15/10/2025

SPORTS WEDNESDAY | OCT 15, 2025

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Les Bleus qualification on ice after draw

FRANCE’S perfect record in their World Cup quali fying campaign ended as they were held to a 2-2 draw away to Iceland who got a late equaliser in an entertaining Group D clash on Monday. Jean-Philippe Mateta scored his first goal for Les Bleus to put them 2-1 ahead on his second cap after Christopher Nkunku had equalised for the visitors following Victor Palsson’s opener but Kristian Hlynsson salvaged a point for Iceland. France remain top with 10 points from four games, three ahead of Ukraine, who beat Azerbaijan 2-1 on Monday. Les Bleus face Ukraine in Paris on Nov 13 in what

were rewarded in the 63rd when Nkunku cut in from the left after being played through by Lucas Digne, evaded Palsson and fired a powerful low shot inside Olafsson’s left-hand post to make it 1-1. Five minutes later, the visitors went in front after a flowing team move as Eduardo Camavinga found Maghnes Akliouche on the left edge of the box. The midfielder crossed first time for Mateta, who tapped home with his right foot. However, Iceland hit back swiftly following a quick counter-attack as Hlynsson levelled in the 70th minute to deny Deschamps’s side a fourth straight win. – Reuters

Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola. They came close to scoring when Michael Olise delivered a perfect corner to the penalty spot where Manu Kone flicked the ball on for Nkunku, whose right-foot volley was brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Elias Olafsson. Olafsson was at it again moments later, boxing away Olise’s curling free kick, and Iceland made the most of their resilience six minutes before halftime as Palsson turned a low free kick into the back of the net to put the hosts ahead. France stepped up a gear after the break and

could prove a decisive fixture in the race to qualify for next year’s World Cup in the US, Mexico and Canada. “Iceland had two shots on target and scored twice, but we didn’t do enough in the first half,”said France coach Didier Deschamps. “We then did what we had to but what’s frus trating is the way we conceded the second goal. “We’d done the hard part and then switched off – that shouldn’t happen to us. We’ll have to settle for that.” France started solidly despite being ravaged by injuries and playing without regulars Kylian

Kosovo turn Swedes World Cup dreams sour

Blue Sharks do-do Cape Verde erupts after securing ticket to first World Cup

SWEDEN’S World Cup hopes were dealt a crushing blow as they suffered a 1-0 home loss to Kosovo yesterday that all but ends their chances of reaching the finals, with a third qualifying defeat piling more pressure on coach Jon Dahl Tomasson. The result leaves Sweden bottom of Group B with one point from four matches and only a slim mathematical chance of reaching the playoffs after next month’s final two rounds of matches. “I have a contract with the Swedish federation and we are in the middle of qualifying,”Tomasson told Viaplay when asked if he planned to resign. “Of course, it’s not good enough tonight and it’s a terrible result.” Kosovo are second with seven points, three behind leaders Switzerland who drew 0-0 away to third-placed Slovenia (three points) in Ljubljana yesterday. The group winners qualify directly for the World Cup with the runners-up going into the playoffs. Kosovo, who beat the Swedes 2-0 in Pristina last month, completed a famous double with Fisnik Asllani’s first-half strike proving decisive. The forward scored his first international goal in the 32nd minute with a close-range finish after fine link-up play between Vedat Muriqi and Veldin Hodza sliced open a static back line. Sweden controlled possession after the break but remained toothless in front of goal. “It really hurts. We forgot how to score goals and I don’t know why,”Tomasson added. Alexander Isak twice went close, first heading over and later slicing wide as Kosovo’s defence stood firm amid boos from the frustrated home fans around the Ullevi Stadium. The striker came agonisingly close to snatching a stoppage time equaliser but his powerful header was kept out by Arijanet Muric, whose stunning save ensured victory for the visitors. – Reuters HONDURAS won 3-0 against visiting Haiti yesterday to seize the lead in their Concacaf World Cup qualifying group and boost their chances of reaching the 2026 finals. Haiti had entered the contest in Tegucigalpa leading Group C on goal difference from Honduras after the sides drew 0-0 last month. But Honduras went top on eight points, two clear of Costa Rica who beat Nicaragua 4-1 at home, while Haiti dropped to third, one point further adrift. The final two rounds of qualifying matches take place in November. Concacaf’s United States, Canada and Mexico have already qualified as co-hosts. The final 12 teams have been drawn into three groups, with the winners of each also qualifying. The two second-place teams with the best records will still have a chance to qualify via playoffs with teams from other regions. Honduras striker Rigoberto Rivas opened the scoring in the 18th minute in Tegucigalpa, taking a high-bouncing through ball from Kervin Arriaga and chipping it over Haiti goalkeeper Johny Placide. Anthony Lozano put Honduras 2-0 up in the 26th minute with a right-foot shot off a pass from Luis Palma. Romell Quioto completed the scoring with a close-range effort in the 40th minute. In San Jose, Alonso Martinez opened the scoring for Costa Rica in the 12th minute but Junior Arteaga equalized in the 26th. Martinez scored again in the 28th minute to re-establish the lead and Manfred Ugalde made it 3-1 in the 49th minute. A left-footed bicycle kick by Francisco Calvo made it 4-1 in the fourth minute of stoppage time. – AFP Honduras beat Haiti to top Concacaf group

