Italy, Sweden and Denmark close in on World Cup spots

Italy moved within one win of ending their 12-year World Cup absence with a 2-0 qualification playoff semi-final victory over Northern Ireland on Thursday thanks to second-half goals from Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean.

The breakthrough arrived in the 56th minute when Tonali pounced on a cleared cross, letting the ball bounce once before firing into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.

Kean effectively ended the contest in the 80th minute, latching onto a Tonali pass and ghosting past his marker before dispatching a low strike into the net.

The four-time world champions will on Tuesday face Bosnia and Herzegovina for a place at the tournament in the US, Canada and Mexico in June-July.

Bosnia-Herzegovina's veteran striker Edin Dzeko scored a late equaliser before his side beat Wales 4-2 on penalties to reach the playoff final after a 1-1 draw.

Wales winger Daniel James opened the scoring for the hosts in the 51st minute after racing on to a loose ball and powering a thunderous 25-metre shot past Bosnia keeper Nikola Vasilj.

Bosnia came alive after that though and home keeper Karl Darlow made an incredible save to keep out a close-range header by Ermedin Demirovic but could do nothing as the 40-year-old Dzeko glanced in an 86th-minute equaliser.

Wales dominated extra time but could not find a winner and in the end it was Bosnia's teenager Kerim Alajbegovic who held his nerve to seal the shoot-out.

Elsewhere, Sweden striker Viktor Gyokeres scored a superb hat-trick to help his side sweep aside Ukraine and set up a winner-takes-all playoff game against Poland in Stockholm on Tuesday.

Poland came from behind to beat Albania 2-1 and reach the playoff finals, with Robert Lewandowski and Piotr Zielinski netting second-half goals.

In other games, Kosovo twice came from behind to beat Slovakia 4-3 away and ensure a decisive home clash against Turkey on Tuesday for a World Cup place, while Gustav Isaksen scored twice in two minutes as Denmark powered to a 4-0 win over North Macedonia in Copenhagen.

In the playoff final, Denmark will face the Czech Republic, who edged past Ireland on penalties in a thrilling encounter that finished 2-2 after extra time.