Zielenski scores the decisive goal as Poland beat Malta

A standout performance for Piotr Zielinski with Poland, as he bagged a goal and an assist in their 3–2 win over Malta. In a hard-fought match, the Nerazzurri midfielder made his mark on both the first and third goal: a perfect cross for Lewandowski’s header, followed by a long-range strike in the 85th minute to seal all three points.

Zielinski and his teammates consolidate second place in the group, three points behind leaders the Netherlands. Their World Cup dream stays alive through the play-offs, where Poland will be seeded in the first pot alongside Italy, Turkey and Hungary.

There were also wins for Croatia and the Netherlands, against Montenegro and Lithuania respectively, though Sucic remained on the bench and Dumfries was not called up for the match.