FIFA World Cup Qualifiers Archives

Mbappe ‘relaxed’ and ready to play in France’s World Cup qualifiers

France captain Kylian Mbappe said Thursday that he is feeling relaxed with his life in Madrid and is in good shape ahead of the Azerbaijan clash in FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Mbappe had received treatment for a “small niggle” in his right ankle, picked up playing for Real Madrid last weekend.

“The coach (Didier Deschamps) wants me to play. I don’t think there will be a major problem,” Mbappe told reporters on Thursday.

Deschamps added: “It’s not prohibitive; it depends more on his sensitivity regarding his ankle.”

Mbappe said he was feeling “more relaxed” in his life, having fully settled into life in the Spanish capital since joining Real from Paris Saint-Germain last season.

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“A career can have some slightly more complicated years, years where you have a little more hardship,” he said.

“But in life, I think I’ve adapted well to Madrid. This isn’t an attack on France, but it’s true that I’m more relaxed there. In Madrid, the lifestyle is different. It’s less hectic than in Paris.

“I’ve managed to score goals. But I think that moreover in my game I’m also in a good mood, even if I think I can still do better,” he further remarked.

Deschamps urged his players not to underestimate Azerbaijan.

“Certainly, they’re not among the best European teams, but they’re coming off a draw against Ukraine,” said Deschamps.

“Seven of their players play for Qarabag,” which has won its first two Champions League pool matches, added the France coach.

Les Bleus are top of their group with two wins from two so far in qualifying. They host Azerbaijan on Friday at PSG’s Parc des Princes stadium before travelling to Iceland three days later.

READ: Asian Cup Qualifiers: Otis misses penalty as Pakistan held by Afghanistan

Injured Rodri out of Spain’s World Cup 2026 qualifiers

Spain confirmed Monday Manchester City midfielder Rodri Hernandez will not be joining them for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers, after suffering a hamstring injury.

Rodri is “out of the squad because of injury” said the Spanish national team in a statement, ahead of games against Georgia and Bulgaria on October 11 and October 14 respectively.

The 29-year-old was taken off in the 21st minute of City’s Premier League win over Brentford on Sunday, confirming after the game he had felt discomfort in his hamstring.

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Rodri was a key part of Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph but suffered a serious knee injury in September of that year, missing the majority of last season as he recovered.

Spain did not say if they would be calling up another player in place of the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner.

On Sunday coach Luis de la Fuente selected Celta Vigo striker Borja Iglesias to replace injured Barcelona star Lamine Yamal.

READ: Mohammad Amir opens up on comeback plans

Australia held by Indonesia in FIFA World Cup Qualifiers

Toothless Australia failed to score for the second FIFA World Cup Qualifiers match in succession as they were held 0-0 by a gutsy Indonesia in Jakarta on Tuesday.

The Socceroos dominated in front of almost 80,000 fans at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta, but Indonesia remain above them in Group C as they seek to qualify for the World Cup for only the second time.

It was Indonesia’s second draw after a 1-1 in Saudi Arabia last week, but Australia were shocked 1-0 at home by Bahrain in their FIFA World Cup Qualifiers opener.

The Socceroos head coach Graham Arnold made five changes to his line-up with highly rated Bayern Munich teenager Nestory Irankunda given a chance to shine from the start.

Kusini Yengi was suspended after his red card against Bahrain while central defender Alessandro Circati was again employed as a makeshift right-back.

Australia were by far the better side, forcing a succession of corners with big centre-back Harry Souttar creating havoc in the Indonesia defence.

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The 18-year-old Irankunda was at the heart of all Australia’s best attacking play.

In the 34th minute, he came within a whisker of putting his side ahead when his right-foot thunderbolt rattled the post from 25 yards before rebounding off the back of the diving goalkeeper and away to safety.

The second half followed the same pattern as the first, with Australia on top but failing to find any cutting edge in front of goal.

“Extremely disappointed, because how many chances do we create? How many chances do we get?” said Arnold.

“The boys put in the effort, and they all admitted their performance wasn’t good enough in the first game.

“There’s eight games to go. It’s not like it’s a disaster, but I’ve got to go home and do a lot of thinking.”

READ: Palestine impress in FIFA World Cup Qualifiers against South Korea

Palestine impress in FIFA World Cup Qualifier against South Korea

Palestine gave South Korea a major scare in an entertaining 0-0 away draw on Thursday as they attempt to reach the FIFA World Cup for the first time.

