Edin Dzeko is a familiar face for Italy's defenders in World Cup playoff at Bosnia

ROME (AP) — If Italy is going to qualify for its first World Cup in 12 years, the Azzurri’s defenders are going to have to contain a striker they respect and know well.

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s 40-year-old forward Edin Dzeko has been a club teammate of all three of Italy’s starting defenders.

Dzeko played with Gianluca Mancini and Riccardo Calafiori while he was at Roma from 2015-21. Having then moved to Inter Milan, Dzeko teamed with Alessandro Bastoni on the squad that reached the 2023 Champions League final.

Italy and Inter winger Federico Dimarco contacted Dzeko to congratulate him after Bosnia beat Wales in a penalty shootout last week to set up Tuesday’s playoff final against the four-time World Cup champion.

Dzeko's headed equalizer in the second half against Wales was his 73rd international goal. At 6-foot-4 (1.93 meters), Dzeko excels in the air — where Italy's defenders often struggle.

“Edin is a great player and a great person,” Dimarco said. “I saw him on vacation over the summer and I’ve maintained a nice relationship with him.”

Dimarco will have to momentarily set aside the relationship, though, with Italy desperate to avoid missing out on a third consecutive World Cup.

Italy was eliminated by Sweden and North Macedonia, respectively, in qualifying playoffs for the last two World Cups.

In last week's European playoff semifinals, Italy beat Northern Ireland 2-0.

Tuesdays’ other playoff finals are: Sweden vs. Poland; Turkey vs. Kosovo; and Denmark vs. the Czech Republic.

Bosnia has chosen to host the playoff in the 14,000-seat Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica, which is surrounded by apartment towers overlooking the field.

The stadium’s capacity will be reduced by 20% following punishment from FIFA for discriminatory and racist abuse by fans during Bosnia’s game against Romania in November.

Italy is concerned over the status of the stadium’s pitch after a recent snowfall in Bosnia.

“We’re expecting a difficult atmosphere,” Dimarco said. “But if we’re able to remain in the right frame of mind for 95 minutes, I think we can get the result.”

Bosnia has seized upon video footage of Italy’s players celebrating after seeing the victory over Wales — as if they considered Bosnia an easier opponent than Wales.

“It was an instinctive reaction,” Dimarco said. “I certainly did not disrespect either Bosnia or Bosnians.”

The referee for the match in Bosnia will be Clement Turpin of France, who was also in charge when Italy was beaten 1-0 at home by North Macedonia in the playoff semifinals four years ago.

Dimarco has been a consistent force on the left wing for Serie A leader Inter this season with six goals and 15 assists.

The only World Cup he’s played in was the Under-20 version in 2017 when Italy finished third with Dimarco scoring in the quarterfinals.

“I’ve always said that goals and assists don’t interest me unless they help the team achieve results,” Dimarco said.

Italy’s attack got a boost in the second half against Northern Ireland when Pio Esposito replaced Mateo Retegui. Now the 20-year-old Esposito could start in Retegui’s place alongside Moise Kean in Bosnia

Dimarco also plays with Esposito at Inter.

“He’s a special kid,” Dimarco said. “He’s mature for his age and always gives 100% — both in matches and in training. … He just needs to be left alone and we shouldn’t put too much pressure on him.”

The pressure is on Italy since an entire generation — basically anyone under 15 — has no memory of the last time the Azzurri played in the World Cup — an elimination loss to Uruguay in 2014 in Brazil mostly remembered for Luis Suarez’s bite of Giorgio Chiellini’s shoulder.

Just ask right winger Matteo Politano, who has won two Italian league titles at Napoli but at 32 has still never played in a World Cup.

“We all know what we’re playing for,” Politano said. “For me, and for a few of the other senior players, it’s probably our last chance.”

