Broken blueprints: How Italy and Nigeria failed to qualify for 2026 FIFA World Cup 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.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.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.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.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.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. | Photo Credit: AFP 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. | Photo Credit: AFP 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.But within 17 months, he chose to walk away.“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.The years that followed still yielded some fruits of Baggio’s vision.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.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. | Photo Credit: REUTERS 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. | Photo Credit: REUTERS 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.”Italy had developed a DNA influenced by Giovanni Trapattoni’s zona mista (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.That cathedral now looks to be crumbling — neglected and abandoned.Other major teams that missed the cutNo encore for SánchezChile, 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.Curtain call cut shortPoland 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.Mbeumo misses the partyBryan 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.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.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.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.Who did Italy turn to as coach? Gennaro Gattuso — a fine player who, as a manager, had fallen short of expectations at nine clubs.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.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.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.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. | Photo Credit: The Hindu Photo Library 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. | Photo Credit: The Hindu Photo Library 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.The team even boycotted the AFCON 2025 qualifier against Libya after being stranded at the airport for 12 hours.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.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.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.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.Lost roar: Nigeria looked a different side with an without Osimhen, who missed several matches with injury in the qualification campaign. | Photo Credit: AFP Lost roar: Nigeria looked a different side with an without Osimhen, who missed several matches with injury in the qualification campaign. | Photo Credit: AFP 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.DR Congo, on the other hand, was a study in stability.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.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.This time around, it will be their silence that rings loudest — a reminder that in football, failure is rarely accidental.Published on Apr 23, 2026 #Broken #blueprints #Italy #Nigeria #failed #qualify #FIFA #World #Cup

Broken blueprints: How Italy and Nigeria failed to qualify for 2026 FIFA World Cup
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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. | Photo Credit: AFP
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. | Photo Credit: AFP
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.
But within 17 months, he chose to walk away.
“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.
The years that followed still yielded some fruits of Baggio’s vision.
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.
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. | Photo Credit: REUTERS
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. | Photo Credit: REUTERS
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.”
Italy had developed a DNA influenced by Giovanni Trapattoni’s zona mista (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.
That cathedral now looks to be crumbling — neglected and abandoned.
Other major teams that missed the cut
No encore for Sánchez
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.
Curtain call cut short
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.
Mbeumo misses the party
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.
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.
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.
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.
Who did Italy turn to as coach? Gennaro Gattuso — a fine player who, as a manager, had fallen short of expectations at nine clubs.
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.
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.
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.
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. | Photo Credit: The Hindu Photo Library
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. | Photo Credit: The Hindu Photo Library
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.
The team even boycotted the AFCON 2025 qualifier against Libya after being stranded at the airport for 12 hours.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Lost roar: Nigeria looked a different side with an without Osimhen, who missed several matches with injury in the qualification campaign. | Photo Credit: AFP
Lost roar: Nigeria looked a different side with an without Osimhen, who missed several matches with injury in the qualification campaign. | Photo Credit: AFP
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.
DR Congo, on the other hand, was a study in stability.
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.
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.
This time around, it will be their silence that rings loudest — a reminder that in football, failure is rarely accidental.
Published on Apr 23, 2026
#Broken #blueprints #Italy #Nigeria #failed #qualify #FIFA #World #Cup

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.
| Photo Credit:
AFP

lightbox-info

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.
| Photo Credit:
AFP

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.

But within 17 months, he chose to walk away.

“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.

The years that followed still yielded some fruits of Baggio’s vision.

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.

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.
| Photo Credit:
REUTERS

lightbox-info

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.
| Photo Credit:
REUTERS

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.”

Italy had developed a DNA influenced by Giovanni Trapattoni’s zona mista (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.

That cathedral now looks to be crumbling — neglected and abandoned.

Other major teams that missed the cut

No encore for Sánchez

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.

Curtain call cut short

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.

Mbeumo misses the party

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.

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.

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.

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.

Who did Italy turn to as coach? Gennaro Gattuso — a fine player who, as a manager, had fallen short of expectations at nine clubs.

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.

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.

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.

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.
| Photo Credit:
The Hindu Photo Library

lightbox-info

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.

The team even boycotted the AFCON 2025 qualifier against Libya after being stranded at the airport for 12 hours.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Lost roar: Nigeria looked a different side with an without Osimhen, who missed several matches with injury in the qualification campaign.
| Photo Credit:
AFP

lightbox-info

Lost roar: Nigeria looked a different side with an without Osimhen, who missed several matches with injury in the qualification campaign.
| Photo Credit:
AFP

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.

