World Cup Qualifiers: France’s Stumble Highlights Sweden’s Repeat Loss to Kosovo

France faced a minor setback in their World Cup Qualifiers campaign by drawing 2-2 against Iceland. The two-time champions and recent runners-up of the 2022 tournament struggled to secure a victory during the match held in Reykjavik.

Match Highlights: France vs. Iceland

Victor Palsson put Iceland in front in the 39th minute, scoring from a free-kick situation that France failed to clear. Christopher Nkunku equalized in the 63rd minute with a precise low shot into the bottom-right corner. Five minutes later, Jean-Philippe Mateta gave France the lead, finishing from a Maghnes Akliouche cross, marking his first senior international goal at age 28.

However, Kristian Hlynssson equalized for Iceland just two minutes later, capping a well-executed move. France remains at the top of Group D, three points ahead of Ukraine, who defeated Azerbaijan 3-1. Iceland sits third, three points behind Ukraine.

Other Group Updates

• Germany secured a 1-0 victory over Northern Ireland, with Nick Woltemade scoring early in the match.
• Slovakia defeated Luxembourg 2-0 to stay competitive in Group A.
• Belgium now leads Group J after a 4-2 win against Wales, staying two points clear of North Macedonia, who drew 1-1 with Kazakhstan.

Sweden’s Qualifying Struggles

In a contrasting performance, Sweden’s World Cup qualifying ambitions took another hit with a 1-0 loss to Kosovo. This defeat marks their second loss to Kosovo in this qualifying campaign, following a 2-0 loss in Pristina last month.

Fisnik Asllani scored the only goal of the match in the 32nd minute. Sweden’s attackers, including Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres, failed to find the net for the third consecutive game. Consequently, Sweden finds itself at the bottom of Group B, trailing Kosovo by six points with two matches remaining.

Group B Standings

As the qualifiers progress, both France and Sweden face differing challenges, with France maintaining a steady path towards qualification, while Sweden must regroup quickly to salvage their chances.