Netherlands move to within one point of World Cup berth

Croatia completed a 3-1 comeback win over the Faroe Islands, securing their place at next year’s World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

WRAP: Netherlands move to one point of qualification, Croatia secure World Cup spot and Germany on brink of automatic qualification.  Picture: WOJTEK RADWANSKI/AFP via Getty Images

The Netherlands kept up their three-point advantage over Poland in their World Cup qualifying group as the two sides drew 1-1 on Friday, leaving the Dutch a point away from qualification.

Jakub Kaminski handed Poland a halftime lead as they needed victory to keep alive slim hopes of topping Group G and securing automatic qualification for next year's finals in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

Memphis Depay replied for the visitors at Stadion Narodowy shortly after the break to ensure the Dutch moved to 17 points with Poland second in the group standings on 14.

The Netherlands need only draw at home to bottom-placed Lithuania in their last fixture in Amsterdam on Monday to book their World Cup berth.

Poland put out an attacking line-up in their bid for the win that would have boosted their hopes of topping the group and should have been ahead inside two minutes when flying fullback Matty Cash found Nicola Zalewski with the goal gaping in front of him, but he missed from close range.

The Dutch then controlled possession for much of the opening half, blunting Poland’s ambitions but without making inroads themselves.

But they were caught out two minutes from the break when Robert Lewandowski played a superb pass from the centre circle to set Kaminski free and the striker finished with only Dutch goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen to beat.

However, two minutes after halftime the group leaders were level. Poland goalkeeper Kamil Grabara misjudged Cody Gakpo's cross and could not get a touch as it sailed over his head, offering Donyell Malen the chance for a diving header which the keeper did well to stop only for Depay to score the rebound.

It was the eighth goal in the qualifying campaign for the Dutch record goalscorer, whose overall tally for his country is now 55 in 107 internationals.

Both sides were unable to carve out any clear chances thereafter despite bringing on fresh legs although the game was played at a high tempo to the end.

Virgil van Dijk marked his 71st game as Netherlands captain, equalling Frank de Boer's record. The defender said it had been a hard evening's work, "especially against a low block we could not create a lot of clear chances."

"We lost possession also to give them chances on the counter attack. We had to be wary of their counter and it was good we were able to equalise not long after they had scored."

With Finland having suffered a surprise loss at home to Malta earlier on Friday, the Netherlands and Poland are guaranteed to finish in the top two places in the group.

Poland can now only win the group with a goal deluge away in Malta if the Dutch lose to Lithuania at the same time.

The runners-up in the group advance to the European playoff in March.

Meanwhile, Germany forward Nick Woltemade scored twice in the second half to give the four-time world champions a hard-earned 2-0 win over Luxembourg in their penultimate 2026 World Cup qualifier on Friday, leaving them on the brink of automatic qualification.

Woltemade, who has now scored his team's last three goals after also netting the winner in their 1-0 victory over Northern Ireland last month, put the visitors in front in the 49th minute with the Germans surprisingly on the backfoot for much of the first half.

The Newcastle United striker added another in the 69th to keep Germany top of Group A on 12 points, with Slovakia, their next opponents on Monday, in second place on goal difference.

Julian Nagelsmann's team lacked any real punch up front in the first half while littering the pitch with defensive errors that allowed Luxembourg to carve out several scoring chances.

Germany, however, will now punch their ticket for next year's World Cup, co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States, with a win or a draw in Monday's final qualifier against the Slovaks.

The group winners earn automatic qualification while the second-placed team goes into playoffs in March.

Elsewhere, Croatia completed a 3-1 comeback win over the Faroe Islands at home, securing their place at next year’s World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

With Croatia now having 19 points, the second‑placed Czech Republic can no longer catch them, as they sit on 13 points with only one match left to play against Gibraltar on Monday.