Gyokeres Leads Sweden to Victory
Sweden scored three goals in a World Cup qualifier for the first time since October 2021. Graham Potter's Sweden are one win away from qualifying for the World Cup after Viktor Gyokeres scored a hat-trick in their 3-1 play-off semi-final win over Ukraine.
The Arsenal forward had not scored in 2026 qualifying before Thursday's game in Valencia, Spain. Gyokeres went home with the match ball after scoring in the sixth and 51st minutes, before completing his treble with a 73rd-minute penalty.
Upcoming Play-Off Final
Sweden will face Poland in their play-off final on Tuesday, 31 March, after Poland also came from behind to overcome Albania 2-1. Veteran forward Robert Lewandowski, 37, was among the scorers for Poland.
Kosovo's Historic Chance
Kosovo, ranked 77th in FIFA's world rankings, will make their debut at this summer's tournament if they beat Turkey in Pristina on Tuesday. Kosovo twice came from behind to stun Slovakia 4-3 in their play-off semi-final.
Other Play-Off Results
Turkey defeated Romania 1-0 in Istanbul, with Brighton full-back Ferdi Kadioglu scoring the only goal of the game. Denmark won 4-0 against North Macedonia in Copenhagen, with all four goals scored in the second half. Brentford's Mikkel Damsgaard claimed the opener and Arsenal midfielder Christian Norgaard scored the fourth.
Additional Qualification Matches
Northern Ireland's World Cup hopes ended with a 2-0 defeat away to Italy. Wales were taken to extra time by Bosnia-Herzegovina after their tie ended 1-1 after 90 minutes.
The Republic of Ireland led the Czech Republic 2-0 in Prague before the hosts fought back to draw level and take the game into extra time.
