Sweden’s faint hopes of qualifying for the World Cup were all-but extinguished as the 2018 quarter-finalists lost 1-0 against Kosovo in Stockholm. Fisnik Asllani fired a first-half effort that allowed the Kosovans to complete a remarkable double over their opponents and boost their own hopes of booking at least a playoff place.
Sweden – who featured £125m man Alexander Isak up front alongside Viktor Gyökeres – remain rooted to the bottom of Group B on one point. Isak, who played another 90 minutes after doing the same in the 2-0 defeat to Switzerland on Friday, failed to find the target as he continues to work his way back to fitness following his summer move from Newcastle to Liverpool. Leaders Switzerland dropped their first points of the campaign as they were held to a goalless draw by Slovenia in Ljubljana.
Group D leaders France dropped their first points of the campaign as they drew 2-2 with Iceland in Reykjavik. Didier Deschamps took his side into the game knowing they could seal their ticket to the finals if they won and second-placed Ukraine failed to beat Azerbaijan in the other match.
But the night did not go to plan as Victor Palsson gave the hosts a 39th-minute lead, and despite two goals in five second-half minutes from Christopher Nkunku and Jean-Philippe Mateta putting France ahead, Kristian Hlynsson’s 70th-minute effort gave Iceland a point.
A win would not have been enough anyway for Deschamps’ men as Ukraine nudged to a 2-1 win over Azerbaijan in Krakow.
Slovakia stay level on points with Germany at the top of the group after second-half goals from Adam Obert and Ivan Schranz completed an unconvincing 2-0 win over Luxembourg in Trnava.
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In Wales’s group, North Macedonia were held to a 1-1 draw by Kazakhstan in Skopje.
