At 40, Edin Dzeko Sends Bosnia to Playoff Final for a World Cup Shot

Overview

• Bosnia-Herzegovina reached the playoff final after Edin Dzeko’s late equaliser set up a 4-2 penalty shootout win over Wales in Cardiff.
• The captain leveled the match with an 86th-minute header from a corner, outjumping goalkeeper Karl Darlow to glance the ball in.
• Italy will visit Zenica for the one-match playoff, and the winner will qualify for its first World Cup since the 2014 tournament in Brazil.
• Dzeko’s club form has surged since a January move to Schalke, where he has scored six goals in eight games after a goalless spell at Fiorentina.
• If Bosnia qualify, Dzeko could join Roger Milla as a rare 40-plus outfield player at a World Cup, with fellow veterans Luka Modric and Cristiano Ronaldo also expected at the 2026 finals.