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Oh, my good Lord. The utter incompetence of Giampiero Ventura has seen Italy miss out on their first World Cup since 1958... and it's the hosts of that one that do the honours here.
Sweden were utterly magnificent across the 180 minutes and they out-Italy-ed Italy... physically bullying their way past them in the first leg and catenaccio-ing their way against them in the second.
What a strange feeling, though, to look forward to a World Cup that will not have Gigi Buffon and Italy. My, oh my.
Ventura is an utter bellend, it has to be said.
That's all from me, Anirudh Menon. Thank you for reading,
93' Everyone is forward for Italy and Chiellini is saved his blushes as Granqvist nervily clears Chiellini's horrible cross in. Jorginho sends the corner whizzing past the near post with a sublime volley.
91' OH MY LORD! ITALY HAVE A FOURTH PENALTY APPEAL TURNED DOWN AS BELOTTI'S FLICK OWN DEFLECTS OFF LINDELOF'S ARM! IMMOBILE GETS A YELLOW FOR PROTESTING TOO VOCIFEROUSLY!!
90' OH WOW! BARZAGLI TAKES OUT BERG AS THE SWEDE CHASES A BALL THAT IS ALREADY WELL COVERED BY CHIELLINI. WHY, OH WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT ANDREA? Sweden eat into the remaining seconds... FIVE MINUTES TO BE ADDED ON!
89' Immobile has been excellent this game but his colleagues haven't really done enough to help him break this yellow fortress... Leo Bonucci is now playing striker. Tony Pulis would be proud.
87' WOOF! Immobile cushioned a lovely ball into El Sharaawy who smashes a sublime volley straight at Olsen! OH MY! That was a superb shot... Candreva then chips in a lovely ball and Marco Parolo can only head it wide! WHAT A CHANCE!
86' Belotti tries an ambitious shot will on the sprint and only manages to drag it well wide of Olsen's goal. Italy are less than five minutes away from NOT MAKING THE WORLD CUP.
84' SWEDEN HAVE THE BALL IN THE NET! Fosberg plays in Berg with a magnificent through ball and the big no.9 finishes calmly, but he does so from an offside position. The San Siro breathes again. Barely
83' OH MAMMA! Florenzi plays in a lovely ball that is flicked on superbly by Parolo - Olsen can only parry it away but no matter 'cos the lurking Ciro Immobile was well offside.
80' Sweden counter, 3 v 4 and Emil Fosberg finds Berg with a lovely ball. The big man heads it down toward Thelin, but it's brilliantly defended by Barzagli and Bonucci.
79' OH MY GOOD LORD! ANOTHER PENALTY PLEA WAVED AWAY! Belotti goes down under pressure from Granqvist and that's another "get up and get on with it" from the Spanish ref.
77' Chiellini drives into space on the left - bullying past Berg- and clips a superb ball that looked like it was headed to Belotti's noggin' but Svensson does brilliantly to direct it way from him, and onto Bernadeschi who sends it to Florence
75' Florenzi pumps in a lovely little freekick into the box but the ref spots Belotti tugging on Granqvist's shirt, misses Lustig tugging on Belotti's and gives the Swedes a freekick.
72' OOOH LA LA! Magic from Candreva rips open Sweden as a nutmeg and a burst of paces sees him race into the box and lift a ball in that is somehow scrambled clear by Lindelof and Lustig. Parolo then wastes it all by taking a shot from thirty yards. Another massive sigh escapes the bowels of the great stadium
71' Florenzi's corner is a decent one, but the ref spots a bit of shoving and pushing in the box courtesy Barzagli, and it's a freekick for the Swedes. Meanwhile, Sweden make their last sub by taking of Claesson and bring on Rohden. Fresh legs et al...
70' Florenzi's shot hits a sea of yellow in the Swedish box... and suddenly the away side are able to counter... it's 4 v 4, but the Swedes have looked unusually circumspect on the ball in these dangerous areas and Italy clear without much of a fuss. Italy move forward, and win another corner.
69' Kiese Thelin introduces himself to the nose that Ola Toivonen broke in the first minute of the first leg... and that's hurt Bonuxxi. Yellow for the Swede.
Sweden were utterly magnificent across the 180 minutes and they out-Italy-ed Italy... physically bullying their way past them in the first leg and catenaccio-ing their way against them in the second.
What a strange feeling, though, to look forward to a World Cup that will not have Gigi Buffon and Italy. My, oh my.
Ventura is an utter bellend, it has to be said.
That's all from me, Anirudh Menon. Thank you for reading,
Toodle-bloody-ooo!