Another missed penalty from Ballon d’Or candidate Jorginho means European champions Italy still have some work to do in order to qualify for the World Cup.
A 1-1 draw with visiting Switzerland on Friday kept Italy atop Group C entering the final round of qualifiers — but only on goal difference.
Silvan Widmer put Switzerland ahead early on with a booming shot from beyond the 18-yard box after being set up by Noah Okafor.

Giovanni Di Lorenzo equalised for Italy before the break with a brave header to redirect a free-kick from Lorenzo Insigne inside a crowded area.
Jorginho had a chance to win it for Italy but blasted a 90th-minute penalty attempt over the bar — after also failing to convert against Switzerland in September, and in Italy’s penalty-shootout victory over England in the Euro 2020 final.

Jorginho abandoned his stutter-step approach after getting befuddled by Switzerland goalkeeper Yann Sommer in their previous encounter. And Italy coach Roberto Mancini was yelling for Federico Chiesa to take the latest spot-kick. “Jorginho is our penalty taker,” said Italy defender Leonardo Bonucci.
Sommer also made difficult saves to deny Nicolo Barella and Insigne.

Italy and Switzerland each have 15 points to top the group but Italy lead 11-9 on goal difference, which is the first tiebreaker.

Lewa scores
Poland secured a playoff spot with one game to spare after Paulo Sousa’s side beat Andorra 4-1 in Group I, thanks to a brace from striker Robert Lewandowski.

Andorra’s Ricard Fernandez received a red card only 20 seconds into the game for elbowing Kamil Glik.
Poland’s main man Lewandowski opened the scoring in the fifth minute from a Kamil Jozwiak pass, six minutes before the Derby County winger made it 2-0 after receiving a cross from Przemyslaw Frankowski.