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Deadspin | Desperate Senators hope to capitalize on chances in Game 3 Apr 20, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes center Seth Jarvis (24) and Ottawa Senators right wing Drake Batherson (19) battle in the first overtime period in game two of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images The math is very simple for the Ottawa Senators as they prepare to host the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series on Thursday night. Ottawa trails the series 2-0, and only four times in NHL history has a team come back from down 3-0 to win a playoff series. The last occurred in 2014 when the Los Angeles Kings rallied to stun the San Jose Sharks. The Senators fell behind the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-0 in the first round last April before falling in six games. “We feel a lot better than being down 2-0 last year,” Ottawa forward Drake Batherson said on Wednesday. “We’ve got a lot of confidence. We’re excited to get in front of our fans. We all can’t wait.” The Senators have certainly generated chances on offense, putting 61 shots on Frederik Andersen in the first two games, but only two of those have found the back of the net. Dylan Cozens tied Game 2 late in the second period, and no one scored again until Carolina’s Jordan Martinook ended the 3-2 thriller at 13:53 of the second overtime. Linus Ullmark was stellar in defeat, making 46 saves after stopping 27 of 29 shots in Game 1. “We’ve got a couple of days to regroup, not just physically, but mentally, as well,” Senators coach Travis Green said, referring to the aftermath of the Monday marathon. “After losing a game like that, I think that’s going to be important. And I think we played better the second game than the first game, and we’ve got to play better again.” Ottawa would benefit from the return of defensemen Tyler Kleven and Artem Zub. Kleven, who took a puck to the face on April 2, practiced in a regular jersey on Wednesday. Zub, who scored a career-high 30 points (five goals, 25 assists) this season, sustained an undisclosed injury in Game 1. He did not play in Game 2 and did not practice on Wednesday. The Hurricanes, meanwhile, are the first team in NHL history to take a 2-0 lead in its first best-of-seven series in six straight postseasons. “We did our job,” Martinook said. “Every home team you want to hold court in your building. We won our two at home, and now we go up there, and they’re going to try and do the same. So, it’s on us to go in there and put our best game forward and get the next one.” Hurricanes forward Logan Stankoven has carried his hot streak into the playoffs. He ended the regular season on a career-best eight-game point streak, then had a goal and an assist in Game 1 and a goal in Game 2. The line of Taylor Hall, Stankoven and Jackson Blake has nine of Carolina’s 14 points, so Carolina will be looking to spread out the scoring in Game 3. Another area needing improvement for the Hurricanes is faceoffs. The Hurricanes won just 36.3% (29-for-80) of the faceoffs in Game 2 after taking 43.6% (24-for-55) in Game 1. “I can’t tell you, but we have to do better,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said when asked what has gone wrong. “There’s understanding how refs are dropping pucks. There’s a million things that go into it. We have to be better.” –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Desperate #Senators #hope #capitalize #chances #Game

Deadspin | Desperate Senators hope to capitalize on chances in Game 3
Deadspin | Desperate Senators hope to capitalize on chances in Game 3 Apr 20, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes center Seth Jarvis (24) and Ottawa Senators right wing Drake Batherson (19) battle in the first overtime period in game two of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images The math is very simple for the Ottawa Senators as they prepare to host the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series on Thursday night. Ottawa trails the series 2-0, and only four times in NHL history has a team come back from down 3-0 to win a playoff series. The last occurred in 2014 when the Los Angeles Kings rallied to stun the San Jose Sharks. The Senators fell behind the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-0 in the first round last April before falling in six games. “We feel a lot better than being down 2-0 last year,” Ottawa forward Drake Batherson said on Wednesday. “We’ve got a lot of confidence. We’re excited to get in front of our fans. We all can’t wait.” The Senators have certainly generated chances on offense, putting 61 shots on Frederik Andersen in the first two games, but only two of those have found the back of the net. Dylan Cozens tied Game 2 late in the second period, and no one scored again until Carolina’s Jordan Martinook ended the 3-2 thriller at 13:53 of the second overtime. Linus Ullmark was stellar in defeat, making 46 saves after stopping 27 of 29 shots in Game 1. “We’ve got a couple of days to regroup, not just physically, but mentally, as well,” Senators coach Travis Green said, referring to the aftermath of the Monday marathon. “After losing a game like that, I think that’s going to be important. And I think we played better the second game than the first game, and we’ve got to play better again.” Ottawa would benefit from the return of defensemen Tyler Kleven and Artem Zub. Kleven, who took a puck to the face on April 2, practiced in a regular jersey on Wednesday. Zub, who scored a career-high 30 points (five goals, 25 assists) this season, sustained an undisclosed injury in Game 1. He did not play in Game 2 and did not practice on Wednesday. The Hurricanes, meanwhile, are the first team in NHL history to take a 2-0 lead in its first best-of-seven series in six straight postseasons. “We did our job,” Martinook said. “Every home team you want to hold court in your building. We won our two at home, and now we go up there, and they’re going to try and do the same. So, it’s on us to go in there and put our best game forward and get the next one.” Hurricanes forward Logan Stankoven has carried his hot streak into the playoffs. He ended the regular season on a career-best eight-game point streak, then had a goal and an assist in Game 1 and a goal in Game 2. The line of Taylor Hall, Stankoven and Jackson Blake has nine of Carolina’s 14 points, so Carolina will be looking to spread out the scoring in Game 3. Another area needing improvement for the Hurricanes is faceoffs. The Hurricanes won just 36.3% (29-for-80) of the faceoffs in Game 2 after taking 43.6% (24-for-55) in Game 1. “I can’t tell you, but we have to do better,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said when asked what has gone wrong. “There’s understanding how refs are dropping pucks. There’s a million things that go into it. We have to be better.” –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Desperate #Senators #hope #capitalize #chances #GameApr 20, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes center Seth Jarvis (24) and Ottawa Senators right wing Drake Batherson (19) battle in the first overtime period in game two of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images

