Sweden and Denmark advance in World Cup play-off semi-finals

Sweden defeated Ukraine 3-1 and Denmark beat North Macedonia 4-0 in the World Cup play-off semi-finals on Thursday evening. Both teams delivered strong second-half performances to secure their places in next week's finals. The matches were part of eight European ties and one inter-confederation clash vying for spots in the 2026 tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

Denmark turned a goalless first half into a rout with four second-half goals against North Macedonia. Mikkel Damsgaard opened the scoring shortly after the restart with a close-range finish. Gustav Isaksen then netted twice in quick succession, first from a well-worked move and then on the counter-attack. Christian Norgaard sealed the win late on, heading in a Christian Eriksen corner as Denmark dominated possession and defence alike. North Macedonia managed few threats in reply, as reported by 101GreatGoals. Sweden also impressed in a 3-1 victory over Ukraine. Viktor Gyokeres struck first inside six minutes from close range, giving the hosts early control. Ukraine held possession at times but lacked penetration. Gyokeres added a second after the break with a composed effort and completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot following a foul by Anatoliy Trubin, making it 3-0. Matviy Ponomarenko headed a late consolation for Ukraine in stoppage time, but Sweden advanced comfortably. Other results from the European play-off semi-finals included: Turkey 1-0 Romania; Czech Republic 2-2 Ireland (Czech Republic won on penalties); Italy 2-0 Northern Ireland; Poland 2-1 Albania; Slovakia 3-4 Kosovo; and Wales 1-1 Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosnia won on penalties). Bolivia hosted Suriname in an inter-confederation match. The winners will contest the play-off finals next week for the remaining World Cup berths.

Related Articles

Swedish football team advances to World Cup playoffs after poor qualifying performance.
Image generated by AI

Sweden reaches World Cup playoffs after weak qualifying

Reported by AI Image generated by AI

Sweden's men's football team finished last in their World Cup qualifying group with two points from six matches but still advances to playoffs in March. The draw takes place on Thursday, with possible opponents including Denmark or other strong teams. Expert Mikael Lustig hopes for Ukraine as an opponent.

Viktor Gyokeres scored a late winner as Sweden beat Poland 3-2 to secure their place at this summer's World Cup. Czech Republic advanced past Denmark on penalties after a 2-2 draw, while Turkey defeated Kosovo 1-0. The three nations join Italy in booking spots for the tournament in North America.

Reported by AI

Sweden's football team advanced to the World Cup playoff final after a 3-1 win over Ukraine in Valencia, with Viktor Gyökeres scoring a hat-trick. Poland came from behind to beat Albania 2-1, and the match will be played on Tuesday at Strawberry Arena in Solna. The winner qualifies for the World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

The Swedish basketball team lost 77–88 to Estonia in Stockholm on Friday evening, marking their third straight defeat in World Cup qualifying. Despite a strong comeback in the third quarter, Sweden couldn't hold on in the final period. The World Cup dream now seems distant, but the team is focusing on European Championship qualifying.

Reported by AI

Sweden's women's team broke a 12-year quarterfinal curse by defeating Czech Republic 2–0 in the Olympic quarterfinal in Milan. Hanna Olsson and Hilda Svensson scored the goals, while goalkeeper Ebba Svensson Träff secured the shutout. The semifinal against the USA is scheduled for Monday.

Scotland ended a 28-year wait for a men's World Cup appearance by beating Denmark 4-2 in a thrilling qualifier at Hampden Park. Scott McTominay's early overhead kick set the tone, but late goals from Kieran Tierney and Kenny McLean sealed automatic qualification. Captain Andy Robertson dedicated the victory to his late Liverpool teammate Diogo Jota.

Reported by AI

Sweden's handball team suffered its first EM loss in a crushing 27-35 defeat to Iceland at Malmö Arena. Despite the shocking setback, Sweden still controls its own fate for a semifinal spot. Four teams are now tied on four points in the crucial group.

 

 

 

This website uses cookies

We use cookies for analytics to improve our site. Read our privacy policy for more information.
Decline