DR Congo, on the other hand, was a study in stability.

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.

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.

This time around, it will be their silence that rings loudest — a reminder that in football, failure is rarely accidental.

Published on Apr 23, 2026

Source link
#Broken #blueprints #Italy #Nigeria #failed #qualify #FIFA #World #Cup

Tag FIFA FIFA World Cup 2026 how italy failed to qualify for fifa world cup 2026 italy football italy football crisis lewandowski nigeria football nigeria out of fifa world cup nigerian football crisis no nigeria in fifa world cup sanchez why is nigeria not playing in fifa world cup 2026 why italy is not playing in fifa world cup 2026 why italy not playing in fifa world cup 2026 why nigeria not playing in fifa world cup

Lagos Lately: See The Culture-rich Looks Spotted On Nigerian Style Stars

Deadspin | Cincinnati tallies twice in closing minutes, earns draw vs. NYCFC Apr 22, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York City FC forward Agustín Ojeda (26) runs with the ball during the first half against FC Cincinnati at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Smith-Imagn Images Andrei Chirila scored in two minutes into second-half stoppage time and Evander converted a penalty kick three minutes later, helping FC Cincinnati rally to a 4-4 draw against host New York City FC on Wednesday. Chirila, a 17-year-old homegrown defender, converted from outside the box for his first career MLS goal in his second match. NYCFC’s Kevin O’Toole subsequently was whistled for a foul in the penalty area, setting up Evander’s heroics. FC Cincinnati’s Kevin Denkey scored two goals in his return from a suspension due to yellow-card accumulation. Roman Celentano made five saves for FC Cincinnati (2-4-3, 9 points), who are 0-3-2 on the road this season. NYCFC’s Nicolas Fernandez scored two goals in the first half to boost his team-leading goal total to eight in nine matches. Fernandez, who scored three goals in 11 matches last season, became the fourth player in franchise history to score at least 10 goals within his first 20 regular-season appearances. Agustin Ojeda and Talles Magno tallied in the second half and Matthew Freese turned aside two shots for NYCFC (3-3-3, 12 points), who are winless in their past five matches in MLS play (0-3-2). Fernandez gave NYCFC a 2-1 lead in the 35th minute after running into a through ball from Maxi Moralez and sending a shot past the extended right leg of Celentano. Ojeda extended NYCFC’s advantage in the 53rd minute after chasing down a through ball from Aiden O’Neill before scoring from a sharp angle. Denkey converted a loose ball following a free kick by Evander to trim NYCFC’s lead to 3-2 in the 65th minute, but Magno deftly curled a shot into the far corner of the net in the 79th minute. In the 20th minute, Celentano was unable to cleanly field a twisting service, and Fernandez alertly deposited the loose ball into the net to open the scoring. Denkey forged a 1-1 tie 12 minutes later, a converting a cross from Ender Echenique with a leaping left-footed finish at the doorstep. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Cincinnati #tallies #closing #minutes #earns #draw #NYCFC

#Deadspin #Cincinnati #tallies #closing #minutes #earns #draw #NYCFC">

mwasimuddin125 0

Apr 22, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York City FC forward Agustín Ojeda (26) runs with the ball during the first half against FC Cincinnati at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Smith-Imagn Images

Andrei Chirila scored in two minutes into second-half stoppage time and Evander converted a penalty kick three minutes later, helping FC Cincinnati rally to a 4-4 draw against host New York City FC on Wednesday.

Chirila, a 17-year-old homegrown defender, converted from outside the box for his first career MLS goal in his second match. NYCFC’s Kevin O’Toole subsequently was whistled for a foul in the penalty area, setting up Evander’s heroics.

FC Cincinnati’s Kevin Denkey scored two goals in his return from a suspension due to yellow-card accumulation.

Roman Celentano made five saves for FC Cincinnati (2-4-3, 9 points), who are 0-3-2 on the road this season.

NYCFC’s Nicolas Fernandez scored two goals in the first half to boost his team-leading goal total to eight in nine matches. Fernandez, who scored three goals in 11 matches last season, became the fourth player in franchise history to score at least 10 goals within his first 20 regular-season appearances.