The math is very simple for the Ottawa Senators as they prepare to host the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series on Thursday night.

Ottawa trails the series 2-0, and only four times in NHL history has a team come back from down 3-0 to win a playoff series. The last occurred in 2014 when the Los Angeles Kings rallied to stun the San Jose Sharks.

The Senators fell behind the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-0 in the first round last April before falling in six games.

“We feel a lot better than being down 2-0 last year,” Ottawa forward Drake Batherson said on Wednesday. “We’ve got a lot of confidence. We’re excited to get in front of our fans. We all can’t wait.”

The Senators have certainly generated chances on offense, putting 61 shots on Frederik Andersen in the first two games, but only two of those have found the back of the net. Dylan Cozens tied Game 2 late in the second period, and no one scored again until Carolina’s Jordan Martinook ended the 3-2 thriller at 13:53 of the second overtime.

Linus Ullmark was stellar in defeat, making 46 saves after stopping 27 of 29 shots in Game 1.

“We’ve got a couple of days to regroup, not just physically, but mentally, as well,” Senators coach Travis Green said, referring to the aftermath of the Monday marathon. “After losing a game like that, I think that’s going to be important. And I think we played better the second game than the first game, and we’ve got to play better again.”


Ottawa would benefit from the return of defensemen Tyler Kleven and Artem Zub. Kleven, who took a puck to the face on April 2, practiced in a regular jersey on Wednesday. Zub, who scored a career-high 30 points (five goals, 25 assists) this season, sustained an undisclosed injury in Game 1. He did not play in Game 2 and did not practice on Wednesday.

The Hurricanes, meanwhile, are the first team in NHL history to take a 2-0 lead in its first best-of-seven series in six straight postseasons.

“We did our job,” Martinook said. “Every home team you want to hold court in your building. We won our two at home, and now we go up there, and they’re going to try and do the same. So, it’s on us to go in there and put our best game forward and get the next one.”

Hurricanes forward Logan Stankoven has carried his hot streak into the playoffs. He ended the regular season on a career-best eight-game point streak, then had a goal and an assist in Game 1 and a goal in Game 2.

The line of Taylor Hall, Stankoven and Jackson Blake has nine of Carolina’s 14 points, so Carolina will be looking to spread out the scoring in Game 3.

Another area needing improvement for the Hurricanes is faceoffs. The Hurricanes won just 36.3% (29-for-80) of the faceoffs in Game 2 after taking 43.6% (24-for-55) in Game 1.

“I can’t tell you, but we have to do better,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said when asked what has gone wrong. “There’s understanding how refs are dropping pucks. There’s a million things that go into it. We have to be better.”

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Desperate #Senators #hope #capitalize #chances #Game

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Apr 20, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes center Seth Jarvis (24) and Ottawa Senators right wing Drake Batherson (19) battle in the first overtime period in game two of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images

The math is very simple for the Ottawa Senators as they prepare to host the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series on Thursday night.

Ottawa trails the series 2-0, and only four times in NHL history has a team come back from down 3-0 to win a playoff series. The last occurred in 2014 when the Los Angeles Kings rallied to stun the San Jose Sharks.

The Senators fell behind the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-0 in the first round last April before falling in six games.

“We feel a lot better than being down 2-0 last year,” Ottawa forward Drake Batherson said on Wednesday. “We’ve got a lot of confidence. We’re excited to get in front of our fans. We all can’t wait.”

The Senators have certainly generated chances on offense, putting 61 shots on Frederik Andersen in the first two games, but only two of those have found the back of the net. Dylan Cozens tied Game 2 late in the second period, and no one scored again until Carolina’s Jordan Martinook ended the 3-2 thriller at 13:53 of the second overtime.

Linus Ullmark was stellar in defeat, making 46 saves after stopping 27 of 29 shots in Game 1.

“We’ve got a couple of days to regroup, not just physically, but mentally, as well,” Senators coach Travis Green said, referring to the aftermath of the Monday marathon. “After losing a game like that, I think that’s going to be important. And I think we played better the second game than the first game, and we’ve got to play better again.”

Ottawa would benefit from the return of defensemen Tyler Kleven and Artem Zub. Kleven, who took a puck to the face on April 2, practiced in a regular jersey on Wednesday. Zub, who scored a career-high 30 points (five goals, 25 assists) this season, sustained an undisclosed injury in Game 1. He did not play in Game 2 and did not practice on Wednesday.

