Poland's World Cup dreams were shattered in the 88th minute.

In the early hours of April 1st, Sweden defeated Poland 3-2 in the 2026 World Cup play-off final at the Strawberry Arena.

Poland suffered a bitter defeat.

Sweden's dramatic victory over Poland allowed them to settle the score from the 2022 World Cup play-offs, securing their first World Cup ticket in eight years. Meanwhile, Poland missed out on the World Cup after two consecutive appearances.

The match started cautiously, with both teams aware of the importance of the encounter. Poland had an early chance through Matty Cash, but failed to capitalize. In a back-and-forth game, Sweden unexpectedly took the lead in the 20th minute thanks to a clever combination. Yasin Ayari produced a superb backheel pass to former Manchester United player Anthony Elanga, who finished with a one-touch shot that hit the crossbar before bouncing into the net, giving the home side the lead.

Poland responded quickly and found an equalizer in the 33rd minute. Nicola Zalewski dribbled from the left wing and unleashed a powerful shot that goalkeeper Kristoffer Nordfeldt couldn't stop. However, before the first half ended, a mistake by Zalewski himself cost the visitors dearly. From the resulting free kick, Gustaf Lagerbielke headed the ball in to give Sweden a 2-1 lead.

The second half was dramatic as Poland pressed forward aggressively. Karol Świderski capitalized on an opportunity in the penalty area to equalize 2-2, bringing the game back to square one. The following minutes saw continuous pressure from the visitors, but the Swedish defense and goalkeeper Nordfeldt held firm.

Just when the match seemed destined for extra time, Sweden sealed the victory in the 88th minute. Following a scramble, Viktor Gyokeres quickly finished from close range, securing a 3-2 win.

Source: https://znews.vn/ba-lan-tan-mong-world-cup-o-phut-88-post1639846.html