Making their debut in the third stage of Asian qualifying and 96 in FIFA’s rankings to South Korea’s 23, Palestine refused to be overawed for much of an open contest in Seoul.

Palestine play their home matches abroad, usually in the Middle East, because of the war in Gaza.

The local league has been suspended and many of the players are without a club.

Despite those obstacles, they thought they had taken the lead in the 22nd minute at the 66,000-capacity Seoul World Cup Stadium, only for the goal to be correctly ruled out for offside.

The hosts, under their fourth coach this year with Hong Myung-bo, looked shaky at the back and were struggling to get their talisman and skipper Son Heung-min into the game.

Their best chance of an even first half fell to Lee Kang-in, but Palestinian goalkeeper Rami Hamadeh just about kept out the Paris Saint-Germain player’s well-struck close-range effort.

The Palestinians appeared to tire in the second half and were restricted to rare but dangerous breakaways.

Lee was again guilty of missing a glorious chance when he shot wildly, then was denied with a 74th-minute free-kick that Hamadeh tipped over the bar.

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Oday Dabbagh then went close for the visitors on the break, before Spurs star Son rattled the outside of the Palestine post in the dying minutes.

Palestine could have won it themselves late on, only for goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo to save the hosts from an embarrassing defeat.

There were boos from the home fans at the end and the coach Hong said: “I’m sorry we couldn’t win this first match.

“The players did their best.”

Under their Tunisian coach Makram Daboub the Palestinian team have reached new heights this year.

At this year’s Asian Cup, they won a game for the first time in the history of the competition, defeating Hong Kong 3-0.

That put them into the knockout rounds of the tournament, another first, before going down 2-1 to hosts and eventual champions Qatar.

The squad trained in Malaysia for the South Korea game and will return there to prepare for their next qualifier, against Jordan in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, in what is nominally a home match.

Palestine reached this stage of FIFA World Cup Qualifiers for the first time by coming second behind Australia in their group, winning two, losing two and drawing two of their six matches.

READ: Vinicius Jr hopes Spain lose 2030 World Cup hosting rights

Pakistan humbled by Jordan in FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan men’s football team on Thursday, succumbed to a 3-0 defeat against Jordan in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers here at the Jinnah Stadium.

Jordan’s star player Musa Al-Taamari struck twice while Ali Olwan chipped in with a goal during the important match against Pakistan.

The Asian Cup finalists had a flying start to the game as their key player Al-Taamari scored a brace within the first 10 minutes.

It appeared that Jordan would keep on piling the goals against the hosts but Pakistan’s defence displayed character and remained steady to avoid a thrashing.

Notably, it was the straight third defeat of Pakistan in the ongoing second round of the Asian qualifiers.

Pakistan, who are yet to taste a triumph in the second round, remained at the bottom in the Group G of the Asian Qualifiers while Jordan are in third place with four points.

Pakistan will now travel to Jordan for the away fixture on March 26 this month.

It is worth mentioning here that Pakistan now need to win all their remaining three games, which includes two matches against Saudi Arabia and one against Tajikistan, in order to remain in the hunt for the FIFA World Cup.

Pakistan squad for FIFA World Cup Qualifiers:

Goalkeepers: Yousuf Butt, Saqib Hanif, Abdul Basit and Hassan Ali.

Defenders: Easah Suliman, Abdullah Iqbal, Mamoon Musa, Haseeb Khan, Mohammad Saddam, Mohammad Sohail, Omer Rao, Mohammad Fazal and Mohammad Adeel.

Midfielders: Rahis Nabi, Harun Hamid, Alamgir Ghazi, Rajab Ali, Ali Uzair, Shayek Dost and Abdul Samad.

Forwards: FareedUllah, Waleed Khan, Imran Kayani and Adeel Younis.

READ: Pakistan hammered by Tajikistan in FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers

Argentina triumph without Messi, Brazil edge Peru in World Cup qualifiers

World champions Argentina rested Lionel Messi but still shined in a 3-0 victory over 10-man Bolivia in La Paz on Tuesday to maintain their winning start to South America’s 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Brazil also have a maximum of six points from two games in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers after a superb 90th-minute winner from Marquinhos against Peru in Lima for the only goal of the match.

But Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay suffered a setback, giving up the lead to end with a 2-1 defeat at Ecuador.

Messi, who has had a hectic schedule with his club Inter Miami, watched his teammates from the bench but was not listed as a substitute, having complained of tiredness after scoring the winner in Thursday’s 1-0 victory over Ecuador.