The Hurricanes, meanwhile, are the first team in NHL history to take a 2-0 lead in its first best-of-seven series in six straight postseasons.

“We did our job,” Martinook said. “Every home team you want to hold court in your building. We won our two at home, and now we go up there, and they’re going to try and do the same. So, it’s on us to go in there and put our best game forward and get the next one.”

Hurricanes forward Logan Stankoven has carried his hot streak into the playoffs. He ended the regular season on a career-best eight-game point streak, then had a goal and an assist in Game 1 and a goal in Game 2.

The line of Taylor Hall, Stankoven and Jackson Blake has nine of Carolina’s 14 points, so Carolina will be looking to spread out the scoring in Game 3.

Another area needing improvement for the Hurricanes is faceoffs. The Hurricanes won just 36.3% (29-for-80) of the faceoffs in Game 2 after taking 43.6% (24-for-55) in Game 1.

“I can’t tell you, but we have to do better,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said when asked what has gone wrong. “There’s understanding how refs are dropping pucks. There’s a million things that go into it. We have to be better.”

–Field Level Media

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MI vs CSK, IPL 2026: Head-to-head record, most runs, wickets ahead of Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings  <div id="content-body-70894733" itemprop="articleBody"><p>Mumbai Indians will be looking to revive its IPL 2026 campaign when it hosts Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday, April 23.</p><p>Hardik Pandya’s side holds a slight advantage in the head-to-head record between these two sides, having won 22 games compared to 19 for Chennai Super Kings.</p><p>Rohit Sharma, whose fitness is under the microscope coming into this match, is the leading run-scorer in this fixture with 913 runs. Lasith Malinga and Dwayne Bravo share the record for most wickets, with 37 each.</p><p><i>Ahead of the Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings IPL 2026 match, here are some important statistics to know:</i></p><h4 class="sub_head">HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORD</h4><div class="fact-box"><h5 class="main-title"> MI vs CSK head-to-head record </h5><p> Matches played: 41 </p><p> Mumbai Indians wins: 22 </p><p> Chennai Super Kings wins: 19 </p></div><h4 class="sub_head">MOST RUNS IN MI VS CSK MATCHES</h4><div class="article-table my-3"><table class="table"><tr><td> Player</td><td> Runs</td><td> Average</td><td> Strike-rate</td><td> HS</td></tr><tr><td> Rohit Sharma (MI)</td><td> 913</td><td> 33.81</td><td> 133.87</td><td> 105*</td></tr><tr><td> MS Dhoni (CSK)</td><td> 736</td><td> 36.8</td><td> 137.05</td><td> 63*</td></tr><tr><td> Suresh Raina (CSK)</td><td> 736</td><td> 28.3</td><td> 140.19</td><td> 83*</td></tr><tr><td> Ambati Rayudu (CSK/MI)</td><td> 664</td><td> 25.53</td><td> 126.71</td><td> 72*</td></tr><tr><td> Kieron Pollard (MI)</td><td> 636</td><td> 35.33</td><td> 169.6</td><td> 87*</td></tr></table></div><h4 class="sub_head">MOST WICKETS IN MI VS CSK MATCHES</h4><div class="article-table my-3"><table class="table"><tr><td> Player</td><td> Wickets</td><td> Average</td><td> Economy rate</td><td> BBI</td></tr><tr><td> Dwayne Bravo (MI/CSK)</td><td> 37</td><td> 20.51</td><td> 8.2</td><td> 4/42</td></tr><tr><td> Lasith Malinga (MI)</td><td> 37</td><td> 17.59</td><td> 7.27</td><td> 5/32</td></tr><tr><td> Harbhajan Singh (MI/CSK)</td><td> 26</td><td> 25.5</td><td> 6.57</td><td> 5/18</td></tr><tr><td> Ravindra Jadeja (CSK)</td><td> 23</td><td> 30.43</td><td> 8.53</td><td> 3/20</td></tr><tr><td> R. Ashwin (CSK)</td><td> 15</td><td> 32.06</td><td> 6.77</td><td> 3/30</td></tr></table></div><p class="publish-time" id="end-of-article">Published on Apr 23, 2026</p></div> #CSK #IPL #Headtohead #record #runs #wickets #ahead #Mumbai #Indians #Chennai #Super #Kings

