DRC reach World Cup, Italy fall short

The final qualification matches for this summer’s men’s soccer World Cup broke Italian hearts and saw the Democratic Republic of the Congo succeed for the first time in 52 years. The lost on penalties to unfancied Bosnia and Herzegovina, and have now failed to reach three World Cups in a row — the last knockout match Italy won in a World Cup was the 2006 final. The DRC, meanwhile, defeated Jamaica with a goal in extra time, a boost for the war-racked country and its enormous diaspora, although they will pray for better results than in 1974, when their record read: Played three, lost three; scored zero goals, conceded 14 .

— Tom Chivers