Agustin Ojeda and Talles Magno tallied in the second half and Matthew Freese turned aside two shots for NYCFC (3-3-3, 12 points), who are winless in their past five matches in MLS play (0-3-2).

Fernandez gave NYCFC a 2-1 lead in the 35th minute after running into a through ball from Maxi Moralez and sending a shot past the extended right leg of Celentano.

Ojeda extended NYCFC’s advantage in the 53rd minute after chasing down a through ball from Aiden O’Neill before scoring from a sharp angle.

Denkey converted a loose ball following a free kick by Evander to trim NYCFC’s lead to 3-2 in the 65th minute, but Magno deftly curled a shot into the far corner of the net in the 79th minute.

In the 20th minute, Celentano was unable to cleanly field a twisting service, and Fernandez alertly deposited the loose ball into the net to open the scoring.

Denkey forged a 1-1 tie 12 minutes later, a converting a cross from Ender Echenique with a leaping left-footed finish at the doorstep.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Cincinnati #tallies #closing #minutes #earns #draw #NYCFC">Deadspin | Cincinnati tallies twice in closing minutes, earns draw vs. NYCFC

Apr 22, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York City FC forward Agustín Ojeda (26) runs with the ball during the first half against FC Cincinnati at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Smith-Imagn Images

Andrei Chirila scored in two minutes into second-half stoppage time and Evander converted a penalty kick three minutes later, helping FC Cincinnati rally to a 4-4 draw against host New York City FC on Wednesday.

Chirila, a 17-year-old homegrown defender, converted from outside the box for his first career MLS goal in his second match. NYCFC’s Kevin O’Toole subsequently was whistled for a foul in the penalty area, setting up Evander’s heroics.

FC Cincinnati’s Kevin Denkey scored two goals in his return from a suspension due to yellow-card accumulation.

Roman Celentano made five saves for FC Cincinnati (2-4-3, 9 points), who are 0-3-2 on the road this season.

NYCFC’s Nicolas Fernandez scored two goals in the first half to boost his team-leading goal total to eight in nine matches. Fernandez, who scored three goals in 11 matches last season, became the fourth player in franchise history to score at least 10 goals within his first 20 regular-season appearances.

Agustin Ojeda and Talles Magno tallied in the second half and Matthew Freese turned aside two shots for NYCFC (3-3-3, 12 points), who are winless in their past five matches in MLS play (0-3-2).

Fernandez gave NYCFC a 2-1 lead in the 35th minute after running into a through ball from Maxi Moralez and sending a shot past the extended right leg of Celentano.

Ojeda extended NYCFC’s advantage in the 53rd minute after chasing down a through ball from Aiden O’Neill before scoring from a sharp angle.

Denkey converted a loose ball following a free kick by Evander to trim NYCFC’s lead to 3-2 in the 65th minute, but Magno deftly curled a shot into the far corner of the net in the 79th minute.

In the 20th minute, Celentano was unable to cleanly field a twisting service, and Fernandez alertly deposited the loose ball into the net to open the scoring.

Denkey forged a 1-1 tie 12 minutes later, a converting a cross from Ender Echenique with a leaping left-footed finish at the doorstep.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Cincinnati #tallies #closing #minutes #earns #draw #NYCFC

Barcelona moved a step closer to winning La Liga with a tight 1-0 victory over Celta Vigo on Wednesday but lost its goalscorer Lamine Yamal to an apparent hamstring injury.

The teenage Spain star won and converted a penalty to clinch a narrow triumph but hurt himself as he took it and was replaced before half-time.

Joao Cancelo also went off injured for a Barca team who moved nine points clear of Real Madrid at the top of the table with six matches remaining, including a Clasico on May 10.

Hansi Flick’s side, playing for the first time since its Champions League quarterfinal elimination by Atletico Madrid last week, lacked its usual attacking spark.

Barca goalkeeper Joan Garcia saved well from Pablo Duran and Ferran Jutgla in the opening exchanges at Camp Nou.

With little between the teams, it came down to Yamal’s fleet footwork to help Barca open the door.

The forward skipped into the box, exchanging passes with Dani Olmo, and was felled by Yoel Lago as he tried to evade the Celta defender.

Yamal beat Ionut Radu with a low penalty, with the goalkeeper diving the right way.

However, he pulled up hurt immediately, calling for treatment and lying on the turf as his team-mates came over to celebrate.

