Word Cup draws closer

 

Two rounds of matches in November completed the list of nations for the 2026 World Cup draw, including teams involved in the March pay-off matches.

Curaçao crushed their Bermudan hosts 7-0 before holding Jamaica to a goalless draw to become the smallest country ever to qualify for the World Cup finals and Haiti celebrated a 1-0 win over Costa Rica in Curaçao while Honduras suffered a debilitating 2-0 defeat in Nicaragua and Cecilio Waterman scored twice for Panama who enjoyed a 3-2 victory in Guatemala on their way to the World Cup.

Troy Parrott netted a double in Dublin in a 2-0 win over 10-man Portugal to keep the Republic of Ireland’s hopes alive before scoring a hat-trick in Budapest to break Hungarian hearts and send the Irish to the play-offs with the 3-2 winner coming right at the death. Denmark could only draw 2-2 at home to Belarus and with only a draw needed in Scotland, the Scots struck twice in stoppage time to qualify for the World Cup with a 4-2 win that sent Denmark to the play-offs while Italy took the lead but were humiliated 4-1 at home to group winners and third in the Ziaian rankings Norway for whom Erling Haaland scored twice in a minute to send the Azuri to the play-off matches where Slovakia will also be playing as they were thrashed 6-0 in Germany with Leroy Sane netting a double. With both teams already out of the running, Finland finished their campaign with an embarrassing 1-0 defeat at home to Malta while Kosovo scored twice at 10-man Slovenia and the 10 men of Romania lost 3-1 away to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Wales thumped their visitors from North Macedonia 7-1 with a Harry Wilson hat-trick to reach the play-offs and Ukraine also reached the play-off matches with 2 late goals against Iceland in Poland while Spain secured direct qualification despite drawing 2-2 at home to Turkey. Needing a win to top the group, Bosnia and Herzegovina were denied by a 1-1 Austrian leveller that sent their hosts through while in group E Bulgaria’s dismal campaign ended with them finishing bottom despite a 2-1 home win over Georgia.

In an Asian Cup qualifier, Singapore came from behind to win 2-1 in Hong Kong.