Introduction European qualifying for the 2026 Fifa World Cup served up a full platter of intrigue on Saturday. The headline belonged to Portugal: Cristiano Ronaldo led the Selecao to a composed victory in Armenia to keep their path tidy and their standards high. Elsewhere the night pulsed with narrative. England and Serbia continued their chess …
Introduction Scotland’s World Cup qualifying campaign rolls on with an unusual challenge: an away date in Hungary against Belarus, played behind closed doors at a neutral venue. The context is complex, the stakes are high, and the team sheet offers clarity. Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour both start, giving Scotland a blend of steel and …
Introduction Scotland’s men have opened their World Cup qualifying campaign with purpose and control. A professional 2:0 victory over Belarus kept Steve Clarke’s side unbeaten after two matches and nudged belief a little higher that a long wait for the World Cup stage could finally end. The margin of victory was built on a sharp, …
Introduction Some football matches are tense. Others are unforgettable. Italy’s 5:4 win over Israel in Debrecen belongs in the second category: a breathless, seesawing World Cup qualifier that compressed joy, fear, chaos, and composure into a few irretrievable minutes. Italy seemed safe at 4:2 with the clock nudging toward full time. Then came an own …