World Cup playoffs: Italy win to reach final; Türkiye advance - ESPN

Italy finally won a match in the World Cup playoffs. Now the four-time champion needs to win one more to avoid failing to qualify for a third straight time.

The Azzurri beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in the European semifinals on Thursday.

Sandro Tonali broke the deadlock with a half-volley early in the second half for Italy at home in Bergamo and then set up another goal for Moise Kean.

Vincenzo Montella's Türkiye squad reached the quarterfinals of the 2024 European Championship.

Also advancing to the playoff finals scheduled Tuesday were Sweden, Turkey, Kosovo and Denmark.

Italy next visits either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina needing another victory to reach the upcoming tournament in North America to avoid missing a third-consecutive World Cup.

Italy was eliminated by Sweden over two winless legs in the playoffs for the 2018 World Cup, then was stunned by North Macedonia in the semifinal round in 2022.

Italy's World Cup struggles go back all the way to 2010 and 2014, having failed to advance from its group on both occasions.

The Azzurri's last World Cup knockout match was when they won the title in 2006 by beating France in a penalty shootout.

Viktor Gyökeres hit a hat trick to send Sweden past Ukraine 3-1 despite not having scored for his country since 2024. Until Thursday, Gyökeres was scoreless and Sweden winless in a miserable qualifying group campaign.

The game was played in Spain because Ukraine hasn't hosted international games since the Russian invasion of 2022.

Sweden will face Poland after 37-year-old Robert Lewandowski scored a crucial header in a 2-1 win over Albania, keeping alive the Barcelona striker's bid to reach a third World Cup.

Albania took the lead through Arbër Hoxha just before halftime after a