Once again, it’s all on the line for Italy’s Azzurri. Wednesday morning’s (AEDT) World Cup qualifier against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Zenica for a place at June’s World Cup is loaded with emotion, as they look to exorcise their recent history of pain and return to the tournament for the first time since 2014.

For a nation of four-time winners that had only missed qualification once prior, in 1958 (not entering the inaugural 1930 edition), this recent chapter has been more than unbecoming; it’s driven at the very soul of a nation which has attached a great deal of its national identity to football success, and suddenly found itself failing abjectly.

Missing 2018 was unprecedented in a modern sense, but hindsight has shed some kindness; there is no shame in finishing second in the group to Spain with seven wins from ten, and they then drew the toughest second-round opponent possible in Sweden, losing 1-0.

But in 2022 – with a point to prove – they finished second in their group to Switzerland, and were then rolled by unfancied North Macedonia at home in Palermo. A third-successive failure here would not just pick at those deep wounds, but further compound the anguish.

Thursday’s 2-0 win over Northern Ireland in Bergamo, through goals to Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean, saw them through stage one of the mission; as Adriano Del Monte explains, that one-off win could prove of psychological importance given its the first time Italy have won a one-off play-off through this era of anxiety.

‘It’s been a long month for all Italians. It was a strange night in Bergamo because there was so much tension. On any other given day, with respect to Northern Ireland, it appears a pretty straightforward win for the home team,’ said Del Monte.

‘But when Tonali’s goal went in, I’ve never experienced so much relief in a celebration, as opposed to celebration and enjoying a moment. It came in the second half, the scores had still been level, it was tough.

‘Those scars and wounds of missing the 2018 & 2022 World Cups… it was a feeling of ‘not again, not again.’ I think between that and now the Bosnia-Herzegovina match that’s to come, there is a lot more optimism about Italy’s chances.’

Bosnia-Herzegovina are themselves looking to return to the World Cup for the first time since 2014, their only trip to the tournament as an independent nation. They had already been eliminated in Brazil when they celebrated their first win, in their final group game against Iran 3-1.

Edin Dzeko was on the scoresheet that day in Salvador, as he was last Friday in Cardiff. Now aged 40 and playing in Italy for Fiorentina, his 73rd international goal forced extra time in their play-off against Wales, which they went on to win on penalties.

The 15,000 seat Bilino Polje Stadium will have its capacity reduced to a maximum of 9,000 by FIFA following an unruly meeting with Romania in November. Italy’s travelling contingent is expected to number roughly 500.

‘This is a very difficult trip in difficult conditions against a group of players, some of which know Italy and the Serie A very well. It will be very cold and hostile. These places are not easy to go, so I’m not anticipating a straightforward match; but I really do feel that for Italy, the mental hurdle has been overcome.’