PENALTIES: NIGERIA VS. DR CONGO | 2026 WORLD CUP QUALIFICATION PLAY-OFF

 

NIGERIA LINE-UP VS. DR CONGO | 2026 WORLD CUP QUALIFIER

 

HIGHEST RATED PLAYER IN THE WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS | MARTIN ØDEGAARD

 

🌟 Martin Ødegaard is currently the highest rated player (8.66) in the UEFA World Cup Qualifiers (3+ apps).

AUSTRIA MAKES HISTORY VS. SAN MARINO

 

AUSTRIA MAKES HISTORY!  

They've recorded their biggest win ever, thrashing San Marino 10-0 in a World Cup qualifier! 

Marko Arnautovic netted four goals and became Austria's all-time leading scorer! 🔥

 #Austria #SanMarino #WorldCupQualifiers2026

HARAMBEE STARS | 2026 WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS | FINAL SQUAD

The Harambee Stars Coach Benni McCarthy names the squad 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers squad to play against Burundi and Ivory Coast 

October 9 – Burundi 🇧🇮 

October 14– Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

#Atekersportsupdates #HarambeeStars #kenya

ERLING HAALAND SCORES 5 GOALS AS NORWAY OBLITERATES MOLDOVA

 

SANDO TONALI SAVES ITALY FROM DISASTER

Sandro Tonali wheeled off in celebration in stoppage time when his speculative effort went through a sea of legs and into the net to win a rollercoaster of a match in Debrecen.

Sandro Tonali earned Italy a thrilling 5-4 win against Israel with the decisive late strike.

Sandro Tonali earned Italy a thrilling 5-4 win against Israel on Tuesday (IST) with the decisive late strike in the 2026 World Cup qualifier just as it looked like the Azzurri were plunging into another crisis. Newcastle United midfielder Tonali wheeled off in celebration in stoppage time when his speculative effort went through a sea of legs and into the net to win a rollercoaster of a match in Debrecen, Hungary, which Italy looked to have thrown away. The Azzurri, who have missed the last two World Cups, were leading 4-2 in the 81st minute when substitute Giacomo Raspadori rolled home almost immediately after replacing the impressive Moise Kean, who netted Italy's first two goals.

However, a clumsy Alessandro Bastoni own-goal and Dor Peretz's header drew Israel level before Tonali's fortunate effort moved Italy up to second in Group I -- level on nine points with Israel who have played a game more -- and in the play-off spot.

"We'll take the win which was crucial for us, but we're completely nuts, nuts because we conceded some absurd goals," said Gennaro Gattuso.

"We need to work on that because we're too fragile, we concede goals too easily. The boys know that, but this is my problem to fix.

"You have to give credit to the boys because every time they took a slap they had the courage to react and fight back." 

Italy trail leaders Norway by three points and still have a chance of taking first place and the group's sole direct qualifying spot.

But new coach Gattuso has a lot to think about ahead of October's return fixtures with Estonia and Israel, whose players donned black armbands in honour of the victims of Monday morning's deadly shooting at a bus stop in east Jerusalem carried out Palestinian gunmen.

Nominal home team Israel would have been good value for the draw, as Kean had previously twice pulled Italy out of the mire following Manuel Locatelli's early own-goal and a fabulous Dor Peretz strike in the 52nd minute in a largely empty Nagyerdei Stadium.

Italy rocked

Monday's match had cast a political cloud over Gattuso's first fixtures in charge of Italy due to Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip.

The small group of Italian fans present turned their backs to the pitch during the Israeli national anthem, while boos also rang out from sections of the stadium, before then holding up banners which read "stop".

And the Italians on the pitch looked equally uninterested in the match come kick-off, with Israel snappier and more aggressive than the four-time world champions.

The nominal home had already had a goal disallowed by the time Locatelli bundled Dan Biton's cross into his own net.

Locatelli almost made up for his own-goal when he struck the bar with an acrobatic volley in the 31st minute, seconds before Kean wasted a great opportunity from a Gianluca Mancini cut-back.

But 10 minutes later Kean thumped a low drive past Daniel Peretz after collecting a knockdown from strike partner Mateo Retegui.

And Kean came to the rescue again nine minutes after the break, levelling with another powerful low shot just seconds after Peretz put Israel ahead for the second time with a brilliant first-time effort.

Politano finally put Italy ahead with a great volley after more fine work from Retegui, and when Raspadori rolled home the fourth it seemed the away team looked out of the woods.

But it took Tonali's unusual winner to finally secure the three points after uncharacteristically bad defending nearly left Italy's hopes of qualification hanging by a thread.

- Agency France-Presse 

SPAIN ROMPS AS GERMANY WINS FIRST WORLD CUP QUALIFIER

Spain's Mikel Merino celebrates after scoring a hat-trick in his side's 6-0 dismantling of Turkey. Photo: Reuters

Mikel Merino scored a hat-trick as a majestic Spain thumped Turkey 6-0 away in World Cup qualifying on Sunday, while a brilliant Florian Wirtz free-kick helped Germany beat Northern Ireland 3-1 to get their bid up and running.

European champions Spain were in unstoppable form in the central Turkish city of Konya, claiming their second biggest-ever away win in World Cup qualifying as Arsenal midfielder Merino scored his first professional hat-trick.

Barcelona playmaker Pedri Gonzalez opened the scoring inside six minutes and later completed the scoring, with Ferran Torres netting the visitors' other goal.

