Bosnia captain Edin Dzeko watched from the sidelines as his team secured World Cup qualification via a penalty shootout win over Italy.
The match in Zenica ended 1-1 after extra time, with Bosnia overcoming a late deficit against 10-man Italy. Dzeko suffered a shoulder injury in the final moments following a foul by Davide Frattesi.
Unable to take part in the shootout, Dzeko left the coin toss to a teammate, calling the timing “fate.”
“I keep saying it must have been fate, for it to happen in the last second of the match,” he said.
Italy missed their first two penalties, while Bosnia converted all four. Teenagers Kerim Alajbegovic and Esmir Bajraktarevic, aged 18 and 21 respectively, sealed the win with calm finishes.
Dzeko, who starred in Bosnia’s sole prior World Cup campaign in 2014, wore a sling during celebrations but expressed optimism about recovering in time for Qatar.
“We’re all relieved about the arm,” he said. “Most likely it won’t need surgery.”