Sweden's World Cup hopes in shreds after 2-0 defeat by Switzerland
Sweden's hopes of qualifying for next year's World Cup are hanging by a thread after Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka scored from the spot to help the visitors win 2-0 in their qualifying Group B clash on Friday.
More than 50,000 fans turned up on a chilly October night and many booed Sweden's Danish coach Jon Dahl Tomasson before the game, with a banner unveiled after the loss to the Swiss calling for him to resign.
Switzerland top the group with a perfect nine points from their opening three games, with Kosovo second on four points and Slovenia third on two after those two teams played out a 0-0 draw in Pristina. The Swedes are bottom with one point.
The writing was on the wall from the fourth minute when Switzerland striker Breel Embolo hit the far post with a fourth-minute header from a corner as Sweden were outplayed throughout, spurning the few chances they managed to fashion.
Striker Alexander Isak struck the foot of the post for the hosts in the 26th before teeing up Lucas Bergvall for their best chance of the game, but the 19-year-old somehow managed to get the ball caught under his feet with the goal at his mercy.
That move proved costly when the Swiss took the lead in the 65th minute after Alexander Bernhardsson sent Djibril Sow sprawling in the box with a push in the back, and Xhaka blasted the resulting penalty straight down the middle.
Bergvall had a chance to redeem himself in the 85th but this time he blazed his shot wide before being substituted, cutting a forlorn figure as he made his way back to the bench.
A frustrating night for the Swedes was made worse when Switzerland substitute Johan Manzabi's tame effort was deflected past goalkeeper Viktor Johansson in second-half stoppage time, condemning them to a second defeat in three games that leaves their qualifying chances in tatters.
Despite little to suggest his side can reach the 2026 finals in North America, Tomasson remained defiant.
The group winners qualify directly for the World Cup with the runners-up going into the playoffs.
The Swedes host Kosovo, who beat them 2-0 in Pristina last month, on Monday when Slovenia welcome the Swiss.
Kimmich double fires Germany top in 4-0 win over 10-man Luxembourg
Germany's Joshua Kimmich netted twice to power his side to a 4-0 home win over Luxembourg in a World Cup qualifier on Friday where the visitors went down to 10 men in the first half and the hosts moved top of the standings in a tight Group A.
Germany were playing catch-up after losing their opening game 2-0 in Slovakia, their first away defeat in a World Cup qualifier. After a 3-1 win over Northern Ireland, Julian Nagelsmann's side continued their revival against Luxembourg.
The win combined with Slovakia's 2-0 defeat in Northern Ireland puts the Germans top on goal difference, with the Irish second and the Slovaks dropping to third, with all three teams on six points. Luxembourg are bottom without a point.
The group winners qualify automatically with the runners-up advancing to the playoffs. Germany are already assured of a playoff spot thanks to their Nations League ranking.
Germany laid siege to the visitors' goal from the start and Nick Woltemade appeared to have scored his first international goal after he deflected in Serge Gnabry's shot, but his effort was ruled out for handball.
David Raum opened the scoring in the 12th minute, netting his first goal for Germany in style by curling a free kick around the wall which beat goalkeeper Anthony Moris at his near post.
Luxembourg lost defender Dirk Carlson to a red card for a handball in the area and Kimmich converted the resulting penalty in the 21st minute but, despite their numerical advantage, the hosts failed to increase their lead before the break.
That quickly changed after the interval, when a Karim Adeyemi pass sent Gnabry racing into the box and he smashed his effort past Moris three minutes into the second half.
Two minutes later, after Luxembourg failed to clear the ball from inside the six-yard box from a corner, Kimmich pounced to net from close range.
The last time the sides met resulted in a 7-0 win for Germany in 2006, with current Luxembourg manager Jeff Strasser on the pitch for the losers and he must have feared a repeat scoreline but his side repelled much of the constant pressure.
Germany next travel to face the Irish on Monday, when Slovakia host Luxembourg.
Mbappe leads the charge as France beat Azerbaijan 3-0 in qualifier
Striker Kylian Mbappe played saviour as France closed in on qualification for next year's World Cup with a lacklustre 3-0 home win over Azerbaijan in their Group D qualifier on Friday, before coming off late with a painful ankle knock.
The 26-year-old opened the scoring on the stroke of halftime and set up Adrien Rabiot for the second, with substitute Florian Thauvin adding a third to put Les Bleus on nine points from three games and give Didier Deschamps' side a chance to secure qualification on Monday when they travel to Iceland.
France were missing several key players, with Paris St Germain forwards Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola all sidelined through injury, but former PSG duo Mbappe and Rabiot got the job done despite an appalling first half.
Azerbaijan, who next play second-placed Ukraine (four points), remain bottom of the table with one point behind Iceland who have three after three games.
Les Bleus stretched their unbeaten run in World Cup and European Championship qualifiers to 26 games, although they did not do it in style.
Mbappe had their first chance within seconds followed by a powerful angled strike from Malo Gusto at a quiet Parc des Princes. Hugo Ekitike also tested goalkeeper Shakhrudin Magomedaliyev, but France lacked a cutting edge in a largely underwhelming first half.
On the stroke of halftime, however, Mbappe slalomed through the visitors’ defence and found the back of the net with a neat low shot to put France ahead.
Ekitike came close early in the second half, his angled right-footed effort bouncing off the far post.
Rabiot finally put the result beyond doubt in the 69th minute, heading home from Mbappe’s cross from the left.
Six years after his last cap, Thauvin — a world champion with Les Bleus in 2018 — replaced Mbappe in the 83rd minute after the captain took a knock to his ankle and scored a subtle volley with his first touch a minute later.
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