Italy Miss Out on World Cup Place After Lifeless Draw With Sweden in Playoff Second Leg

Italy have failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup after the Azzurri could only draw with Sweden at San Siro on Monday night. 

The last time the four-time winners failed to make the tournament finals was 1958 - when the tournament was held in...Sweden. 

Italian manager Gian Piero Ventura was forced into finally playing Jorginho from the start thanks to Marco Veratti's suspension, and the Napoli man was one of the only bright spots on the night for an Italy side which has consistently struggled for creativity in a tough qualifying campaign. 

Ventura is likely to be relieved of his duties in the coming days - if not the coming hours - after a series of bizarre selection decisions which saw Lorenzo Insigne, the top provider of key passes in Europe's top five leagues this season, left on the bench not just at the start of the game but for the full 90 minutes. 

Sweden's progression to the summer's tournament in Russia, which is likely to spark a series of insufferable rumours about Zlatan Ibrahimovic reversing his international retirement, leaves just three places up for grabs. 

Honduras and Australia will play off in Sydney on Wednesday after a 0-0 draw in the first leg of their tie, while two-legged clashes between Ireland and Denmark and Peru and New Zealand lie identically poised after their respective first legs.