Polska Szwecja: Lineups confirmed as Poland chase World Cup finals spot in Stockholm
polska szwecja is underway Tuesday night in Stockholm, with Poland playing Sweden for a place in the World Cup finals. The teams are set for the evening match after Poland’s Thursday win over Albania sent them into the playoff final. The stakes are immediate: the winner keeps the World Cup dream alive with finals set to start in June.
Polska Szwecja lineups: Poland make three changes after Albania win
Lineups for the Stockholm showdown have been confirmed, and Poland have adjusted their starting eleven compared with the match against Albania. Przemysław Wiśniewski, Karol Świderski, and Nicola Zalewski are in the starting lineup for Poland.
Sweden XI: Kristoffer Nordfeldt; Daniel Svensson, Gustaf Lagerbielke, Carl Starfelt, Victor Lindelof, Gabriel Gudmundsson; Anthony Elanga, Yasin Ayari, Jesper Karlstroem, Benjamin Nygren; Viktor Gyokeres.
Poland XI: Kamil Grabara; Przemysław Wiśniewski, Jakub Bednarek, Jakub Kiwior; Matty Cash, Piotr Zieliński, Sebastian Szymański, Nicola Zalewski; Karol Świderski, Jakub Kamiński; Robert Lewandowski.
The match is listed for Tuesday, 31. 03 at 20: 45. For El-Balad. com readers following in the United States, that corresponds to 2: 45 PM ET on Tuesday.
Live match flashpoints: Poland push, Zalewski strikes, chances pile up
Early live match notes show Poland generating repeated pressure, including a run of corner kicks and multiple shots on goal. In the most electric moment so far, Nicola Zalewski produced a standout move—taking on a defender and firing from distance—to score and level the game at 1–1.
There was a near-immediate chance for Poland to take the lead soon after, with Jakub Kamiński breaking into the box and shooting from close range, only for Sweden’s goalkeeper to make a key save. Poland also created a dangerous opening from the right when Matty Cash delivered a cross that led to a Karol Świderski attempt from inside the area, again stopped by the Swedish goalkeeper.
Not everything has been clean for Poland. The live sequence also notes Poland giving the ball away too easily at times, with several losses in buildup play. There was also a foul in midfield by Wiśniewski on Viktor Gyokeres as Sweden tried to move forward.
Immediate reactions: Swedish TV expert singles out Bednarek
The buildup to polska szwecja has not been calm for Poland’s defense. Jan Bednarek faced criticism after the match against Albania, where a serious mistake ended in a goal for the opponents.
Alexander Axen, a Swedish television expert at TV4, delivered a blunt assessment of Bednarek, identifying him as Poland’s weakest link and calling him “a weak player. ”
Quick context and what happens next
Poland reached this playoff final after beating Albania on Thursday, while Sweden advanced by defeating Ukraine 3–1 in Valencia in their semifinal under head coach Graham Potter. Sweden are also playing this decisive match at home.
Next is simple and unforgiving: the final minutes and decisions in Stockholm will decide who moves on with a World Cup finals place in sight. El-Balad. com will keep tracking the key turning points as polska szwecja continues to unfold in real time.