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Broken blueprints: How Italy and Nigeria failed to qualify for 2026 FIFA World Cup <div id="content-body-70887202" itemprop="articleBody"><p>As you read this, teams are taking shape, players are pushing to make it to their national sides, and coaches are scratching their heads to get strategies in place before the greatest show on earth rolls into town.</p><p>Amid the noise, there is silence in two prominent parts of the world — countries that, not so long ago, were part of this carnival: Italy and Nigeria.</p><p>Italy, the more decorated of the two, missed out on its third consecutive World Cup appearance — a phenomenon termed an ‘apocalypse’ by local media — as the four-time World Cup winner lost 1-4 on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina in its final qualifier.</p><p>The Germans offer a relevant precedent here. When Germany — then a three-time World Cup winner — was knocked out of the 2004 European Championships, it decided to tear its existing blueprint apart and build another from scratch.</p><p>Its youth programme, called the Nachwuchsleistungszentrum, churned out stars like Toni Kroos, Thomas Müller, Manuel Neuer and Mario Götze. A decade later, Götze — a product of Borussia Dortmund’s youth academy — volleyed his name into immortality as Germany became world champion yet again.</p><div class=" article-picture center"><img src="https://ss-i.thgim.com/public/incoming/z6tsg7/article70892154.ece/alternates/FREE_1200/AFP__20140713__DV1819927__v2__HighRes__491717433.jpg" data-original="https://ss-i.thgim.com/public/incoming/z6tsg7/article70892154.ece/alternates/FREE_1200/AFP__20140713__DV1819927__v2__HighRes__491717433.jpg" alt="Fantastic finish: Mario Göetze scored the winner in the 2014 FIFA World Cup final, putting up a fine example of a finished product of Germany’s youth development programs." title="Fantastic finish: Mario Göetze scored the winner in the 2014 FIFA World Cup final, putting up a fine example of a finished product of Germany’s youth development programs." class=" lazy" width="100%" height="100%"/><div class="pic-caption"><figcaption class="figure-caption align-text-bottom"><p><b>Fantastic finish: </b>Mario Göetze scored the winner in the 2014 FIFA World Cup final, putting up a fine example of a finished product of Germany’s youth development programs. | Photo Credit: AFP </p><img class="caption-image" src="https://assetsss.thehindu.com/theme/images/SSRX/lightbox-info.svg" alt="lightbox-info"/></figcaption></div><p class="caption"><b>Fantastic finish: </b>Mario Göetze scored the winner in the 2014 FIFA World Cup final, putting up a fine example of a finished product of Germany’s youth development programs. | Photo Credit: AFP </p></div><p>A similar plan was conceptualised by Italy legend Roberto Baggio in his project ‘Renewing the Future’ after the Azzurri, then defending champions, crashed out of the 2010 World Cup in the group stage.</p><p>But within 17 months, he chose to walk away.</p><p>“A 900-page program was presented in December 2011, but it remained a dead letter for a year. So I drew my conclusions: I don’t like sitting in positions, but rather getting things done,” Baggio, resigning from the post of president of the technical sector of the Italian Football Federation, said.</p><p>The years that followed still yielded some fruits of Baggio’s vision.</p><p>Italy won Euro 2020, produced prominent European stars in Gianluigi Donnarumma — a treble winner with Paris Saint-Germain — Nicolò Barella, a two-time Champions League runner-up, and even Sandro Tonali, who helped Newcastle United win its first trophy in nearly half a century. Yet, with all of them in the squad, the ship could not be steadied against Bosnia and Herzegovina.</p><div class=" article-picture center"><img src="https://ss-i.thgim.com/public/incoming/qoli5l/article70892432.ece/alternates/FREE_1200/2026-04-02T121115Z_230548433_RC2YFKAM1UHD_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-WORLDCUP-BIH-ITA.JPG" data-original="https://ss-i.thgim.com/public/incoming/qoli5l/article70892432.ece/alternates/FREE_1200/2026-04-02T121115Z_230548433_RC2YFKAM1UHD_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-WORLDCUP-BIH-ITA.JPG" alt="A night to forget: Italy fell to Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties to fall short in the race to qualify for FIFA World Cup 2026." title="A night to forget: Italy fell to Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties to fall short in the race to qualify for FIFA World Cup 2026." class=" lazy" width="100%" height="100%"/><div class="pic-caption"><figcaption class="figure-caption align-text-bottom"><p><b>A night to forget: </b>Italy fell to Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties to fall short in the race to qualify for FIFA World Cup 2026. | Photo Credit: REUTERS </p><img class="caption-image" src="https://assetsss.thehindu.com/theme/images/SSRX/lightbox-info.svg" alt="lightbox-info"/></figcaption></div><p class="caption"><b>A night to forget: </b>Italy fell to Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties to fall short in the race to qualify for FIFA World Cup 2026. | Photo Credit: REUTERS </p></div><p>Marcello Lippi, the last World Cup-winning coach of Italy, had once said, “A group of the best players does not necessarily make for the best team.”</p><p>Italy had developed a DNA influenced by Giovanni Trapattoni’s  <i>zona mista</i> (an Italian style of football prevalent in the 1960-70s) and Arrigo Sacchi’s 4-4-2 — both that were built on a simple creed: defence wins titles.</p><p>That cathedral now looks to be crumbling — neglected and abandoned.</p><div class="info-box"><h5 class="main-title"><b>Other major teams that missed the cut</b></h5><h5 class="sub-title">No encore for Sánchez</h5><p>Chile, which reached the round of 16 in each of its last three World Cup appearances, missed out on the 2026 edition — the third consecutive time it has fallen short — potentially ending Alexis Sánchez’s chances of playing in the tournament again.</p><h5 class="sub-title">Curtain call cut short</h5><p>Poland legend Robert Lewandowski broke down after a 2-3 loss to Sweden in the playoffs saw his team miss out on a World Cup spot for the first time since 2014, denying the star striker a final dance on the biggest stage.</p><h5 class="sub-title">Mbeumo misses the party</h5><p>Bryan Mbeumo will miss his first chance to play in a World Cup as his team, Cameroon — the 1990 quarterfinalist — failed to qualify for the expanded 48-team 2026 edition, set to be played in the USA, Mexico and Canada.</p></div><p>Italian players are moving to foreign leagues, and the last time an Italian club won the Champions League was 16 years ago — the same year Italy last won the World Cup.