World Cup qualification
Next debacle for Sweden – Switzerland almost qualified
Updated 11/15/2025 – 10:50 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
Switzerland started off swinging, but then sank for long stretches. Thanks to the Swedish keeper’s mistakes, it became clear.
Direct qualification for the World Cup can hardly be taken away from Switzerland. The team led by ex-Leverkusen player Granit Xhaka secured first place in Group B with a 4-1 (1-1) win against Sweden. Since Kosovo also won (2-0 against Slovenia), the ticket for the tournament in the USA, Mexico and Canada has not yet been purchased.
Former Schalke and Gladbacher Breel Embolo gave Switzerland the lead (12th minute) and also took a questionable penalty, which record national player Xhaka safely converted (60th). Dan Ndoye made the decision (75th), Benjamin Nygren had equalized in the meantime (33rd). The final point was Johan Manzambi from Freiburg (90+4).
Austria is almost certainly qualified. German coach Ralf Rangnick’s team won 2-0 (1-0) in Cyprus and is two points ahead of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the top of Group H. Direct qualification could have followed in the evening, but the Balkan country beat the Romanians 3-1 (0-1). Now there will be a final in Vienna on Tuesday.
In Group C, Denmark and Scotland, on the other hand, missed a giant step towards the XXL tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico. Denmark failed to score more than 2:2 (1:0) against Belarus, who had no points so far, while Scotland conceded 2:3 (0:1) in Greece. Before the direct duel on Tuesday in Glasgow, Denmark is one point ahead of Scotland with eleven points, so a draw is enough for the Danes to win the group. On the way to their first World Cup participation since 1998, Scotland would have to take the detour via the playoffs in March.
Denmark was in the lead for a long time in Copenhagen after Mikkel Damsgaard’s goal (11th) before Belarus turned the game on its head within three minutes. But Gustav Isaksen (79th) managed to equalize. Scotland were already 3-0 down in Piraeus after 63 minutes, but caught up within five minutes. But even after the yellow-red card against the Greek Anastasios Bakasetas (84th), the equalizer was no longer achieved.