Bosnia and Herzegovina reached the World Cup in a penalty shootout after beating Wales on penalties in the semi-final. This marks the third consecutive time that Italy has failed to reach the finals. Despite falling behind 15 minutes into the game, Bosnia managed to equalise 11 minutes from time. Manager Barbarez praised his team's character and stated that they have to attend a tournament every two years. The win was seen as a vindication for Bosnian footballers, with defender Nikola Katic expressing pride.