</p><p>In the current national team, four of the 11 regular starters — Donnarumma, Riccardo Calafiori, Tonali and Mateo Retegui — play outside Italy, with its main striker (Retegui) playing in Asia. In contrast, in the 2010 World Cup-winning squad, all players featured in Serie A.</p><p>Off the field, the rot runs deeper. Gabriele Gravina clung to the Italian FA presidency despite Italy failing to qualify for Qatar 2022, until he was forced to walk the plank after the 2026 qualifying debacle.</p><p>Who did Italy turn to as coach? Gennaro Gattuso — a fine player who, as a manager, had fallen short of expectations at nine clubs.</p><p>For a country trying to return to the World Cup after 12 years, was that really the best step forward? Questions will arise and Italy will need answers, or risk going around in circles.</p><p>For Nigeria, chaos has been the only constant. Too many cooks spoiled the broth for the African giant, as the Super Eagles were grounded before takeoff for the second World Cup cycle in succession.</p><p>In the 2022 qualifying campaign, Nigeria replaced Gernot Rohr, who coached in the initial qualifiers, with Augustine Eguavoen before the penultimate round. The team fell to Ghana on the away goals rule.</p><div class=" article-picture center"><img src="https://ss-i.thgim.com/public/incoming/7czdeq/article70892494.ece/alternates/FREE_1200/1994070903900101.jpg" data-original="https://ss-i.thgim.com/public/incoming/7czdeq/article70892494.ece/alternates/FREE_1200/1994070903900101.jpg" alt="Not an American dream anymore: Nigeria had made a prominent mark when the USA hosted the FIFA World Cup for the first time, in 1994. When the tournament returns to the same country this year, the Golden Eagles will only be able to watch in silence." title="Not an American dream anymore: Nigeria had made a prominent mark when the USA hosted the FIFA World Cup for the first time, in 1994. When the tournament returns to the same country this year, the Golden Eagles will only be able to watch in silence." class=" lazy" width="100%" height="100%"/><div class="pic-caption"><figcaption class="figure-caption align-text-bottom"><p><b>Not an American dream anymore: </b>Nigeria had made a prominent mark when the USA hosted the FIFA World Cup for the first time, in 1994. When the tournament returns to the same country this year, the Golden Eagles will only be able to watch in silence. | Photo Credit: The Hindu Photo Library </p><img class="caption-image" src="https://assetsss.thehindu.com/theme/images/SSRX/lightbox-info.svg" alt="lightbox-info"/></figcaption></div><p class="caption"><b>Not an American dream anymore: </b>Nigeria had made a prominent mark when the USA hosted the FIFA World Cup for the first time, in 1994. When the tournament returns to the same country this year, the Golden Eagles will only be able to watch in silence. | Photo Credit: The Hindu Photo Library </p></div><p>In the next World Cup cycle, the inconsistency gave way to further drama. Several players from the team that finished runner-up in the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) were promised real estate rewards, which reportedly never arrived.</p><p>The team even boycotted the AFCON 2025 qualifier against Libya after being stranded at the airport for 12 hours.</p><p>The following month, just two days before the World Cup African playoff semifinal against Gabon, the entire squad downed tools due to unresolved wage issues. Though the matter was eventually resolved — and Nigeria dragged itself past the finish line with a 4-1 extra-time win — the cracks were clear.</p><p>Then came the revolving door of head coaches: José Peseiro, Finidi George, Augustine Eguavoen and Eric Chelle — four men in two years. Chelle remained in charge for the final stages of qualification, where Nigeria lost on penalties to the Democratic Republic of Congo, with the coach blaming voodoo for the exit. Talk about analysis.</p><p>Beyond the quagmire of administration, the harshest blow came from the treatment table — Victor Osimhen’s injury ruled him out of several matches. The former Napoli forward even fell out of favour with George, who claimed Osimhen was faking his injury, before missing clashes against South Africa and Benin.</p><p>The result: three matches, no wins. Nigeria drew twice with South Africa and lost to Benin. Without Osimhen, it earned only four points from a possible 15.</p><div class=" article-picture center"><img src="https://ss-i.thgim.com/public/magazine/24dh30/article70891708.ece/alternates/FREE_1200/AFP__20251010__78E93NZ__v5__HighRes__FblWc2026AfricaQualifierLesNga.jpg" data-original="https://ss-i.thgim.com/public/magazine/24dh30/article70891708.ece/alternates/FREE_1200/AFP__20251010__78E93NZ__v5__HighRes__FblWc2026AfricaQualifierLesNga.jpg" alt="Lost roar: Nigeria looked a different side with an without Osimhen, who missed several matches with injury in the qualification campaign." title="Lost roar: Nigeria looked a different side with an without Osimhen, who missed several matches with injury in the qualification campaign." class=" lazy" width="100%" height="100%"/><div class="pic-caption"><figcaption class="figure-caption align-text-bottom"><p><b>Lost roar: </b>Nigeria looked a different side with an without Osimhen, who missed several matches with injury in the qualification campaign. | Photo Credit: AFP </p><img class="caption-image" src="https://assetsss.thehindu.com/theme/images/SSRX/lightbox-info.svg" alt="lightbox-info"/></figcaption></div><p class="caption"><b>Lost roar: </b>Nigeria looked a different side with an without Osimhen, who missed several matches with injury in the qualification campaign. | Photo Credit: AFP </p></div><p>His injury in the playoff final against DR Congo forced an early substitution, and Ademola Lookman followed 10 minutes later — leaving Nigeria to play most of the match without two of its most important strikers.</p><p>DR Congo, on the other hand, was a study in stability.</p><p>After failing to qualify for Qatar 2022, it offered a second roll of the dice to Sébastien Desabre as coach — and he repaid that faith by guiding the team to the World Cup after 52 years, beating Cameroon and Nigeria.</p><p>When the FIFA World Cup was first conducted in the United States in 1994, Nigeria and Italy had some of the loudest fans, with the former reaching the round of 16, and the latter making the final.</p><p>This time around, it will be their silence that rings loudest — a reminder that in football, failure is rarely accidental.</p><p class="publish-time" id="end-of-article">Published on Apr 23, 2026</p></div> #Broken #blueprints #Italy #Nigeria #failed #qualify #FIFA #World #Cup

