Graham Potter's Sweden stands on the brink of World Cup qualification, bolstered by a remarkable hat-trick from Viktor Gyokeres in a decisive 3-1 play-off semi-final victory over Ukraine.
Prior to Thursday's match in Valencia, Spain, the Arsenal forward had not found the net in the 2026 qualifying rounds. However, Gyokeres showcased his scoring prowess, registering goals in the sixth and 51st minutes before sealing his hat-trick with a penalty in the 73rd minute.
Sweden is set to face Poland in the play-off final on Tuesday, 31 March, after Poland staged a comeback to secure a 2-1 victory over Albania, with experienced forward Robert Lewandowski, aged 37, contributing to the scoreline.
In other developments, Kosovo, currently ranked 77th in FIFA standings, could make their tournament debut this summer if they overcome Turkey in Pristina on Tuesday. They achieved an impressive 4-3 victory over Slovakia, having twice come from behind during the match.
Additionally, Turkey secured a narrow 1-0 win against Romania in Istanbul, thanks to a decisive goal from Brighton full-back Ferdi Kadioglu. Denmark also enjoyed success, dominating North Macedonia 4-0 in Copenhagen, with all goals coming in the second half. Brentford's Mikkel Damsgaard netted the opener, while Arsenal midfielder Christian Norgaard capped the scoring with the fourth goal.
On the flip side, Northern Ireland's aspirations for World Cup qualification ended with a 2-0 loss to Italy. Meanwhile, Wales faced a challenging match against Bosnia-Herzegovina, which was extended into extra time after concluding 1-1 at the end of regulation. The Republic of Ireland initially led the Czech Republic 2-0 in Prague, but the hosts mounted a comeback to level the match and force extra time.
More updates will follow.
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