Direct World Cup qualification can hardly be taken away from the Swiss national football team.
Coach Murat Yakin’s team remained unbeaten in Group B with a 4-1 (1-1) win against Sweden and is still three points ahead of Kosovo before the final matchday. 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 play-offs in March.
Like Kosovo, which is probably dreaming of taking part in the World Cup for the first time. The Balkan state celebrated a 2-0 (1-0) win against Slovenia, but has a significantly worse goal difference compared to the Swiss before the direct duel on Tuesday in Pristina.
Former Schalke and Gladbacher Breel Embolo gave Switzerland the lead (12th) and also took the questionable penalty, which record national player Granit 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). Hoffenheim’s Fisnik Asllani (6th) took the lead for Kosovo. Slovenia’s Petar Stojanovic received a yellow-red card (53′) and was only substituted on at half-time. An own goal brought the decision.
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.