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#greatest #World #Cup #Final #deep #rewind">The greatest World Cup Final ever needs a deep rewind This is simply incredible. After 120+ minutes of thrilling football, Argentina and France find themselves in a penalty shootout with the World Cup on the line. After going through a phenomenal group stage and thrilling knockout rounds throughout this tourney, it really doesn’t get any better than this.But before we see what comes next, we need to understand how this chaos somehow topped the last meeting between these two nations, why we’re in the Middle East in the dead of winter, and what a win would mean for two of the game’s top stars, Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi. For Mbappé, a victory would further solidify his status as one of football’s best, adding a second World Cup to his very young, promising career. For Messi, it could very well be his last World Cup in a career filled with countless accomplishments, yet a trophy that’s eluded him for years. #greatest #World #Cup #Final #deep #rewind

The shirt worn by Brazil great Pele ​when he scored twice in ‌the 1958 FIFA World Cup ​final has sold for USD 4.9 ⁠million at auction, becoming the most valuable piece of memorabilia ‌linked to the football legend, Sotheby’s said on ‌Thursday.

The number 10 ‌shirt, ⁠worn by the ⁠then 17-year-old as Brazil beat host Sweden 5-2 in Stockholm to win its first ‌world title, attracted 10 bids from more than five bidders, the auction house ‌said.

ALSO READ | FIFA World Cup trophy to arrive in style in bespoke Louis Vuitton trunk

The sale made it ​the second-most expensive football shirt sold at ⁠auction, behind the USD 9.3 million paid in 2022 for the shirt ‌worn by Diego Maradona when he scored his “Hand of God” goal for Argentina against England at the 1986 World Cup.

Pele, ‌who died in 2022 aged ​82, scored twice in the 1958 showpiece and ⁠remains the youngest player to score ⁠in a World Cup final.

The shirt ‌had previously sold at auction in 2004 for 70,505 ​pounds ($105,600), according to Sotheby’s

Published on Jul 17, 2026

#Peles #FIFA #World #Cup #final #shirt #sells #USD #million">Pele’s 1958 FIFA World Cup final shirt sells for USD 4.9 million The shirt worn by Brazil great Pele ​when he scored twice in ‌the 1958 FIFA World Cup ​final has sold for USD 4.9 ⁠million at auction, becoming the most valuable piece of memorabilia ‌linked to the football legend, Sotheby’s said on ‌Thursday.The number 10 ‌shirt, ⁠worn by the ⁠then 17-year-old as Brazil beat host Sweden 5-2 in Stockholm to win its first ‌world title, attracted 10 bids from more than five bidders, the auction house ‌said.ALSO READ | FIFA World Cup trophy to arrive in style in bespoke Louis Vuitton trunkThe sale made it ​the second-most expensive football shirt sold at ⁠auction, behind the USD 9.3 million paid in 2022 for the shirt ‌worn by Diego Maradona when he scored his “Hand of God” goal for Argentina against England at the 1986 World Cup.Pele, ‌who died in 2022 aged ​82, scored twice in the 1958 showpiece and ⁠remains the youngest player to score ⁠in a World Cup final.The shirt ‌had previously sold at auction in 2004 for 70,505 ​pounds (5,600), according to Sotheby’sPublished on Jul 17, 2026 #Peles #FIFA #World #Cup #final #shirt #sells #USD #million

FIFA World Cup trophy to arrive in style in bespoke Louis Vuitton trunk

The sale made it ​the second-most expensive football shirt sold at ⁠auction, behind the USD 9.3 million paid in 2022 for the shirt ‌worn by Diego Maradona when he scored his “Hand of God” goal for Argentina against England at the 1986 World Cup.

