World Cup play-off heartbreak for Wales and Republic of Ireland as both sides lose on penalties

It was a cruel repeat of Wales’ exit in the Euro 2024 play-offs after spot-kicks again proved their undoing, with Bosnia and Herzegovina winning 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in Cardiff.

Wales were four minutes from booking a home play-off final against Italy – 2-0 winners over Northern Ireland – on Tuesday after Daniel James put them ahead with a stunning strike soon after half-time.

But Edin Dzeko, who celebrated his 40th birthday earlier this month, extended his record Bosnia goals tally to 73 by climbing above the home defence and nodding home Kerim Alajbegovic’s corner.

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Neither side could force a winner in 30 added minutes and Wales drew first blood in the shootout as Karl Darlow saved Ermedin Demirovic’s kick.

But Brennan Johnson blazed over and Neco Williams saw Nikola Vasilj push away his penalty, allowing Alajbegovic to plunge the dagger into Welsh hearts.

Meanwhile, Jan Kliment fired the Czech Republic to within 90 minutes of the World Cup finals as they broke Republic of Ireland hearts in dramatic penalty shoot-out to set up a showdown with Denmark.

Substitute Kliment scored the decisive spot-kick at the Fortuna Arena after Finn Azaz and Alan Browne had seen their efforts saved by Matej Kovar to book a clash with the Danes on Tuesday night.

Ireland had come within four minutes of victory when Wolves defender Ladislav Krejci headed the hosts level on a night when the visitors had led 2-0 after just 23 minutes to leave them dreaming of a first World Cup adventure since 2002.

Troy Parrott, whose hat-trick in Hungary booked their place in the play-off semi-finals, nervelessly converted a 19th-minute penalty before Kovar’s unfortunate own goal, and it took a 27th-minute spot-kick from Patrik Schick to drag Miroslav Koubek’s men back into it in his first game at the helm.

Skipper Krejci’s intervention took the tie to extra time and it was the Czechs who squeezed through 4-3 on penalties despite Heimir Hallgrimsson’s men producing a performance of real character.

Northern Ireland’s World Cup dreams were ended by Italy as Michael O’Neill’s young side fell to a 2-0 qualifying play-off semi-final defeat in Bergamo.

The visitors battled superbly against an Italy side under immense pressure to deliver qualification after two consecutive failures to reach a tournament they have won four times, but were undone by second-half goals from Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean.

Having reached half-time with the match still goalless, Northern Ireland successfully ramped up the tension inside the Stadio di Bergamo, but it was released in the 56th minute when Tonali capitalised on a poor clearance from Isaac Price to thrash home.

Kean, a constant threat throughout the night, then settled it ten minutes from time as his left-footed strike went in off the post.

As well as Northern Ireland defended, they carved out few chances of their own to score, missing the creativity of Conor Bradley and the aerial threat of Dan Ballard as injuries took their toll.