The match was delayed for over 15 minutes because of a medical incident in the stands at the same time, and when Celta kicked off again Yamal had been replaced by Roony Bardghji.

Barca battled through the second half without creating much until Ferran Torres lashed home with a volley from Pedri’s pass.

The Catalans’ joy was short-lived though as the goal was disallowed for a marginal offside call against the Spanish forward.

Former Barca defender Marcos Alonso smashed a free-kick into the wall as the host side held on to claim three potentially vital points.

Another Atletico defeat

Atletico Madrid fell to a 2-3 defeat at lowly Elche, its seventh loss in its last eight matches across all competitions.

The Champions League semifinalist, which hosts Arsenal next Wednesday in Europe, could not bounce back from its Copa del Rey final defeat on penalties by Real Sociedad last weekend to build morale.

Diego Simeone’s side is comfortable in fourth in La Liga and the coach played mostly a reserve side to rest his star names after the draining cup final.

Nicolas Gonzalez struck twice for the visiting side but Elche prevailed with a brace from Andre Silva and a goal from David Affengruber, boosting its survival hopes.

Argentina winger Gonzalez opened the scoring after Rodri Mendoza backheeled the ball to him on the edge of the box.

Elche pulled level when Affengruber prodded past Jan Oblak and then the defender was instrumental in his team’s next goal.

Atletico played an hour with 10 men after Thiago Almada was dismissed in the 30th minute for pulling back Affengruber inside the area.

Silva sent Oblak the wrong way from the spot to put the host ahead, but Atletico levelled almost immediately through a superb effort from Gonzalez.

The winger just managed to keep the ball in, lifted it over Elche goalkeeper Matias Dituro and headed home.

Silva won it for Elche with 15 minutes remaining, blasting home from close range to take his team provisionally 15th, two points above the drop zone.

“The defeat is painful, the 10 men left gave everything to keep trying to pick up points,” Simeone told DAZN. “All the responsibility (for losing) is mine as the coach.”

Published on Apr 23, 2026

#Liga #Barcelona #beats #Celta #loses #Yamal #injury #Atletico #Madrid #falls #Elche">

La Liga: Barcelona beats Celta but loses Yamal to injury; Atletico Madrid falls to Elche Barcelona moved a step closer to winning La Liga with a tight 1-0 victory over Celta Vigo on Wednesday but lost its goalscorer Lamine Yamal to an apparent hamstring injury.The teenage Spain star won and converted a penalty to clinch a narrow triumph but hurt himself as he took it and was replaced before half-time.Joao Cancelo also went off injured for a Barca team who moved nine points clear of Real Madrid at the top of the table with six matches remaining, including a Clasico on May 10.Hansi Flick’s side, playing for the first time since its Champions League quarterfinal elimination by Atletico Madrid last week, lacked its usual attacking spark.Barca goalkeeper Joan Garcia saved well from Pablo Duran and Ferran Jutgla in the opening exchanges at Camp Nou.With little between the teams, it came down to Yamal’s fleet footwork to help Barca open the door.The forward skipped into the box, exchanging passes with Dani Olmo, and was felled by Yoel Lago as he tried to evade the Celta defender.Yamal beat Ionut Radu with a low penalty, with the goalkeeper diving the right way.However, he pulled up hurt immediately, calling for treatment and lying on the turf as his team-mates came over to celebrate.The match was delayed for over 15 minutes because of a medical incident in the stands at the same time, and when Celta kicked off again Yamal had been replaced by Roony Bardghji.Barca battled through the second half without creating much until Ferran Torres lashed home with a volley from Pedri’s pass.The Catalans’ joy was short-lived though as the goal was disallowed for a marginal offside call against the Spanish forward.Former Barca defender Marcos Alonso smashed a free-kick into the wall as the host side held on to claim three potentially vital points.Another Atletico defeatAtletico Madrid fell to a 2-3 defeat at lowly Elche, its seventh loss in its last eight matches across all competitions.The Champions League semifinalist, which hosts Arsenal next Wednesday in Europe, could not bounce back from its Copa del Rey final defeat on penalties by Real Sociedad last weekend to build morale.Diego Simeone’s side is comfortable in fourth in La Liga and the coach played mostly a reserve side to rest his star names after the draining cup final.Nicolas Gonzalez struck twice for the visiting side but Elche prevailed with a brace from Andre Silva and a goal from David Affengruber, boosting its survival hopes.Argentina winger Gonzalez opened the scoring after Rodri Mendoza backheeled the ball to him on the edge of the box.Elche pulled level when Affengruber prodded past Jan Oblak and then the defender was instrumental in his team’s next goal.Atletico played an hour with 10 men after Thiago Almada was dismissed in the 30th minute for pulling back Affengruber inside the area.Silva sent Oblak the wrong way from the spot to put the host ahead, but Atletico levelled almost immediately through a superb effort from Gonzalez.The winger just managed to keep the ball in, lifted it over Elche goalkeeper Matias Dituro and headed home.Silva won it for Elche with 15 minutes remaining, blasting home from close range to take his team provisionally 15th, two points above the drop zone.“The defeat is painful, the 10 men left gave everything to keep trying to pick up points,” Simeone told DAZN. “All the responsibility (for losing) is mine as the coach.”Published on Apr 23, 2026 #Liga #Barcelona #beats #Celta #loses #Yamal #injury #Atletico #Madrid #falls #Elche

