Poland defeats Albania 2-1 in World Cup playoff semifinal

Poland defeated Albania 2-1 in the World Cup qualification playoff semifinal, securing a spot in the final against Sweden. Albania took the lead in the 42nd minute through Hoxha, who capitalized on a defensive error by Bednarek. Robert Lewandowski equalized for Poland in the 63rd minute with a header, and Piotr Zielinski scored the winning goal with a long-range shot shortly after. The match featured several players from Greek clubs, including Thomas Strakosha, Stavros Pilios, Tomasz Kedziora, and Karol Swiderski. Albania missed a significant opportunity to extend their lead when Pilios was denied by goalkeeper Grabara. Sweden advanced to the final by defeating Ukraine 3-1, with Gyokeres scoring a hat-trick. Poland will now face Sweden for a ticket to the 2026 World Cup hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States.