WC Qualifiers: Italy now unbeaten for 36 games as they draw against Switzerland

European champions Italy set the international record of the longest unbeaten run, extending it to 36 games in a 0-0 draw against Switzerland in a World Cup qualifier game on Sunday. The game saw penalty expert Jorginho miss from the spot again.

The Azzurri have not lost under coach Roberto Mancini for three years now, to pass the 35-game world record shared with Spain (2007-09) and Brazil (1993-96).

Some fans credit Brazil with a 36-game run though one of those games, against Romania, is not officially recognized.

Italy could have tightened their grip on Group C if they had beaten nearest rival Switzerland three days after being held 1-1 at home to Bulgaria.

Italy have 11 points from five games and lead the five-team group by four points from the Swiss, who have played two games fewer. Bulgaria beat Lithuania 1-0 earlier Sunday and trails Italy by six points.

Jorginho has a reputation of being one of world soccer’s trickiest spot-kick specialists, who deceives goalkeepers after a slow run and jump. It had already taken a hit when he failed in the Euro 2020 final shootout against England.

On Sunday, the newly crowned UEFA men’s player of the year became the latest European star to be outwitted from 12 yards by Switzerland goalkeeper Yann Sommer.

Sommer made a quick stutter step to his right as Jorginho took his trademark hop then shifted to dive to his left and saved easily from a lightly struck kick in the 53rd minute.

The Swiss ‘keeper is building quite a record of spot-kick saves — from Kylian Mbappé in the decisive kick of the shootout to eliminate France in the Euro 2020 round of 16, and twice from Sergio Ramos in a Nations League game against Spain last November in the same Basel stadium.

Sommer, who now plays for Borussia Mönchengladbach, returned to the home of his former club Basel to captain his country in the absence of midfielder Granit Xhaka, who missed the game after testing positive for COVID-19 in midweek.

Switzerland extended its unbeaten home record to 20 games in the first competitive game for new coach Murat Yakin. He was hired last month to replace Vladimir Petkovic who ended his seven years in charge by leaving to join French club Bordeaux.

Italy next hosts Lithuania on Wednesday. Switzerland is in Northern Ireland on the same day.

Only the group winner advances directly to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The runner-up goes to a 12-team, two-round playoffs bracket in March.