Croatia qualify for 2026 World Cup, Germany and Netherlands edge closer
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Croatian players, officials and their relatives celebrating their team's qualification for the World Cup on Nov 14.
PHOTO: AFP
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- Croatia beat Faroe Islands 3-1, securing their spot for the 2026 World Cup after goals from Gvardiol, Musa, and Vlasic.
- Germany defeated Luxembourg 2-0 with two goals from Woltemade, needing a draw against Slovakia to automatically qualify.
- The Netherlands drew 1-1 with Poland but remain in a strong position to qualify with a draw against Lithuania.
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RIJEKA, Croatia - Croatia came from behind to beat the Faroe Islands 3-1 in Rijeka on Nov 14 and secure their qualification for the 2026 World Cup in North America.
After Geza David Turi had given the Faroes a shock lead, strikes from Josko Gvardiol, Petar Musa and Nikola Vlasic gave the 2018 World Cup finalists their ticket to the finals in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Victory gave Croatia a six point lead over the Czech Republic at the top of Group L with just a single game left to play.
Defeat ended the Faroes’ faint hopes of becoming the smallest ever nation to reach the finals as they can no longer catch the Czechs and secure a play-off spot.
Turi stunned the hosts on 16 minutes, picking up the ball just inside the Croatia half before striding forwards unchallenged and lashing home from outside the box thanks to a heavy deflection.
The lead lasted only seven minutes before Manchester City defender Gvardiol fired home the equaliser from an angle after some hesitant Faroes defending.
Musa shot home at the near post 12 minutes into the second half to settle Croatian nerves.
Vlasic then drove the knife in deeper still 20 minutes from time with a cushioned volley to beat goalkeeper Mathias Lamhauge, who had strayed into no man’s land.
Germany on brink
Germany forward Nick Woltemade scored twice in the second half to give the four-time world champions a hard-earned 2-0 win over Luxembourg in their penultimate 2026 World Cup qualifier, leaving them on the brink of automatic qualification.
Woltemade, who has now scored his team’s last three goals after also netting the winner in their 1-0 victory over Northern Ireland in October, put the visitors in front in the 49th minute with the Germans surprisingly on the backfoot for much of the first half.
The Newcastle United striker added another in the 69th to keep Germany top of Group A on 12 points, with Slovakia, their next opponents on Nov 17, in second place on goal difference.
Germany’s Nick Woltemade scores his second goal.
PHOTO: EPA
Julian Nagelsmann’s team lacked any real punch up front in the first half while littering the pitch with defensive errors that allowed Luxembourg to carve out several scoring chances.
Germany, however, will now punch their ticket for next year’s World Cup, co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States, with a win or a draw in Monday’s final qualifier against the Slovaks.
Group winners earn automatic qualification, while the second-placed team goes into playoffs in March.
Netherlands a point away
The Netherlands kept up their three-point advantage over Poland in their World Cup qualifying group as the two sides drew 1-1 on Nov 14, leaving the Dutch a point away from qualification.
Jakub Kaminski handed Poland a halftime lead as they needed victory to keep alive slim hopes of topping Group G and securing automatic qualification for the 2026 finals in the US, Canada and Mexico.
Netherlands’ Memphis Depay celebrates scoring his equaliser.
PHOTO: EPA
Memphis Depay replied for the visitors at Stadion Narodowy shortly after the break to ensure the Dutch moved to 17 points with Poland second in the group standings on 14.
The Netherlands need only draw at home to bottom-placed Lithuania in their last fixture in Amsterdam on Nov 17 to book their World Cup berth. AFP, REUTERS