Despite the absence of their talisman Lionel Scaloni’s side had too much firepower for Bolivia with goals from Enzo Fernandez, Nicolas Tagliafico and Nicolas Gonzalez securing an impressive victory.

Chelsea midfielder Fernandez went close with a wonderful effort from 30 yards out superbly saved by Guillermo Viscarra, who then did well again to keep out a near-post drive from Julian Alvarez.

The lively Alvarez had a hand in Argentina’s opener in the 31st minute, feeding Angel Di Maria, whose low cross was turned in by Fernandez, who had made a perfectly timed run into the box.

Eight minutes later Bolivia’s task got even tougher when Roberto Fernandez was sent off for an over-the-top challenge on Cristian Romero.

Argentina went in at the break with a 2-0 lead after Tagliafico met a floated Di Maria free-kick with a header that looped over Viscarra.

The three-time World Cup winners were in total control after the break with Alvarez hitting the post in the 70th minute and Viscarra kept busy by efforts from Rodrigo De Paul and Di Maria.

Gonzalez wrapped up the victory seven minutes from the end with a left-footed drive after more hesitant defending from the home side, who have lost both their opening games.

Scaloni was pleased with the performance of his team, saying they were “not afraid to play with the ball” and also offered an explanation for Messi’s absence.

“Leo was not ready to play, he tried to recover, but he did not feel comfortable,” he said.

Brazil came up against a determined Peru side in their second match of 2026 World Cup qualifiers and looked set to be frustrated when Raphinha’s rocket in the 72nd minute was brilliantly saved by Pedro Gallese.

But in the final minute, Neymar whipped in a corner and Marquinhos met it with a masterful glancing header that flashed into the far corner.

Colombia had to settle for a point in a disappointing goalless draw in Santiago, Chile.

Chile, with Alexis Sanchez back in the starting line-up, had the better of the game, playing some intelligent football in possession but like their opponents, they lacked a cutting edge.

After an impressive start to his reign in charge of Uruguay, Argentine Bielsa saw his team lose to two goals from Ecuador defender Felix Torres in Quito.

Uruguay took the lead in the 38th minute through Agustin Canobbio but the home side levelled just before the break when Torres rose to power home a header from a Moises Caicedo cross.

A penalty award gave Ecuador the opportunity to take the lead after the break but Enner Valencia’s woeful effort from the spot flew wide.

But Torres showed his value again to grab the winner, sliding into a crowded box to turn in a low cross from 16-year-old Kendry Paez.

Venezuela defeated Paraguay 1-0 at home thanks to Salomon Rondon’s injury-time penalty to raise hopes of making the World Cup for the first time in their history.

The hosts thought they had the lead in the 78th minute when Yangel Herrera fired home, but the referee’s review at the monitor concluded that the midfielder had handled the ball — to the fury of the home crowd.

But the technology worked in Venezuela’s favour in stoppage time when it spotted that Paraguay defender Ivan Piris had handled during an aerial challenge in the box and Rondon confidently tucked away the spot-kick.

The qualification process for the expanded 48-team World Cup 2026, to be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico, offers two extra places for South America with six teams qualifying directly.

The seventh out of the 10 nations will head to an inter-continental play-off.

After the opening two rounds of South America’s World Cup qualifiers, Brazil lead Argentina on goal difference with Colombia third on four points, one ahead of Uruguay and Venezuela.

Paraguay, Peru and Chile have a point each.

READ: Asia Cup 2023: Zaman Khan links up with Pakistan squad in Colombo

Neymar breaks Pele’s record as Brazil crush Bolivia 5-1 in World Cup qualifiers

Neymar surpassed Pele as Brazil’s all-time top scorer with two second-half goals in a 5-1 win over Bolivia in South America’s 2026 World Cup qualifiers on Friday.

The 31-year-old striker went into the game level with Pele on 77 goals and had a golden opportunity to break the record in the 17th minute when Brazil were awarded a penalty.

But he looked distraught after his soft spot-kick was easily saved by Bolivia keeper Guillermo Viscarra to keep the scores goalless.

Seven minutes later, Brazil got in front when Rodrygo reacted quickly to slot home after a shot from Raphinha was parried out by Viscarra.

Brazil doubled their lead just after the break when Raphinha cut in from the left and his low shot took a slight deflection as it flew into the bottom corner.

Neymar had a hand in Brazil’s third, with a clever chipped pass that was flicked on by Bruno Guimaraes into the path of Rodrygo who confidently drilled home.

Then came Neymar’s moment to enter the history books as he pounced on a loose ball inside the box and tucked away his 78th goal in his 125th game for his country – raising his hands and his gaze to the skies.

