Sweden, Switzerland get full points in World Cup qualifiers
Sweden moved over Spain to first place in Group B with a 2-0 victory against Greece, and Switzerland moved on par with Italy in Group C with a 4-0 victory over Lithuania.
In Tirana, the match between Albania and Poland was temporarily halted when Polish players left the pitch after Albanian fans threw water bottles at them. The event came after the Polish players celebrated to score a 77th minute goal that finally won 1-0.
A Polish official on the bench urged the players to leave the pitch immediately. Before the match resumed – 20 minutes later – a stadium message warned fans that Albania may need to lose if more items are thrown.
The wins for Sweden and Switzerland give exciting finals to their groups. Sweden leads Spain by two points with two matches left for each. One of them is a meeting between the countries of Spain.
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Italy, the European champions, are just above Switzerland on goal difference ahead of the teams’ match in Rome on 12 November.
The Italians travel to Northern Ireland for their final qualifier, while Switzerland ends its program at home against Bulgaria.
In Group D, Teemu Pukki became Finland’s record shooter by carrying both goals in a 2-0 victory in Kazakhstan. The Norwich striker scored 33 goals, one more than Jari Litmanen.
Finland is in third place, one point behind Ukraine – which drew 1-1 with Bosnia-Herzegovina – and four behind France.