This story has been corrected to show that Bosnia's stadium capacity punishment was handed out by FIFA, not UEFA.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Italy's Matteo Politano, bottom, and Northern Ireland's Brodie Spencer vie for the ball during the World Cup qualifying play-off soccer match between Italy and Northern Ireland, in Bergamo, Italy, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Italy's Moise Kean, left, and teammate Francesco Pio Esposito, right, celebrate after Kean scored his side's second goal during the World Cup qualifying play-off soccer match between Italy and Northern Ireland, in Bergamo, Italy, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Bosnia and Herzegovina's Edin Dzeko, left, celebrates with team-mates after scoring their side's first goal during the World Cup playoff semifinal soccer match between Wales and Bosnia and Herzegovina in Cardiff, Wales, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (Nick Potts/PA via AP)

Italy's Federico Dimarco, right, celebrates with teammate Sandro Tonali who scored his side's first goal during the World Cup qualifying play-off soccer match between Italy and Northern Ireland, in Bergamo, Italy, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Bosnia and Herzegovina's Edin Dzeko, top right, scores their side's first goal during the World Cup playoff semifinal soccer match between Wales and Bosnia and Herzegovina in Cardiff, Wales, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (Nick Potts/PA via AP)

ABOARD AIRFORCE ONE (AP) — President Donald Trump on Sunday night said he has “no problem” with a Russian oil tanker off the coast of Cuba delivering relief to the island, which has been brought to its knees by a U.S. oil blockade.

“We have a tanker out there. We don’t mind having somebody get a boatload because they need … they have to survive,” Trump told reporters as he flew back to Washington.

When asked if a New York Times report that the tanker would be allowed to reach Cuba was true, Trump said: “I told them, if a country wants to send some oil into Cuba right now, I have no problem whether it’s Russia or not.”

On Monday, Russia's Transport Ministry said the oil tanker Anatoly Kolodkin arrived at the Cuban port of Matanzas carrying “humanitarian supplies” of about 730,000 barrels of oil.

The vessel is sanctioned by the United States, the European Union and the United Kingdom following the war in Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday that Russia had previously discussed its oil shipment to Cuba with the United States. “Russia сonsiders it its duty not to stand aside, but to provide the necessary assistance to our Cuban friends,” he told reporters.

Trump, whose government has come at its Caribbean adversary more aggressively than any U.S. government in recent history, has effectively cut Cuba off from key oil shipments in an effort to force regime change. The blockade has had devastating effects on the civilians Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio say they want to help, leaving many desperate.

Islandwide blackouts have roiled Cubans already grappling with years of crisis, and a lack of gasoline and basic resources has crippled hospital and slashed public transport.

Experts say the anticipated shipment could produce about 180,000 barrels of diesel, enough to feed Cuba’s daily demand for nine or 10 days.

Cuba has long been at the heart of geopolitical tug-of-war between the U.S. and Russia, dating back decades. Trump on Sunday dismissed the idea that allowing the boat to reach Cuba would help Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“It doesn’t help him. He loses one boatload of oil, that’s all it is. If he wants to do that, and if other countries want to do it, it doesn’t bother me much,” Trump said. “It’s not going to have an impact. Cuba’s finished. They have a bad regime. They have very bad and corrupt leadership and whether or not they get a boat of oil, it’s not going to matter.”

He added: “I’d prefer letting it in, whether it’s Russia or anybody else because the people need heat and cooling and all of the other things.”

Associated Press reporters Megan Janetsky contributed to this report from Mexico City and Andrea Rodríguez contributed from Havana.

A man fill containers with potable water during a blackout in Havana, Sunday, March 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

Activists from the vessel Maguro, that arrived from Mexico, unload solar panels and other humanitarian aid from the "Nuestra America," or Our America convoy, at the port in Havana Bay, Cuba, Tuesday, March 24, 2026. (Jorge Luis Banos/IPS via AP, Pool)

People spend the night in the dark on the Malecon during a blackout in Havana, Cuba, Saturday, March 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)