Dzeko says injury in Italy triumph felt like fate: 'It all feels like it comes from above'

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/bosnia-herzegovina-fqe7WYTr/italy-hlKvieGH/?mid=2B8dzIX9"]The game in Zenica ended 1-1[/a] ‌after extra time, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bosnia-herzegovina/fqe7WYTr/"]Bosnia[/a] coming from behind against ‌10-man [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/italy/hlKvieGH/"]Italy[/a] in a match full of dramatic twists and turns, ‌and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dzeko-edin/zilGmgZq/"]Dzeko[/a] hit the deck in the dying seconds ‌after a foul by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/frattesi-davide/WlVuvCqU/"]Davide Frattesi[/a].[/p][p]Home fans must have feared the worst when Bosnia's all-time top scorer made his way to the centre ‌circle for the coin toss holding an ⁠ice pack on his shoulder, ‌and in the end, the striker left the pre-shootout formalities to ​a teammate.[/p][p][b]"I keep saying it must have been fate, for it to happen in the last second of ​the match, and then for me not to be able to take a penalty,"[/b] Dzeko said at a euphoric ⁠press conference on Wednesday.[/p][p][b]"Someone ​else stepped up instead of me, scored, and in the end, we won.[/b][/p][p][b]"Who knows, maybe if I had taken it, I wouldn't have scored, so it all feels like it comes ‌from above."[/b][/p][embed guid="c187f6a5-95dd-4a60-9878-ffaa3ee7984f" url="https://x.com/FIFAWorldCup/status/2039114566966395049" social-type="twitter" /][p]Bosnian keeper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vasilj-nikola/zJ3yuRdk/"]Nikola Vasilj[/a] did not even need to make a save during the shootout. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/esposito-francesco/dKXxEOKj/"]Pio Esposito[/a] blazed Italy's first spot kick high over the bar and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cristante-bryan/t6u0o3h7/"]Bryan Cristante[/a]'s penalty rocked the crossbar, while the hosts put away all four penalties.[/p][p]Bosnia's final two takers, 18‑year‑old [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alajbegovic-kerim/4WqOzLUF/"]Kerim Alajbegovic[/a] and 21‑year‑old [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bajraktarevic-esmir/GUqdXgyQ/"]Esmir Bajraktarevic[/a], have a combined age lower than Dzeko's, yet both stepped up with remarkable composure to convert.[/p][p]Dzeko, who played ‌and scored in Bosnia's only previous World Cup appearance in ​2014, joined in the jubilant celebrations wearing a sling - ‌still in place during the press conference - but sounded optimistic about his prospects of recovering in time for the finals.[/p][p][b]"We're all relieved about the arm, it's not the worst‑case scenario,"[/b] Dzeko said.[/p][p][b]"Most likely it won't need surgery. ⁠So I hope that in ⁠maybe a month, month ‌and a half, I should be back."[/b][/p]