Berlin, 27 March 2026 (dpa/MIA) - Italy beat Northern Ireland 2-0 on Thursday to boost their bid to reach a men's World Cup for the first time since 2014 as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sweden, Poland, Turkey, Kosovo, Czech Republic and Denmark also won their European play-off semi-finals.

Four-times champions Italy, who lost out in play-offs for the 2018 and 2022 editions, travel to Bosnia on Tuesday for the final knowing a win will send them to June and July's tournament in North America.

Sandro Tonali blasted in superbly from the edge of the box in the second half of a nervous one-off semi-final in Bergamo before Moise Kean made the game safe.

"We made life a bit difficult for ourselves, but in the second half we found our rhythm," Italy coach and 2006 champion Gennaro Gattuso said. "Now we're going to play this final. We know it's difficult. The tension we feel will be felt by our opponents too."

Bosnia overcame Wales on penalties in Cardiff following a 1-1 draw after extra-time.

Daniel James used his pace to score early in the second period for the hosts and Karl Darlow then made a wonder save from a Ermedin Demirović header. Edin Dzeko, 40, levelled late on in normal time.

Darlow saved again from Demirović in the shoot-out, but Brennan Johnson and Neco Williams both missed.

Viktor Gyökeres bagged a hat-trick in Sweden's 3-1 win over Ukraine in Valencia. Ukraine have not played at home since the Russia invasion over four years ago and miss out on another World Cup.

Graham Potter's Swedes next take on Poland, who came from behind to defeat Albania 2-1 in Warsaw.

Arbër Hoxha pounced on 42 minutes after Jan Bednarek's mistake as Albania dreamed of moving closer to a first World Cup appearance. But record Poland scorer Robert Lewandowski equalized and Piotr
Zieliński won it in style from distance.

Kosovo cracker

Gustav Isaksen scored twice in two minutes to help Denmark thump North Macedonia 4-0 to set up a meeting away to the Czech Republic, who needed penalties to get past Ireland in Prague.

Troy Parrott, the hero as the Irish made the play-offs at the end of November's group stage, netted the opener from the spot and an own goal summed up the poor Czech defence.

But the hosts pulled one back through Patrik Schick's penalty and Ladislav Krejčí's late header for 2-2 prompted a cagey extra-time.

Kosovo have never reached a World Cup but are through to Tuesday's play-off final at home to Turkey after winning a wild game in Slovakia 4-3.

The Kosovans twice wiped out a deficit and Kreshnik Hajrizi's goal on 72 minutes proved the difference.

Ferdi Kadıoğlu's second-half goal put Turkey through after a tight 1-0 home win over Romania.

He calmly netted on 53 minutes after Arda Güler's magical assist at the Beşiktaş stadium in Istanbul.

Romania's 80-year-old coach Mircea Lucescu, who counts Turkey among his former jobs, was left to rue Nicolae Stanciu hitting the post as the Tricolours missed the World Cup for the seventh straight edition.

Turkey, third in 2002, have not reached a men's World Cup since.

Captain Hakan Çalhanoğlu said: "We knew it would be a tough match. Lucescu knows us well and prepared accordingly. In the first half, we could have made better runs in behind. In the second half, Ferdi scored with a ball in behind. From then, it was ours."

This year's tournament in North America in June and July will feature an expanded 48 teams, meaning more nations have a chance to qualify.

Twelve European countries already got through by virtue of winning their groups. The play-offs are made up of second-placed teams and sides who did well in the previous Nations League.

Photo: EPA