VALENCIA – Sweden are 90 minutes ​from a place in the World Cup finals after striker Viktor Gyokeres ‌scored a superb hat-trick to sweep aside Ukraine and set up a winner-takes-all playoff game against Poland in Stockholm.

Playing in their alternate kit of blue shirts, shorts and socks, ​the Swedes took an early lead when Benjamin Nygren flashed the ball across ​the box and Gyokeres was on hand to stab it into the ⁠net from close range in the sixth minute, rocking the Ukrainians back on their ​heels.

The best of Ukraine’s early chances fell to Vladyslav Vanat at the near post midway ​through the first half, and though he managed to flick the ball over Swedish keeper Kristoffer Nordfeldt, it was just off target and there was no-one on hand to turn it into the ​empty net.

With the game being played in Spain because of the ongoing war in ​Ukraine, Serhiy Rebrov’s side battled bravely, but they struggled to create pressure on the Swedish goal, and ‌when ⁠they did they found Nordfeldt in inspired form between the posts.

The Ukrainians found themselves two goals down six minutes into the second half as Nordfeldt launched a long ball for Gyokeres, and he latched onto it and cut inside before unleashing a quick-fire shot ​that took Ukraine keeper ​Anatoliy Trubin by ⁠surprise, flying past him and into the net.

The game was effectively decided in the 71st minute when Gyokeres was again played in ​behind and Trubin felled him in the box to give away ​a penalty ⁠and earn a yellow card, with the 27-year-old striker dusting himself off to complete his hat-trick by blasting the resulting spot kick into the net. Ukraine grabbed a consolation goal through ⁠Matviy Ponomarenko ​in the 90th minute

Poland hit back

Poland came from behind to beat Albania 2-1 and reach the World Cup playoff finals on ​Thursday, with Robert Lewandowski and Piotr Zielinski netting ‌second-half goals to set up a Path B decider away to Sweden on Tuesday.

Arber Hoxha put Albania ahead three minutes from ​the break but their bid to reach their first ​World Cup ended in Warsaw as Poland maintained ⁠their perfect playoff record, having qualified for the last ​World Cup and Euro 2024 by the same route.

Poland ​started brightly, with Albania’s Elseid Hysaj clearing off the line from Jakub Kiwior’s header, but the hosts failed to capitalise on their ​early energy and allowed the visitors to settle into ​the game and take the lead.

Polish defender Jan Bednarek failed to control ‌a ⁠long ball and Hoxha stole in, rounded the keeper and slotted into the empty net.

Albania missed a gilt-edged chance to double their advantage with Poland outnumbered at the ​back. Hysaj rolled ​the perfect ⁠ball across to Nedim Bajrami who took too long to get a shot away ​and eventually blasted his effort wide.

Lewandowski levelled ​with a ⁠header at the back post from a corner in the 63rd minute and 10 minutes later Zielinski smashed a ⁠first-time ​shot from outside the area into ​the corner of the net, keeping Poland on course for a third ​consecutive finals appearance.

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