Opinions, analysis and commentary

Poland can avenge March’s defeat by fixing what actually beat them: a back three that conceded better chances than it created. They outshot Sweden 15 to 9 in the playoff final and still lost 3-2, with Viktor Gyökeres scoring in the 88th minute. Sweden have since won in Romania, while Poland drew 0-0 with Bosnia. Six months on, Jan Urban faces the same attack without injured winger Jakub Kamiński. Monday’s rematch will be decided by how Poland defend transitions, not by how many shots they take.
Anthony Elanga opened the scoring in the 19th minute on 31 March, Nicola Zalewski levelled in the 33rd, and Gustaf Lagerbielke restored the lead just before half-time. Karol Świderski equalised again in the 55th minute before Gyökeres won it in the 88th, muscling past Przemysław Wiśniewski to finish.
Poland had 15 shots to Sweden’s nine, and seven on target to five. Sweden’s chances were simply better, finishing with 1.71 expected goals against 0.97, and that gap tells Urban exactly where the game was lost.
| Metric | Sweden | Poland |
| Shots | 9 | 15 |
| Shots on target | 5 | 7 |
| xG | 1.71 | 0.97 |
That’s the lesson Urban has to carry into Monday. Poland doesn’t need more shots; they need to stop conceding the kind of chances Elanga and Gyökeres buried in March.
Graham Potter’s side opened the group with a 2-1 win in Romania. Alexander Isak finished Yasin Ayari’s through ball in the 20th minute, Dennis Man scored for the hosts, and Gyökeres converted a rebound in the 38th.
Isak was the standout with three shots and seven touches in the box, while Gyökeres needed just one shot to score. Between them, they’ve had a direct hand in four of Sweden’s last five goals, and that’s the pairing Urban’s defence has to plan around.
Isak did most of his damage in Romania with movement inside the box, while Gyökeres proved in March that he can still win a physical duel in the 88th minute. Stopping one without the other won’t be enough.
The rematch comes on Monday, 28 September, in Group B4. Poland were held 0-0 by Bosnia in their opener, with Robert Lewandowski finding space repeatedly but getting little from it. Sweden’s win in Romania followed the same attacking pattern that hurt Poland in March. The history between the sides points the same way, with Sweden winning four of the last five meetings.
| Date | Competition | Score | Scorers |
| 10 Sep 2003 | Euro 2004 Qualifying | Poland 0-2 Sweden | Ljungberg, Allback |
| 5 Jun 2004 | Friendly | Sweden 3-1 Poland | Ibrahimovic, Larsson 2; Zurawski |
| 23 Jun 2021 | Euro 2020 | Sweden 3-2 Poland | Forsberg, Claesson, Kulusevski; Lewandowski 2 |
| 29 Mar 2022 | World Cup Playoff | Poland 2-0 Sweden | Zielinski, Lewandowski |
| 31 Mar 2026 | World Cup Playoff Final | Sweden 3-2 Poland | Elanga, Lagerbielke, Gyokeres; Zalewski, Swiderski |
Lewandowski’s two goals at Euro 2020 still ended in defeat, and so did Poland’s two in March. They usually find a way to score against Sweden, just rarely enough to win.
Poland’s recurring problem is stopping transitions before the ball reaches Isak and Gyökeres. In March, Sweden needed only nine shots to score three times, and that job has just become harder.
Kamiński picked up an adductor strain against Bosnia, and although Urban described it as a stretched rather than torn muscle, the winger is unlikely to be fit. Nicola Zalewski or Kacper Urbański could provide the width instead. Losing Kamiński’s pace hurts twice over. It narrows Poland’s outlet in attack and leaves the 3-4-2-1 with fewer ways to relieve pressure on a back three that was pulled apart in March.
Lewandowski scored twice against Sweden at Euro 2020 and headed his 89th Poland goal in this year’s playoff semi-final win over Albania. He didn’t score in the final or against Bosnia, but at 37 he’s still Poland’s most reliable route to goal in tight games. Nobody else in the squad offers that kind of finishing under pressure.
Without Kamiński, Urban needs quick service into his striker rather than slow build-up that lets Sweden’s defence reset. Tighten the transitions, feed Lewandowski early, and Sweden vs Poland UEFA Nations League 2027 can become the night Poland finally get even.
Can Urban’s Poland finally get past Sweden, or will Isak and Gyökeres strike again? Share your score prediction in the comments.
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When do Sweden and Poland play next?
Sweden hosts Poland in their next meeting on Monday, 28 September 2026. The match is in Group B4 and comes six months after Sweden won the World Cup playoff final 3-2 on 31 March.
Who won the World Cup playoff final between Sweden and Poland?
Sweden won the playoff final 3-2 on 31 March 2026. Viktor Gyökeres scored the winner in the 88th minute after goals from Anthony Elanga, Gustaf Lagerbielke, Nicola Zalewski and Karol Świderski.
Is Lewandowski playing against Sweden?
Yes, Robert Lewandowski is expected to start for Poland against Sweden. He is not injured and played the full match in the goalless draw with Bosnia in Poland’s opening group game.
Who is Poland’s head coach?
Jan Urban has been Poland’s head coach since 2025. He set Poland up in a 3-4-2-1 formation for their goalless draw with Bosnia in the opening round of the group stage.
Is Jakub Kamiński injured?
Yes, Jakub Kamiński is unlikely to face Sweden after straining his adductor against Bosnia. Jan Urban described the injury as a stretched rather than torn muscle, with Nicola Zalewski or Kacper Urbański the likely options on the flank.
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