Bosnia & Herzegovina snapped a two-match winless run in FIFA World Cup qualifying with a crucial 3-1 comeback victory over 10-man Romania, guaranteeing at least a playoff berth heading into a winner-takes-all final matchday against Group H leaders Austria.

Determined to lock in a postseason lifeline, Bosnia started with authority, controlling possession but struggling to carve out clear chances. Romania, meanwhile, made the most of their first real opening after 17 minutes. A long ball released Valentin Mihăilă down the left, and his cut-back found Daniel Bîrligea, who showed superb composure to lift a delicate finish over goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj.

Chances were scarce for both sides during a midfield-heavy first half, though Vasilj was called into action midway through to beat away a fierce strike from Dennis Man. Bosnia came closest to an equaliser just before the interval when Benjamin Tahirović rattled the crossbar with a long-range free kick, leaving Ionuț Radu rooted to the spot.

Manager Sergej Barbarez reacted with a double substitution at the break, and his move paid immediate dividends. Edin Džeko saw his initial header blocked but stayed composed, waiting for the rebound to drop before guiding the ball past Radu to bring Bosnia level and send the home crowd into a frenzy.

Romania attempted to wrestle back momentum with the introduction of Denis Drăguș in the 66th minute, but the substitute’s impact was disastrous. Just a minute after entering the pitch, he caught Esmir Bajraktarević with a dangerously high boot and was shown a straight red card.

It was fitting, then, that Bajraktarević delivered the decisive moment of the match. With 10 minutes remaining, he curled a superb effort into the top corner, completing Bosnia’s turnaround against the depleted visitors. Exhausted and exposed, Romania conceded again in stoppage time when Haris Tabaković reacted fastest after his initial header struck the bar, bundling in the third to seal the win.

The defeat ended Romania’s hopes of qualifying directly for the 2026 World Cup, while Bosnia & Herzegovina can now book an automatic place with a victory over Austria in their final group match.