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Barcelona moved a step closer to winning La Liga with a tight 1-0 victory over Celta Vigo on Wednesday but lost its goalscorer Lamine Yamal to an apparent hamstring injury.
The teenage Spain star won and converted a penalty to clinch a narrow triumph but hurt himself as he took it and was replaced before half-time.
Joao Cancelo also went off injured for a Barca team who moved nine points clear of Real Madrid at the top of the table with six matches remaining, including a Clasico on May 10.
Hansi Flick’s side, playing for the first time since its Champions League quarterfinal elimination by Atletico Madrid last week, lacked its usual attacking spark.
Barca goalkeeper Joan Garcia saved well from Pablo Duran and Ferran Jutgla in the opening exchanges at Camp Nou.
With little between the teams, it came down to Yamal’s fleet footwork to help Barca open the door.
The forward skipped into the box, exchanging passes with Dani Olmo, and was felled by Yoel Lago as he tried to evade the Celta defender.
Yamal beat Ionut Radu with a low penalty, with the goalkeeper diving the right way.
However, he pulled up hurt immediately, calling for treatment and lying on the turf as his team-mates came over to celebrate.
The match was delayed for over 15 minutes because of a medical incident in the stands at the same time, and when Celta kicked off again Yamal had been replaced by Roony Bardghji.
Barca battled through the second half without creating much until Ferran Torres lashed home with a volley from Pedri’s pass.
The Catalans’ joy was short-lived though as the goal was disallowed for a marginal offside call against the Spanish forward.
Former Barca defender Marcos Alonso smashed a free-kick into the wall as the host side held on to claim three potentially vital points.
Another Atletico defeat
Atletico Madrid fell to a 2-3 defeat at lowly Elche, its seventh loss in its last eight matches across all competitions.
The Champions League semifinalist, which hosts Arsenal next Wednesday in Europe, could not bounce back from its Copa del Rey final defeat on penalties by Real Sociedad last weekend to build morale.
Diego Simeone’s side is comfortable in fourth in La Liga and the coach played mostly a reserve side to rest his star names after the draining cup final.
Nicolas Gonzalez struck twice for the visiting side but Elche prevailed with a brace from Andre Silva and a goal from David Affengruber, boosting its survival hopes.
Argentina winger Gonzalez opened the scoring after Rodri Mendoza backheeled the ball to him on the edge of the box.
Elche pulled level when Affengruber prodded past Jan Oblak and then the defender was instrumental in his team’s next goal.
Atletico played an hour with 10 men after Thiago Almada was dismissed in the 30th minute for pulling back Affengruber inside the area.
Silva sent Oblak the wrong way from the spot to put the host ahead, but Atletico levelled almost immediately through a superb effort from Gonzalez.
The winger just managed to keep the ball in, lifted it over Elche goalkeeper Matias Dituro and headed home.
Silva won it for Elche with 15 minutes remaining, blasting home from close range to take his team provisionally 15th, two points above the drop zone.
“The defeat is painful, the 10 men left gave everything to keep trying to pick up points,” Simeone told DAZN. “All the responsibility (for losing) is mine as the coach.”
Published on Apr 23, 2026

#Liga #Barcelona #beats #Celta #loses #Yamal #injury #Atletico #Madrid #falls #Elche">La Liga: Barcelona beats Celta but loses Yamal to injury; Atletico Madrid falls to Elche