Scotland 4-2 Denmark

In a thriller at Hampden Park, Scotland qualified for their first World Cup since 1998. Scott McTominay (3') scored a stunning overhead kick, but Denmark leveled twice via Rasmus Hojlund and Patrick Dorgu. Late heroics saw Lawrence Shankland (78'), Kieran Tierney (93'), and Kenny McLean (98') seal an historic victory.

Spain 2-2 Turkiye

Spain secured automatic World Cup qualification despite a scare in Seville. Dani Olmo (4') opened the scoring, but Turkiye responded through Deniz Gül (42') and Salih Ozcan (54') to briefly lead. Mikel Oyarzabal (62') equalized to preserve Spain's unbeaten run, sending Turkiye to the playoffs as Group E runners-up.

Belgium 7-0 Liechtenstein

Belgium confirmed their place in the finals with a ruthless demolition in Liege. Hans Vanaken (3') started the rout, followed by a Jeremy Doku brace (34', 41'). Second-half goals from Brandon Mechele (52'), Alexis Saelemaekers (55'), and a quickfire double from Charles De Ketelaere (57', 59') capped a dominant campaign.

Sweden 1-1 Slovenia

In a match with little at stake for the eliminated hosts, Sweden salvaged a late draw. Timi Max Elsnik (64') gave Slovenia the lead with a composed finish. Just as the visitors looked set for victory, Gustav Lundgren (87') capitalized on a defensive error to equalize, ensuring points were shared at the Strawberry Arena.

Austria 1-1 Bosnia Herzegovina

Austria booked their ticket to the 2026 World Cup with a hard-fought point in Vienna. Haris Tabakovic (11') stunned the hosts early, giving Bosnia hope. However, Austria rallied in the second half, with Michael Gregoritsch (78') scoring the crucial equalizer to top Group H and send the home crowd into raptures.

Wales 7-1 North Macedonia

Wales finished their campaign in style with a crushing victory in Cardiff. Harry Wilson was the star, netting a hat-trick (18' pen, 75', 81' pen). David Brooks, Brennan Johnson, Daniel James, and Nathan Broadhead also scored. Bojan Miovski (23') briefly leveled for the visitors before the Welsh floodgates opened.

Romania 7-1 San Marino

Romania cruised to a massive win but settled for a playoff spot. San Marino shocked everyone with an early Nicolas Giacopetti (2') goal. Romania responded furiously with goals from Ştefan Baiaram, Dennis Man, Ianis Hagi, Andrei Ratiu, Louis Munteanu, plus two own goals (Rossi, Valentini), completing a comfortable rout.

Kosovo 1-1 Switzerland

Switzerland clinched Group B with a disciplined draw in Pristina. Ruben Vargas (47') put the Swiss ahead just after halftime, seemingly putting them in control. Kosovo fought back spiritedly, with Florent Muslija (74') earning a deserved point for the hosts, though it wasn't enough to deny the Swiss automatic qualification.

Bulgaria 2-1 Georgia

Bulgaria ended a difficult campaign on a high note in Sofia. Georgi Rusev (10') and Filip Krastev (24') gave the hosts a comfortable early lead. Georgia pushed back late, pulling one back through Luka Lochoshvili (88'), but Bulgaria held firm to deny the visitors any momentum heading into the break.

Belarus 0-0 Greece

A drab encounter in neutral territory saw both sides cancel each other out. Greece dominated possession but lacked the cutting edge to break down a stubborn Belarusian defense. The goalless draw was a frustrating end for Greece, who missed chances to improve their seeding, while Belarus celebrated a hard-earned defensive clean sheet.

Zungu: Champions League football is why I returned to Downs