Supporters celebrate Cape Verde’s victory against Eswatini during the 2026 World Cup Africa qualifiers Group D match. – AFPPIC

A CARNIVAL-LIKE atmosphere erupted in the streets of Cape Verde’s capital Praia yesterday after the tiny archipelago nation qualified for the World Cup for the first time. Honking horns and street fireworks greeted euphoric fans pouring out of the Cape Verde National Stadium following the 3-0 victory over Eswatini, which secured the Blue Sharks a place in the 2026 finals, to be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Early second-half goals from Dailon Livramento and Willy Semedo set up the victory with Stopira adding a late third goal. In the street, people danced to the sound of reggae tunes and local funana music. It was “an incredible moment”, 37-year old fan Jorge Junior Livramento told AFP near the stadium. “I don’t have words. I was at the sta dium and I supported our team uncondi tionally,” he said. Congratulating Cape Verde on their “historic moment”, Fifa president Gianni Infantino said the achievement was likely to “power a new generation of football lov ers” across the nation. Cape Verde, located off the coast of Senegal, is the country with the smallest population to represent Africa in the global showpiece, with just 550,000 inhabitants. It becomes the second-least populous nation to reach the World Cup, after Iceland, with just over 350,000, at Russia 2018. “I shouted a lot during the match and now my voice is bad, but I am happy,” Praia resident Jose Vieira said after the victory, which he watched live in the stadium. The celebrations were expected to con tinue into the night with a concert at Praia’s

Luz, a trader and entrepreneur, told AFP that she was “very proud”. “It’s a fight we’ve been trying to achieve for a long time and finally coach Bubista managed to get us there”, said Da Luz, dressed in the team’s blue. The team reached the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals on their debut in 2013 and again in 2023 and are currently ranked 70th in the world. “It’s time to celebrate,” 39-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha told reporters, explaining that he had “been dreaming of this moment since I was a child”. Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana and Cape Verde have now won groups and filled six of the nine places automatically reserved for Africa at the 2026 World Cup. Fan Jose Jorge Borges, a 60-year-old journalist, told AFP in Praia it was a very memorable moment for Cape Verdeans. “The emotions are visible and difficult to describe,” he said. – AFP

municipal stadium featuring local artists such as Djodje and Soraia Ramos. Blue Sharks coach Pedro “Bubista” Brito told the press that “giving this happi ness to these people is enormous”, adding that “it’s a victory for all the Cape Verdean people”. Cape Verde won Group D with 23 points, four more than Cameroon, who hold the African record for World Cup appearances with eight. Cameroon drew 0-0 with Angola in Yaounde. An archipelago of 10 islands in the Atlantic Ocean, Cape Verde gained inde pendence from Portugal in 1975 and first attempted to reach the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea. “It’s a special moment in this celebra tion of the 50th anniversary of our inde pendence,” coach Bubista said. “It’s a victory for all the Cape Verdean people and, above all, a victory for those who fought for our independence.” On the island of Sao Vicente, Doris Da