MILAN, Nov 14: Four-time champion Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in six decades after losing its playoff to Sweden 1-0 on aggregate.

They played to a goalless draw in the second leg at San Siro on Monday.

Sweden advanced to its first World Cup since 2006.

It could have been worse for Italy, as Sweden was denied what looked like two clear-cut penalties for handballs, first by Matteo Darmian and then Andrea Barzagli.

Italy had a penalty appeal of its own waved off by referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz when Marco Parolo was tripped from behind by Ludwig Augsustinsson.

But the Azzurri struggled to carve out clear chances against a solid Sweden side, and really tested goalkeeper Robin Olsen only once.

This will be only the second World Cup missed by Italy. The first was in 1958.

The last major competitions Italy failed to qualify for were the 1984 and 1992 European Championships.

It would be easy to lay the blame squarely on Gian Piero Ventura. The Italy coach will naturally take the lion’s share but the Azzurri’s problems run much deeper.

The rot started long before Ventura took charge.

After winning the World Cup in 2006 for a fourth time, Italy went out at the group stage of the next two editions. It fared somewhat better at the European Championship, reaching the final in 2012 and going out in the quarterfinals in 2008 and 2016.

However, Antonio Conte’s Italy side overachieved in France last year, when it surprisingly beat Spain in the round of 16 before losing on penalties to world champion Germany.

For a long time, Italy has lacked a creative force. The likes of Andrea Pirlo and Francesco Totti of the 2006 side could change a match with one moment of magic.

Both are long retired.

Mario Balotelli was the star of Euro 2012 but fell out of favor after Italy’s woeful showing at the last World Cup, and hasn’t been called up by Ventura, while Conte selected him in only one squad.

The lack of stars in the Italy team is reflected in the Italian league.

Juventus has been a force to be reckoned with in recent years in Europe, where it has reached two out of the past three Champions League finals. But while its defense forms the backbone of the Italy team, its midfield and attack are made up mainly of foreign players.

The Brazilian-born Jorginho was finally handed his competitive debut by Ventura, and the midfielder impressed with some deft passing.

Jorginho created Italy’s best opportunities with two throughballs for Ciro Immobile, who hit the netting from a tight angle from one. Immbobile beat Olsen with another but Andreas Granqvist got back for a decisive goal-line clearance.

Alessandro Florenzi was also back following a year out after twice tearing a knee ligament, and the midfielder forced Olsen into his only real save, while a cross of his was also deflected onto the crossbar in the second half.

Meanwhile, the highly rated Lorenzo Insigne surprisingly played only 15 minutes of the playoff — and out of position.

Those three players are 26 or under and, along with forwards Ciro Immobile and Andrea Belotti, could form the spine of a rejuvenated Italy side for several years to come.

The 29 nations that have already booked their place for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, after Sweden qualified on Monday:

Europe: Belgium, England, Germany, Iceland, Poland, Russia (as hosts), Serbia, Spain, France, Portugal, Switzerland, Croatia, Sweden

Africa: Egypt, Nigeria, Senegal, Morocco, Tunisia

Asia: Iran, Japan, Saudi Arabia, South Korea

North, Central America and Caribbean: Costa Rica, Mexico, Panama

South America: Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Colombia

The three remaining places will be decided by Wednesday, November 15. They will go to:

– The winner of the last European play-off: Denmark v Republic of Ireland

– The two winners of intercontinental play-offs: Peru v New Zealand, Australia v Honduras

AGENCY

SOLNA, Nov 11: Four-time champion Italy was left at serious risk of failing to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in six decades after losing at Sweden 1-0 in the opening leg of their playoff on Friday.

Substitute Jakob Johansson scored shortly after the hour mark with a shot from the edge of the area that deflected in off Daniele De Rossi. After a long throw-in, Ola Toivonen headed the ball out to Johansson and his deflected drive wrong-footed goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon for his first international goal.

The Azzurri created few chances at Friends Arena outside Stockholm and were fortunate not to concede more goals after allowing Sweden a series of free kicks early on.

Italy’s best opportunity was a long effort from Matteo Darmian that squarely hit the post in the 70th. The Azzurri’s only other significant chance was a header from Andrea Belotti six minutes in.

Sweden imposed itself with its physicality and playmaker Emil Forsberg proved especially dangerous with his passing skills, setting up numerous opportunities.

Early in the second half, Italy became outraged at Sweden’s physicality, protesting for yellow cards at perceived excessive contact. But Turkish referee Cuneyt Cakir said to play on.

Italy coach Gian Piero Ventura wanted the referee to intervene more.

“But that’s not a justification,” Ventura said. “A draw was the minimum we could hope for considering what happened on the pitch.”

Making matters more complicated for Italy was that creative midfielder Marco Verratti picked up a yellow card that will rule him out of the return match on Monday at Milan’s San Siro.

“We need to learn from the mistakes we made tonight,” Italy defender Leonardo Bonucci said. “I’m expecting a great match at the San Siro and for Italy to go to the World Cup. We’ve got to play the match of our lives.”

Italy has only three goals in its last five matches and hasn’t found the net in two of those games.

“We have to be quicker on the ball,” Bonucci said. “In the return leg, we have to really fight. They played a very physical game but we can’t make excuses.”

Italy has participated in every World Cup since failing to qualify for the 1958 tournament, which coincidentally was held in Sweden.

The last major competitions Italy missed were the 1984 and 1992 European Championships.

While Sweden didn’t compete in the last two World Cups, it impressed in qualifying with a win over France and finished ahead of the Netherlands in its group.

“We need to go to Milan and focus on our game,” Sweden striker Marcus Berg said. “We know what to do. It will be a tough match but we have a strong belief in what we’re going to do.”

Ventura relied on Ciro Immobile and Belotti — two of his former players at Torino — in attack. That decision left winger Lorenzo Insigne, considered the Azzurri’s most talented forward recently, on the bench. Insigne replaced Verratti for the final quarter hour but made little impact.

With his strong play on the left flank, Darmian was Italy’s only bright spot. Jose Mourinho, Darmian’s manager at Manchester United who watched from the tribune, had to be pleased.

Otherwise, the Azzurri were too predictable and slow to punish Sweden’s well-organized defense.

“Their goal was fairly lucky,” Darmian said. “But we need to do more.” AP