Victor Abrego pulled a goal back for Bolivia, bustling through a disorganized Brazil backline before blasting an unstoppable shot past Ederson.

But there was still time for Neymar to extend his record tally, connecting with a low ball from Raphinha in stoppage time to complete the victory and a memorable night for the forward.

The 31-year-old former Barcelona striker Neymar recently moved from Paris Saint-Germain to Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal.

Pele, who died in December aged 82, scored 77 goals for Brazil in 92 appearances between 1957 and 1971.

The win was the perfect start for new coach Fernando Diniz, who took over from predecessor Tite in the wake of the Selecao’s World Cup quarter-final exit last year.

Diniz paid tribute to Neymar, whose role in the squad has been under scrutiny.

“Many did not know what he would come to do, and he came to do what he did: have fun, score two goals and break the record,” he said.

“He is a very big idol, people must recognize him and accept him,” he added.

In Friday’s other game, Uruguay turned on the style, under new coach Marcelo Bielsa, as they beat Chile 3-1.

The qualification process for the expanded 48-team World Cup, to be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico in 2026, offers two extra places for South America with six teams qualifying directly.

The seventh out of the 10 nations will head to an inter-continental play-off.

The opening games on Thursday saw Argentina beat Ecuador 1-0 with a goal from Lionel Messi while Peru drew 0-0 at Paraguay and Colombia beat Venezuela 1-0.

READ: Labuschagne ready and waiting as Green adds to Australia’s injury woes

Portugal and Poland grab FIFA World Cup 2022 spots

PARIS: Portugal beat North Macedonia 2-0 and Poland saw off Sweden by the same score in the play-off finals on Tuesday to book their places in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Bruno Fernandes scored both goals for Portugal to overcome the Balkan nation that had knocked out European champions Italy in a stunning result last week.

Italy’s shock exit had North Macedonia dreaming of their first-ever appearance at a World Cup finals but Portugal proved a step too far in Porto.

Fernandes set Portugal on their way at the Estadio do Dragao by finishing off Cristiano Ronaldo’s pass in the first half and then put the victory beyond doubt in the second, connecting with a sublime cross from Diogo Jota.

The victory means Portugal extend their run of qualifying for all six of the World Cups since the turn of the century while Manchester United forward Ronaldo is on course for his fifth, aged 37.

Ronaldo’s best previous result was reaching the semi-finals in 2006 when Portugal were beaten by Germany.

Portugal coach Fernando Santos said: “I would like to congratulate the players for their attitude and their quality. We controlled the match in a very clear way.

“Now, having already won the Euro and the Nations League we have a dream of bringing enormous joy to Portugal.”

On the other hand, Robert Lewandowski stroked home a second-half penalty as Poland booked their berth in front of a fervent home crowd in Chorzow.

After the Poland captain converted a spot-kick, Piotr Zielinski completed the scoring with a superb second goal for the hosts.

Poland go into Friday’s draw for the group stages of the World Cup finals, from November 21 to December 18, after dominating the second half.

The Poles were awarded the crucial penalty just after half-time when midfielder Sebastian Szymanski rolled the ball to substitute Grzegorz Krychowiak, who was fouled by Jesper Karlstrom.

The referee pointed straight to the spot and Lewandowski casually arced his run, waited for Robin Olsen to move and then slotted the ball to the left of the Swedish goalkeeper.

It was his 75th goal for Poland and arguably one of his most important.

“It was really tough. I mean, this pressure!” Lewandowski said. “Even though I have taken many penalties in my career, this was one difficult. I knew this moment would have so much significance.

“We suffered, but now we can celebrate. I am proud and happy.”

Zielinski put the result beyond doubt when he capitalised on a slip by Sweden defender Marcus Danielson and sprinted clear.

He slotted his shot past Olsen with 18 minutes left to spark wild celebrations from the home crowd.

Only a superb save from Olsen denied Lewandowski a second goal when the Poland striker was allowed a rare late chance in the area by the Swedish defence.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic came on for the final 10 minutes, but the 40-year-old Sweden striker was unable to influence the course of the match and will miss out on a third appearance at a World Cup finals.

Twelve European sides have now clinched a place at the World Cup.

Gareth Bales’ Wales will take part in the other playoff final but that is on hold until at least June because the war in Ukraine led to the postponement of the Ukrainians’ semi-final away to Scotland.

READ: Pakistan delegation leaves for Qatar to attend 72nd FIFA Congress