Poland vs Sweden LIVE: World Cup play-off final result, score and reaction tonight
Relive all the action from Chorzow
Poland’s Robert Lewandowski and Piotr Zielinski fired second-half goals to book a place at the World Cup finals in Qatar with a 2-0 win over Sweden in an electrifying playoff tie on Tuesday.
The Poles battled to contain a Sweden side bristling with youthful attacking vigour, but in the end experience told as Lewandowski and his team mates capitalised on mistakes.
After a shaky opening, the Swedes quickly grew into the game and winger Emil Forsberg should have given them the lead but Wojciech Szczesny pulled off the first of a string of fine saves to turn the ball behind for a corner in the 19th minute.
The home side also struggled as Sweden winger Dejan Kulusevski twice went close before the playoff final turned on a clumsy mistake by Jesper Karlstroem.
The Swedish midfielder mistimed a challenge in the box early in the second half and ended up bundling Poland substitute Grzegorz Krychowiak to the ground, with Italian referee Daniele Orsato immediately pointing to the spot.
Up stepped Poland captain Lewandowski to send Robin Olsen the wrong way as he confidently struck his low spot kick into the net for his 75th international goal.
The Swedes threw caution to the wind and poured forward, with Szczesny getting down smartly to deny Forsberg again and Victor Lindelof sending the resulting corner just wide with a glancing header.
Just as the visitors looked to be on the verge of scoring, a mix-up between Kristoffer Olsson and Marcus Danielson allowed Zielinski to score as he curled the ball into the net at the near post in the 73rd minute.
The Swedes brought their record scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic off the bench for the final 10 minutes but Szczesny and the Polish defence held firm in front of a capacity crowd to secure their country’s spot at the World Cup. Relive all the action live below:
Portugal 2-0 North Macedonia, 77 minutes
Changes for both sides in Porto. North Macedonia first send on Stefan Askovski for Tihomir Kostadinov as they seek a quick turnaround, before Portugal stabilise their midfield with William Carvalho.
Rafael Leao is on, too, for Fernando Santos’ side. Otavio and Diogo Jota removed.
Poland 1-0 Sweden, 69 minutes
No sense of panic from Sweden just yet, but they’ll want slightly more out of Emil Forsberg than that. A dreadful corner, apparently meant for an arriving teammate on the far angle of the box. Headed away.
Poland 1-0 Sweden, 67 minutes
In fact, it is a double change for Sweden. Anthony Elanga is on for Robin Quaison, who has been quiet, and Mattias Svanberg will also be added to affairs. Jesper Karlstrom is the other player withdrawn.
Poland 1-0 Sweden, 65 minutes
Which is handled by the punch of Wojciech Szczesny’s clenched fists.
Poland 1-0 Sweden, 63 minutes
Deflected over! Sweden still hustling and bustling about in dangerous areas, and Emil Forsberg’s swiftly-released shot catches a Polish body and flies over the bar.
Anthony Elanga is receiving some instructions and will soon be on, but not before the corner...
GOAL! PORTUGAL 2-0 North Macedonia (Bruno Fernandes, 65 minutes)
A brilliantly taken goal and that might fully dash North Macedonia’s dream!
It starts with the visitors on the attack, but their forward rumble is ended by the perfect planting of Pepe’s right booted roadblock in the way of the ball. The defender has been excellent tonight.
North Macedonia are under-resourced defensively and Portugal have the options to exploit it, Diogo Jota fading to the left, looking up and spying an onrushing Bruno Fernandes on the far side. His cross is delectable, Fernandes’s half-volleyed finish delicate and definite.
Poland 1-0 Sweden, 57 minutes
Huge save from Wojciech Szczesny! Maybe Poland aren’t so resolute, again unlocked by Sweden’s forward line and spaces appearing all too easily.
Isak sweeps across perfectly for Emil Forsberg, but the winger can’t beat a diving Szczesny.
Sweden then go close again from the corner.
Poland 1-0 Sweden, 55 minutes
Why didn’t he pass it sooner? The ball breaks kindly for Ludwig Augustinsson after an Alexander Isak challenge on the edge of the box and there are yellow shirts in all kinds of space in the box, but Augustinsson can’t make up his mind of who to pass to. He is not aided by the fact that they all wish to occupy the same space, like wasps to a glass of sugar water on the penalty spot, and in the end his cut-back is blocked out of play.
Sweden have had all of the ball since that Poland goal but you get the sense that the hosts might be tough to break down.
Portugal 1-0 North Macedonia, 60 minutes
A second change for North Macedonia, and the protagonist in Palermo won’t be playing the hero again: Aleksandar Trajkovski is replaced by Darko Churlinov.
Portugal 1-0 North Macedonia, 59 minutes
Way over the bar! Bruno Fernandes whips for the near post for a sprinting Cristiano Ronaldo, but the stooping forward gets too far beneath it, and troubles only the fans behind the goal.
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