elimination of the Italian national team.