Pele, ‌who died in 2022 aged ​82, scored twice in the 1958 showpiece and ⁠remains the youngest player to score ⁠in a World Cup final.

The shirt ‌had previously sold at auction in 2004 for 70,505 ​pounds ($105,600), according to Sotheby’s

Published on Jul 17, 2026

#Peles #FIFA #World #Cup #final #shirt #sells #USD #million">Pele’s 1958 FIFA World Cup final shirt sells for USD 4.9 million

The shirt worn by Brazil great Pele ​when he scored twice in ‌the 1958 FIFA World Cup ​final has sold for USD 4.9 ⁠million at auction, becoming the most valuable piece of memorabilia ‌linked to the football legend, Sotheby’s said on ‌Thursday.

The number 10 ‌shirt, ⁠worn by the ⁠then 17-year-old as Brazil beat host Sweden 5-2 in Stockholm to win its first ‌world title, attracted 10 bids from more than five bidders, the auction house ‌said.

ALSO READ | FIFA World Cup trophy to arrive in style in bespoke Louis Vuitton trunk

The sale made it ​the second-most expensive football shirt sold at ⁠auction, behind the USD 9.3 million paid in 2022 for the shirt ‌worn by Diego Maradona when he scored his “Hand of God” goal for Argentina against England at the 1986 World Cup.

Pele, ‌who died in 2022 aged ​82, scored twice in the 1958 showpiece and ⁠remains the youngest player to score ⁠in a World Cup final.

The shirt ‌had previously sold at auction in 2004 for 70,505 ​pounds ($105,600), according to Sotheby’s

Published on Jul 17, 2026

#Peles #FIFA #World #Cup #final #shirt #sells #USD #million

Over the past few seasons, Tarik Skubal has been one of the best, if not the best, pitchers in the sport. Since 2023, Skubal has the second-lowest ERA among pitchers with at least 50 starts and ranks 9th in total strikeouts, despite having 13 fewer starts than every pitcher above him on that list. The two Cy Youngs are a culmination of his continued dominance, but now his upcoming free-agent decision looms large for the Detroit Tigers.

Skubal is a Scott Boras client. If you know anything about Boras guys, it’s not common for any of them to take team-friendly deals to stay in smaller markets, so this could very well be his final season in Detroit.

At this moment, the Tigers are 44-52, good for 4th in the AL Central, but are still only 3.5 games back of the final Wild Card spot. Detroit closed out the first half of the regular season strong, going 9-3, and got as close as 4.5 games of the Central division.

In a normal year, the season would be all but over for the Tigers, but fortunately they’re playing in one of the worst American Leagues we’ve ever seen. The trade deadline is August 3rd, so Detroit has five series to decide whether to make a playoff push or sell. Only one of those series is against a team over .500, and three of the other four series are against the three worst teams in the American League.

Detroit isn’t out of it yet

Detroit is finally getting healthier, and a playoff push isn’t out of the question, but that doesn’t make them a contender. Skubal and Casey Mize make one of the best 1-2 punches in baseball, but the lineup is terrible.

Last season blinded Detroit to a flawed lineup. Most of the lineup outperformed their expected stats and have plummeted back to Earth this year. Kevin McGonigle, Riley Greene, and Dillon Dingler are a very solid top of the order, and Gelyber Torres should return from injury soon, but I’m just not very sold on this team.

The return you can get on a guy like Skubal can change the long-term direction of your organization. Mason Miller was dealt at the deadline for four players who are now the first, fourth, and twelfth-ranked players in the Athletics farm system. Skubal would only be a rental, but if you could land a top 10-20 prospect in the sport, I think you have to do it.

Unless Detroit is going to shock the world and pay Skubal’s massive extension, I think the Tigers should start preparing for a world without their ace. This team’s not strong enough to contend and will only set themselves back if they hold on to Skubal.

#Tigers #Moving #Tarik #Skubal #Trade #Deadline #Deadspin.com">Why Tigers Should Consider Moving Tarik Skubal at the Trade Deadline | Deadspin.com Over the past few seasons, Tarik Skubal has been one of the best, if not the best, pitchers in the sport. Since 2023, Skubal has the second-lowest ERA among pitchers with at least 50 starts and ranks 9th in total strikeouts, despite having 13 fewer starts than every pitcher above him on that list. The two Cy Youngs are a culmination of his continued dominance, but now his upcoming free-agent decision looms large for the Detroit Tigers.Skubal is a Scott Boras client. If you know anything about Boras guys, it’s not common for any of them to take team-friendly deals to stay in smaller markets, so this could very well be his final season in Detroit.At this moment, the Tigers are 44-52, good for 4th in the AL Central, but are still only 3.5 games back of the final Wild Card spot. Detroit closed out the first half of the regular season strong, going 9-3, and got as close as 4.5 games of the Central division.In a normal year, the season would be all but over for the Tigers, but fortunately they’re playing in one of the worst American Leagues we’ve ever seen. The trade deadline is August 3rd, so Detroit has five series to decide whether to make a playoff push or sell. Only one of those series is against a team over .500, and three of the other four series are against the three worst teams in the American League.Detroit isn’t out of it yetDetroit is finally getting healthier, and a playoff push isn’t out of the question, but that doesn’t make them a contender. Skubal and Casey Mize make one of the best 1-2 punches in baseball, but the lineup is terrible.Last season blinded Detroit to a flawed lineup. Most of the lineup outperformed their expected stats and have plummeted back to Earth this year. Kevin McGonigle, Riley Greene, and Dillon Dingler are a very solid top of the order, and Gelyber Torres should return from injury soon, but I’m just not very sold on this team.The return you can get on a guy like Skubal can change the long-term direction of your organization. Mason Miller was dealt at the deadline for four players who are now the first, fourth, and twelfth-ranked players in the Athletics farm system. Skubal would only be a rental, but if you could land a top 10-20 prospect in the sport, I think you have to do it.Unless Detroit is going to shock the world and pay Skubal’s massive extension, I think the Tigers should start preparing for a world without their ace. This team’s not strong enough to contend and will only set themselves back if they hold on to Skubal. #Tigers #Moving #Tarik #Skubal #Trade #Deadline #Deadspin.com

