Azzurri march on as Sweden, Poland and Bosnia seal dramatic 2026 World Cup play-off wins

Tonali inspires Italy past stubborn Northern Ireland

Italy produced a composed second-half display to beat Northern Ireland 2-0, with Sandro Tonali at the heart of everything.

The Azzurri controlled early possession but were frustrated before the break by a disciplined visiting defence. Northern Ireland held firm, with goalkeeper Pierce Charles making key saves to keep the contest level.

The breakthrough finally arrived after the interval when Tonali rifled home from the edge of the box following a loose clearance. Italy pushed on, and their pressure told again late on as Moise Kean converted Tonali's cross to seal the result.

Italy now look far more assured than in previous failed campaigns and will face Bosnia and Herzegovina in the final.

Gyokeres hat-trick fires Sweden into final

Sweden produced one of the standout performances of the night, beating Ukraine 3-1 thanks to a clinical hat-trick from Viktor Gyokeres.

The striker opened the scoring early and remained a constant threat throughout. Despite Ukraine dominating possession, they struggled to break down Sweden's organised defence.

Gyokeres doubled the lead with a superb solo finish before completing his hat-trick from the penalty spot after being brought down in the box.

Ukraine grabbed a late consolation, but Sweden's efficiency proved decisive as they set up a showdown with Poland.

Bosnia edge Wales in shootout drama

Bosnia and Herzegovina kept their World Cup dream alive with a tense penalty shootout win over Wales after a 1-1 draw.

Daniel James had given Wales the lead early in the second half, but veteran striker Edin Dzeko struck late to force extra time.

Both sides pushed for a winner, but the tie was settled on penalties. Bosnia held their nerve, converting crucial kicks after misses from Wales proved costly.

The result sets up a high-stakes clash with Italy in the final.

Zielinski brilliance completes Poland comeback

Poland came from behind to beat Albania 2-1, with Piotr Zielinski delivering a moment of magic to turn the match.

Albania had stunned the hosts by taking a first-half lead after a defensive error, leaving Poland chasing the game.

Robert Lewandowski brought his side level with a close-range header, before Zielinski struck from distance with a powerful effort into the corner.

Poland now face Sweden in what promises to be one of the most evenly matched finals.

Denmark cruise past North Macedonia

Denmark delivered a dominant performance to thrash North Macedonia 4-0 and maintain their strong home record.

After a goalless first half, the hosts exploded into life. Mikkel Damsgaard opened the scoring before Gustav Isaksen added a quickfire brace to put the game beyond doubt.

Christian Norgaard completed the scoring with a powerful header as Denmark cruised into the final, where they will meet the Czech Republic.

Kosovo win seven-goal thriller against Slovakia

Kosovo edged a dramatic 4-3 victory over Slovakia in one of the most entertaining matches of the round.

After falling behind early, Kosovo responded with attacking intent and turned the game around through goals from Veldin Hodza, Fisnik Asllani and Florent Muslija.

Kreshnik Hajrizi added a fourth before Slovakia mounted a late push, but Kosovo held on to secure a historic win.

They now face Turkey with a place at the World Cup on the line.

Czech Republic survive Ireland scare in shootout

The Czech Republic fought back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with the Republic of Ireland before winning on penalties.

Ireland started strongly and built a two-goal lead, but Patrik Schick's penalty and a late header from Ladislav Krejci forced extra time.

Goalkeeper Matej Kovar proved the hero in the shootout, saving two penalties to send the Czechs through.

A final against Denmark now awaits.

Turkey grind past Romania to stay on track

Turkey secured a narrow 1-0 win over Romania in a tense contest in Istanbul.

After dominating possession, the breakthrough came early in the second half when Ferdi Kadioglu finished calmly after a well-timed run.

Romania pushed for an equaliser but lacked cutting edge, while Turkey threatened to extend their lead on the counter.

The victory keeps Turkey's qualification hopes alive, with a decisive clash against Kosovo next.

Play-off finals set for decisive showdown

The road to the 2026 World Cup now comes down to four decisive fixtures:

Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Italy
Sweden vs Poland
Kosovo vs Turkey
Czech Republic vs Denmark

With places at the tournament in North America at stake, the final round promises even more drama as Europe's hopefuls battle for qualification.

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