Netherlands Inches Closer to 2026; Croatia Clinches Fourth World Cup Spot
14 November 2025
Poland vs Netherlands: Netherlands on the Brink of 2026 Qualification
As the Netherlands sealed another step toward the 2026 World Cup, they remained on track with a 1-1 draw against Poland in Warsaw, in the seventh of eight European qualifiers for Group 7.
Poland opened the scoring through Jakub Kaminski in the 43rd minute, and the Dutch levelled four minutes later via a Memphis Depay strike following a Cody Gakpo cross.
Netherlands stayed top with 17 points, three points ahead of Poland, and a goal difference of +13. A simple draw against Lithuania in the final round would be enough to book their 12th World Cup appearance.
Poland, already guaranteed a playoff, faced the prospect of securing their own path by hosting Malta on the same day. Poland had looked the livelier early on, with Nicola Zalewski nearly opening the scoring in the 2nd minute when his shot skimmed over the bar.
Kaminski sparked a rapid counter from midfield in the 6th minute and tested the Dutch keeper with a low effort. Donny van de Beek? No—Donyell Malen tried from long range in the 24th minute, but the ball sailed over the bar.
Poland’s lead came through Kaminski after a break behind the Dutch defense at 43’, sliding the ball through the legs of the keeper from inside the area off a counter-attack.
Depay levelled in the 47th minute, converting a rebound from a Gakpo cross after a saved effort, keeping his status as the Dutch national team's all-time top scorer afloat with 55 goals in 107 appearances.
Lewandowski had a late opportunity to restore Poland’s lead in the 54th minute when a cross found him in the box, but the shot went off target.
Croatia in the World Cup for the Fourth Time
Croatia sealed a fourth consecutive appearance by defeating the Faroe Islands 3-1 in Rijeka, in the seventh round of the European qualifiers group for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The Faroe Islands took an early lead through Kisa David Tori in the 16th minute, but Josko Gvardiol equalised in the 23rd, followed by Petar Musa in the 57th and Nikola Vlašić in the 71st, as Croatia stretched their group lead to 19 points, four ahead of their pursuers Czechia. Faroe Islands stay on 12 points in third place.
Croatia have now reached the finals seven times since independence in the early 1990s, and this marks their fourth consecutive appearance. They pressed from the start, but were greeted with a stubborn defense from the visitors who struck first with Tori’s early strike, a reminder that qualifiers rarely come easy.
Rising talismans Luka Modrić tested from range in the 33rd minute and again in the 39th, while Musa’s 57th-minute strike and Vlašić’s 70th/71st-minute finish sealed the win for the home side.
Punchline time: If football is a joke, today’s lineup provided a double feature—one shot on goal, one on the post, and a chorus of fans asking, “Are we there yet?” The calendar is getting crowded, but so far Croatia and the Netherlands are parked in the winner’s lane, while Poland eyes a playoff pit stop—bring the snacks, the road to Qatar 2026 just got a little longer and a lot louder. And yes, if the net could talk, it would probably complain about how often it gets the best punchlines.