looms large for the Detroit Tigers.

Skubal is a Scott Boras client. If you know anything about Boras guys, it’s not common for any of them to take team-friendly deals to stay in smaller markets, so this could very well be his final season in Detroit.

At this moment, the Tigers are 44-52, good for 4th in the AL Central, but are still only 3.5 games back of the final Wild Card spot. Detroit closed out the first half of the regular season strong, going 9-3, and got as close as 4.5 games of the Central division.

In a normal year, the season would be all but over for the Tigers, but fortunately they’re playing in one of the worst American Leagues we’ve ever seen. The trade deadline is August 3rd, so Detroit has five series to decide whether to make a playoff push or sell. Only one of those series is against a team over .500, and three of the other four series are against the three worst teams in the American League.

Detroit isn’t out of it yet

Detroit is finally getting healthier, and a playoff push isn’t out of the question, but that doesn’t make them a contender. Skubal and Casey Mize make one of the best 1-2 punches in baseball, but the lineup is terrible.

Last season blinded Detroit to a flawed lineup. Most of the lineup outperformed their expected stats and have plummeted back to Earth this year. Kevin McGonigle, Riley Greene, and Dillon Dingler are a very solid top of the order, and Gelyber Torres should return from injury soon, but I’m just not very sold on this team.

The return you can get on a guy like Skubal can change the long-term direction of your organization. Mason Miller was dealt at the deadline for four players who are now the first, fourth, and twelfth-ranked players in the Athletics farm system. Skubal would only be a rental, but if you could land a top 10-20 prospect in the sport, I think you have to do it.

Unless Detroit is going to shock the world and pay Skubal’s massive extension, I think the Tigers should start preparing for a world without their ace. This team’s not strong enough to contend and will only set themselves back if they hold on to Skubal.

#Tigers #Moving #Tarik #Skubal #Trade #Deadline #Deadspin.com">Why Tigers Should Consider Moving Tarik Skubal at the Trade Deadline | Deadspin.com

Over the past few seasons, Tarik Skubal has been one of the best, if not the best, pitchers in the sport. Since 2023, Skubal has the second-lowest ERA among pitchers with at least 50 starts and ranks 9th in total strikeouts, despite having 13 fewer starts than every pitcher above him on that list. The two Cy Youngs are a culmination of his continued dominance, but now his upcoming free-agent decision looms large for the Detroit Tigers.

Skubal is a Scott Boras client. If you know anything about Boras guys, it’s not common for any of them to take team-friendly deals to stay in smaller markets, so this could very well be his final season in Detroit.

At this moment, the Tigers are 44-52, good for 4th in the AL Central, but are still only 3.5 games back of the final Wild Card spot. Detroit closed out the first half of the regular season strong, going 9-3, and got as close as 4.5 games of the Central division.

In a normal year, the season would be all but over for the Tigers, but fortunately they’re playing in one of the worst American Leagues we’ve ever seen. The trade deadline is August 3rd, so Detroit has five series to decide whether to make a playoff push or sell. Only one of those series is against a team over .500, and three of the other four series are against the three worst teams in the American League.

Detroit isn’t out of it yet

Detroit is finally getting healthier, and a playoff push isn’t out of the question, but that doesn’t make them a contender. Skubal and Casey Mize make one of the best 1-2 punches in baseball, but the lineup is terrible.

Last season blinded Detroit to a flawed lineup. Most of the lineup outperformed their expected stats and have plummeted back to Earth this year. Kevin McGonigle, Riley Greene, and Dillon Dingler are a very solid top of the order, and Gelyber Torres should return from injury soon, but I’m just not very sold on this team.

The return you can get on a guy like Skubal can change the long-term direction of your organization. Mason Miller was dealt at the deadline for four players who are now the first, fourth, and twelfth-ranked players in the Athletics farm system. Skubal would only be a rental, but if you could land a top 10-20 prospect in the sport, I think you have to do it.

Unless Detroit is going to shock the world and pay Skubal’s massive extension, I think the Tigers should start preparing for a world without their ace. This team’s not strong enough to contend and will only set themselves back if they hold on to Skubal.

#Tigers #Moving #Tarik #Skubal #Trade #Deadline #Deadspin.com

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