The quality of Merino's strikes was remarkable, with his first coming at the end of a superb team move and his second a controlled finish from a Pedri assist. He completed his triple with a curling shot into the top corner.

The one blemish on the night's work for Spain was the withdrawal of Nico Williams due to an apparent thigh injury, but Luis de la Fuente's team are already clear at the top of qualifying Group E with six points from two games.

"I'm very happy for winning, to pick up six points, for doing it in this way, and for scoring three goals, which is not normal – the first hat-trick of my career," said Merino.

The group winners will qualify directly for the finals, with the runners-up progressing to a play-off phase.

Georgia and Turkey come next on three points each, with the former beating Bulgaria 3-0 in Tbilisi thanks to goals by captain Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Nika Gagnidze and Georges Mikautadze.

Germany were under pressure after losing their opening qualifier 2-0 in Slovakia on Thursday, and it took them until the final quarter of their home meeting with Northern Ireland in Cologne before they could secure the victory.

Serge Gnabry gave the hosts an early lead only for Isaac Price of West Bromwich Albion to equalise before half-time.

The home fans were unhappy with Julian Nagelsmann's team, but they eventually retook the lead on 69 minutes when substitute Nadiem Amiri turned in David Raum's cross.

Liverpool star Wirtz, playing in his home city, then took centre stage by converting a free-kick in style to seal Germany's first win in Group A.

"We knew it was a catastrophe (in the) last game and we wanted to do things better," Wirtz told Germany's RTL network.

"It was a good performance (which) we can definitely build on."

They and Northern Ireland both have three points, while Slovakia lead the way on six points after Tomas Rigo's late goal clinched a 1-0 victory in Luxembourg.

Memphis Depay became the Netherlands' all-time top goalscorer with a brace in their 3-2 win in Lithuania in Group G.

Depay, who now plays in Brazil for Corinthians, scored his 51st and 52nd international goals to move clear of Robin van Persie, with whom he had been tied in first place on half a century of strikes for the Oranje.

Ronald Koeman's side have 10 points after four matches and are ahead of Poland on goal difference with a game in hand.

Poland won 3-1 at home to Finland in Chorzow with Matty Cash, captain Robert Lewandowski and Jakub Kaminski netting before Benjamin Kaellman pulled one back for Finland, who are three points behind the leading duo in third.

Belgium recorded a second 6-0 win in as many matches in Group J as they swept aside Kazakhstan at Anderlecht's stadium in Brussels.

North Macedonia beat Liechtenstein 5-0 in the same group and they are top with 11 points from five matches, one ahead of Belgium – who have a game in hand – and Wales. 

- AFP

FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFIER | GROUP C

 

CONGO 1-1 TANZANIA | TANZANIA'S COACH ON NOT WINNING THE MATCH | FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFYING MATCH

 

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LAST STANDINGS OF COMENBOL 2026 WORD CUP QUALIFYING

 

JULIAN NAGELSMANN PLAYERS SLAMS GERMANY AFTER 2-0 WORLD CUP QUALIFYING LOSS TO SLIVAKIA

Nagelsmann did not hesitate to call out his players after the shock 2-0 loss to Slovakia

Getty Images

It was a night to forget for Germany as they kicked off their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign against Slovakia in Bratislava. Despite dominating possession, Julian Nagelsmann’s side looked devoid of creativity in attack and were vulnerable in defense en route to a 2-0 loss.

David Hancko’s goal for Slovakia shortly before the halftime whistle set to tone and David Strelec curled an effort into the top left corner in the 55th minute to complete the scoreline. By the closing stages of the match, several players in the German squad cut entirely frustrated figures, throwing arms in the air with every misplaced pass or chance as the inevitability of defeat set in.

After the match, Nagelsmann did not shy away from expressing his dissatisfaction.

“Apart from 2-3 injured players, these are the best quality players we have in Germany. Maybe next time we have to call up players with less quality but who will give everything on the pitch. I trust my players, but being simply a better player than the opponent is not enough if you don’t show willingness and desire,” the former Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig and Hoffenheim manager ranted (via @iMiaSanMia).

Nagelsmann also drew parallels from Bayern’s narrow 3-2 win over Wehen Wiesbaden in the first round of the DFB-Pokal to the Slovakia loss, taking a bit of a dig at the lack of fight he saw from players in his squad, which featured Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka, Serge Gnabry, and Jonathan Tah.

“Why do you think a team like Wiesbaden almost drew 2-2 with FC Bayern? it’s not because they have better quality, but because they showed emotionality and desire,” Nagelsmann pointed out.

Next up for Germany is a home match in Köln against Northern Ireland. It is a must win for them if they don’t want to wind up in a bad spot after the first international break for qualifiers. Northern Ireland won their first match of qualifying 3-1 at Luxembourg.

The German national team hit the road to face Slovakia, looking to get off on the right foot for this round of World Cup qualifier action.

That did not happen.

Julian Nagelsmann — as he is prone to do — did some experimenting with his lineup and it did not work as the team dropped a 2-0 decision. The players were bad, the coaching was not great, and it was not a banner effort overall.

- Tom Adams

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MESSI MAGIC EARNS ARGENTINA WIN OVER ECUADOR IN WORLD CUP QUALIFIER

Reuters 

Lionel Messi's second-half goal gave Argentina a 1-0 home win over Ecuador on Thursday to get their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign off on the right foot.

World champions Argentina were dominant in possession but frustrated in attack as they struggled to make the breakthrough.

Captain Messi, however, continued the fine form he is showing with club side Inter Miami by scoring from a free kick after 77 minutes.