Italy 0-1 North Macedonia (0-0)
Huge sensation in the World Cup playoffs and a heavy blow for the Italian national team. Reigning European champions Italy will miss the World Cup in Qatar. In Palermo, the big underdog North Macedonia surprisingly won 1-0 (0-0) thanks to a late goal from Aleksandar Trajkovski (90+2). Italy missed a World Cup for the second time in a row. North Macedonia now meets Portugal in the play-off final for a World Cup ticket (see below). The appearance of the Squadra Azzurra was anything but ready for the title. The European champions were superior, but too unimaginative in front of the goal. That should pay off. The North Macedonians had already inflicted a surprising home defeat on the German team in the group stage of the World Cup qualifiers.
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Portugal 3-1 Turkey (2-0)
Turkey’s dream of a World Cup led by German coach Stefan Kuntz was shattered. In the play-off semi-final against Portugal on Thursday evening, the 2002 World Cup third-placed coach, coached by the former U21 national coach, was beaten 1-2 (0-2). Due to the defeat in Porto, Turkey no longer has a chance of qualifying for the World Cup in Qatar (November 21 to December 18). Portugal, on the other hand, reached the final for a World Cup ticket thanks to goals from Otavio (15th minute) and Liverpool star Diogo Jota (42nd). Burak Yilmaz (65th) only scored the interim goal. Yilmaz missed a penalty that would have equalized just before the end (85′). Portugal looked pomadig after the clear lead, but saved the victory with luck over time and was able to make everything clear shortly before the final whistle through Matheus Nunes (90+4). The Portuguese around the superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, who was unlucky against the Turks, will now meet North Macedonia in the final on Tuesday.
Wales 2-1 Austria (1-0)
In Madrid it is said that he plays more golf than football. With the Wales national team, however, Real professional Gareth Bale has once again proven his class. Almost single-handedly, the 32-year-old shot the Brits into the final for the World Cup ticket on Thursday evening. With two goals against his team-mate David Alaba and Austria, he bought the ticket for the decisive game, in which it is either against Scotland or against Ukraine. Because of Russia’s war of aggression, this game is still open, but probably planned for June.
The game got off to a lively start, with Hoffenheim’s Christoph Baumgartner putting the ball on the bar after a fine pass from Bayern professional Marcel Sabitzer (5′). However, old master Bale scored the first important goal: he curled a free kick from the right edge of the penalty area into the corner and caused the Cardiff City Stadium to tremble (25th). Austria didn’t let themselves be woken up by the damper and couldn’t equalize before the break.
And in the second half it was the hosts who caused a sensation – again through Bale: The Wales captain was the most consistent after a short corner in the penalty area and finished with a nice try again into the right angle to make it 2-0 (51st minute). .). After almost an hour, the superstar then tried for the hat trick, but failed due to ÖFB keeper Heinz Lindner. Instead, the guests came back into the game: Bayern professional Sabitzer scored after a pass from Leipzig’s Konrad Laimer and gave Franco Foda’s team hope again (64th). However, there was no final gasp and Wales can celebrate for the time being.
Sweden remains in the running for a World Cup ticket. The “Tre Kronor” won against the Czech Republic after a goal by ex-Mainzer Robin Quaison in Solna 1-0 (0-0; 0-0) after extra time and is now traveling to Poland for the play-off final. The team led by world footballer Robert Lewandowski had progressed without a fight because FIFA had suspended the Russian selection because of the aggressive war against Ukraine.