Kosovo pulled off a shock 2-0 victory against Sweden in World Cup qualifying, while Switzerland maintained their perfect record with a 3-0 win over Slovenia. Alexander Isak made his first appearance of the season for Sweden after a big-money move to Liverpool, but he couldn’t prevent his team from falling to defeat. Denmark and Croatia also secured comfortable wins in their respective matches, strengthening their positions in their qualifying groups.
In a stunning turn of events in World Cup qualifying, Kosovo defeated Sweden 2-0, overshadowing Alexander Isak's first appearance of the season. Meanwhile, Switzerland continued their dominant run with a comfortable 3-0 victory against Slovenia.
Alexander Isak, fresh off a British-record £125 million transfer to Liverpool on deadline day, had been an unused substitute in Sweden's previous 2-2 draw with Slovenia. The match against Kosovo marked his return to the pitch since May, following a protracted transfer saga with Newcastle United. He entered the game late in the second half, replacing Anthony Elanga in the 72nd minute, but was unable to ignite Sweden's attack.
Kosovo's victory was built on two first-half goals. Elvis Rexhbecaj capitalized on a scramble in the box to score in the 26th minute, beating Robin Olsen with a close-range effort. Vedat Muriqi, the Kosovo captain, doubled the lead just before halftime, sending the home crowd into raptures.
What a night for Kosovo #WCQ pic.twitter.com/miDTJjxMU5
— UEFA EURO (@UEFAEURO) September 8, 2025
Kosovo's Lindon Emerllahu received a red card in stoppage time for a second bookable offense, but Sweden were unable to mount a comeback despite the late advantage.
The loss leaves Sweden in a precarious position, trailing Group B leaders Switzerland by five points. Switzerland secured their victory over Slovenia with a dominant first-half performance. Nico Elvedi opened the scoring in the 18th minute, followed by Breel Embolo's header from a set-piece. Dan Ndoye, a recent signing for Nottingham Forest, added a third goal shortly after Embolo's.
Elsewhere in World Cup qualifying, Denmark and Croatia also recorded impressive wins. Denmark defeated Greece 3-0, with captain Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg providing two assists for Mikkel Damsgaard and Andreas Christensen. Rasmus Hojlund, ahead of his potential Serie A debut, scored in the 81st minute to seal the victory.
Croatia cruised to a 4-0 victory over Montenegro, despite Andrija Bulatovic's late first-half red card. Kristijan Jakic scored his first international goal with a long-range strike, while Andrej Kramaric, an Edvin Kuc own-goal, and Ivan Perisic completed the scoring.
Congratulations! #Croatia defeats Montenegro 4:0 to retain the winning streak in @FIFAWorldCup qualifying Group L! #CROMNE#WCQ | #PokažiSrce | #Family | #Vatreni pic.twitter.com/sbbDBBFa6Z
— HNS (@HNS_CFF) September 8, 2025
Data Debrief: Isak's Return Falters
The decision by Sweden's coach, Jon Dahl Tomasson, to bench Isak raised eyebrows. Despite his introduction, Sweden struggled against Kosovo, mustering a meager 0.71 expected goals (xG) from 13 shots, with Isak accounting for three of those. In contrast, Kosovo generated 2.16 xG from 11 attempts.
Sweden's winless streak in World Cup qualifying now extends to three games. The last time they endured a similar run was between October 2008 and June 2009, raising concerns about their chances of qualifying for back-to-back World Cups.
Kosovo's resolute defense and clinical finishing proved too much for Sweden to handle, while Switzerland's early dominance ensured another three points in their quest for World Cup qualification. Other nations like Croatia and Denmark are also on track to clinching their spot for the World Cup.