Sweden Edge Poland in Thriller, Secure World Cup Spot

Viktor Gyokeres heroics send Sweden to World Cup

Sweden qualifies for FIFA World Cup with thrilling win over Poland. Sweden beats Poland 3-2 with Viktor Gyokeres' late winner, securing World Cup spot. 

Sweden's World Cup qualification, Gyokeres scores winner...

Viktor Gyokeres was the hero as Sweden secured a spot in the FIFA World Cup finals with a thrilling 3-2 win over Poland at Strawberry Arena in Solna. Gyokeres' late winner sealed Sweden's place in the tournament, getting revenge for their qualification play-off defeat in 2022.

Poland started strong, with Matty Cash's ambitious shot blocked, but both teams struggled to create chances, and Cash missed the ball with his next attempt. Anthony Elanga opened the scoring for Sweden, but Poland equalized through Nicola Zalewski. Gustaf Lagerbielke restored Sweden's lead just before halftime, only for Karol Swiderski to level again after the break. Gyokeres' 88th-minute winner secured Sweden's spot in the World Cup.

Sweden created their first big chance in the 20th minute, and it paid off. Yasin Ayari flicked Gabriel Gudmundsson's pass to Anthony Elanga, who scored with a powerful first-time strike that hit off the crossbar.

Fulltid – VI ÄR KLARA FÖR VM 2026! 🇸🇪 pic.twitter.com/AsCknReYNH

— Svensk Fotboll (@svenskfotboll) March 31, 2026

 

Poland pushed back, with Matty Cash's cross finding Karol Swiderski in the box, but Kristoffer Nordfeldt made a brilliant save, palming Swiderski's volley away.

Sweden's goalkeeper, Nordfeldt, was beaten by Nicola Zalewski in the 33rd minute. Zalewski cut inside and hit a shot that bounced past Nordfeldt, despite him getting a hand to it, giving Poland the lead.

Anthony Elanga's goalscoring streak was briefly interrupted when he conceded a needless foul before halftime, but Sweden capitalized on the mistake. Benjamin Nygren delivered a inviting cross from the free-kick, and Gustaf Lagerbielke headed it past Kamil Grabara for his second international goal.

Poland pushed for an equalizer before the break, with Jakub Kaminski getting a chance behind the defense, but Kristoffer Nordfeldt made a crucial save with his outstretched boot.

Gustaf Lagerbielke had a header that went agonizingly close to the target after the restart. However, Poland equalized again just 10 minutes into the second half. Matty Cash's initial cross was flicked on by Jakub Kaminski, and Nicola Zalewski poked it back across goal, setting up Karol Swiderski for a simple finish.

There was a scare for Sweden as there was almost a mix-up between Kristoffer Nordfeldt and Carl Starfelt, but the goalkeeper managed to get his foot to the ball, avoiding any consequences.

Jakub Kaminski had a shot blocked by Viktor Gyokeres, and the subsequent corner was awkwardly cleared by Victor Lindelof, keeping Poland's hopes alive. However, Sweden sealed their World Cup spot in the 88th minute, with Gyokeres scoring the winning goal.

Sweden's late push for the winner paid off, with Gyokeres netting the decisive goal to secure their place in the World Cup. This victory marks Sweden's return to the global stage after missing out in 2022.

Kamil Grabara made crucial saves to deny Sweden chances, but it was Besfort Zeneli's shot that ultimately led to the winning goal. The ball bounced off the post, and Viktor Gyokeres pounced on the loose ball, scoring ahead of Przemysław Wisniewski to seal Sweden's 3-2 win over Poland.

This thrilling victory secured Sweden's spot in the World Cup finals, marking their return to the tournament for the first time since 2018. Despite failing to win a single match in their qualification group, Sweden's UEFA Nations League performance earned them a play-off place, and they made the most of it.

👋 @FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/RZUFWWSEsS

— Svensk Fotboll (@svenskfotboll) March 31, 2026

Poland's first defeat in eight matches means they're out of the World Cup finals, despite appearing in the last two tournaments. On the other hand, Sweden has secured its spot in Group F, where they'll face tough opponents like the Netherlands, Japan, and Tunisia.