Croatia Clinches World Cup Spot with Victory Over Faroe Islands

Croatia secured its spot in the 2026 World Cup with a 3-1 win against Faroe Islands. Joško Gvardiol and Petar Musa were pivotal in the team's success. Meanwhile, the Netherlands edged closer to qualification with a draw against Poland, and Malta notched a rare victory over Finland.

Croatia ensured its place in the 2026 World Cup with a decisive 3-1 victory over the Faroe Islands on Friday, ending its opponent's qualifying hopes. Despite a shaky start with an early goal by Geza Dávid Turi, Croatia quickly regained its footing. Joško Gvardiol equalized, and Petar Musa, making his return to the national team after two years, put Croatia ahead after halftime. Nikola Vlašic sealed the victory, scoring from an Ivan Perišic cross.

In Group G, the Netherlands took a significant step towards qualification as they came from behind to draw 1-1 with Poland, thanks to a second-half equalizer from Memphis Depay. With one match remaining, the Dutch lead the group, three points ahead of Poland, who will face Malta next, while the Netherlands meets Lithuania.

Elsewhere, Germany secured a top-two finish in Group A after a 2-0 win over Luxembourg, with Nick Woltemade scoring twice. Slovakia also triumphed with a late goal against Northern Ireland. Meanwhile, Malta celebrated a rare win by defeating Finland 1-0, marking only their fourth World Cup qualifying victory in history.

(With inputs from agencies.)