Sports
Arsenal stun Man City to boost UWCL hopes, keep WSL title race alive
LONDON, England — Arsenal‘s hopes of UEFA Women’s Champions League qualification next season got a major boost on Sunday with a 1-0 victory over champions-elect Manchester City that has opened the door ajar on the Women’s Super League (WSL) title race that many assumed was over last weekend.
Nothing in the WSL is ever set in stone. City’s first loss since the opening weekend of the season proved that even after a 5-1 demolition job of reigning champions Chelsea — which led many to assume the title race was done and dusted — there is still hope that City’s eight-point gap at the top of the table could be closed.
Arsenal’s early pressure and a reshuffled attack allowed Olivia Smith, playing as a striker rather than her regular position on the wing, to score what proved to be the winner after 17 minutes. The Canada international shook off Rebecca Knaak, who seemingly gave up a little too easily in her pursuit, to weave around goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita and finish into the empty net.
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For a team that gets significant joy on the ball and relies heavily on possession for that style of play to be effective, City were suffocated by Arsenal’s press. It quashed their ability to enact the game plan that has been so effective in their unbeaten run since their last loss in September at Chelsea.
Alessia Russo, dropping into the midfield to allow Smith to play more centrally, forced veteran defensive midfielder Yui Hasegawa into small pockets and tight spaces. By removing City’s lynchpin, the visitors couldn’t play through the middle and were forced to look at other avenues. But as City tried to force the ball out wide the Arsenal fullbacks, Katie McCabe in particular, were inverting, putting added pressure on Kerolin, making it significantly harder to build attacks.
Arsenal coach Renée Slegers’ tactical nous proved fundamental to unravelling City’s effectiveness. They are the only team to have sussed out the league leaders and found the formula to get the upper hand.
The hosts had a couple of second-half scares. First, Mariona Caldentey clumsily brought down Lauren Hemp from behind on the edge of the box. City called for a free kick, and thought the Spain international deserved a red card for the challenge, but referee Melissa Burgin declined to give either.
Then former Gunners striker Vivianne Miedema did have the small contingent of travelling fans at the Emirates thinking she had scored an equaliser, but a soft foul on McCabe by the Netherlands international meant the whistle was blown before the subsequent strike had hit the back of the net. Since a 0-0 stalemate with Manchester United, the 2-0 victory over Chelsea and the capture of the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup — earning them the title of world champions to add to their European crown — have given Arsenal a new lease of life.
“We come away from the Chelsea win, very happy, very pleased, clean sheets and winning away,” Slegers said postmatch. “And then we have the Champions Cup, where we win. So there’s two really positive moments for us as a team.
“The challenge is to stay in the controlled middle, not too high, not too low, especially not too high after those moments. And then we have a week to prepare to play against the number one in the table, City, who have been so good — a lot of respect for how they’ve performed so far in the season.”
Perhaps the winter break was exactly what Arsenal needed. They look rejuvenated and galvanised compared to the lacklustre figures that trudged across the pitch at the end of 2025. They’ve now taken seven points from the top three in their last three WSL games.
“We have three clean sheets in the WSL now against top opposition. Now it’s about staying here, working really hard to stay here, keep developing and keep on pushing for as much as we can rest of the season.
“I think there’s a lot of things going into why we’re doing well at the moment. We also want to write it down, make it specific, make it tangible, because then we know what it is, and we can keep it going.”
This result adds further pressure on Chelsea, who, in the week when The Blues were sparked by back-to-back losses to Arsenal 2-0 and then the 5-1 humbling by City, backed Sonia Bompastor with a new contract until 2030 — replacing the deal which was due to expire in 2028. It does not alleviate all their problems, and the risk of fracture between manager and club still lingers.
Arsenal clinching all three points over City gives the Gunners a boost in their hopes of finishing in the top three, but adds significant pressure to Chelsea, who could now finish outside of Champions League qualification for the first time since the 2019-20 season.
It is not disastrous for City, who have given themselves enough of a cushion to afford a loss, even two if they are unable to bounce back.
“I don’t think [the loss] is going to affect the players,” City manager Andrée Jeglertz said afterward. “We are fully aware of the situation we are in, and we are still in a very good position in the league. We still have confidence in what we have done so far, and it’s important how you analyse this game and move on as quickly as possible, but I’m not worried about the future.”
Having been the side in control for almost all of the season, charging ahead on points — even with this loss, they are eight points clear of second-placed Manchester United, and with a goal difference of +41 — City’s inability to break through was compounded by an unfamiliar frustration that likely hasn’t been felt under Jeglertz’s leadership and not since the ending of last season.
Providing this result does not lead to a calamitous panic behind the scenes and begins what would be the biggest collapse in WSL history, City remain in the driving seat, and it is still their title to lose.
Italy failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup as a play-off defeat on penalties to Bosnia and Hercegovina on Tuesday meant the Azzurri will not go to this year’s tournament in North America, while Turkiye, the Czech Republic and Sweden all secured their places at the finals.
Italy have won the World Cup four times, but they failed to qualify for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments and will once again have to watch from afar as the field is expanded to 48 teams in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Bosnia won 4-1 in the shoot-out in Zenica after their play-off final finished 1-1 at the end of extra time, with Sandro Tonali the only Italy player to score from the spot as Francesco Pio Esposito blazed their first penalty over and Bryan Cristante smashed his kick against the crossbar.
Moise Kean had given Gennaro Gattuso’s Italy the lead on 15 minutes, but they were reduced to 10 men when Alessandro Bastoni was shown a straight red card late in the first half.
Bosnia equalised on 79 minutes through Haris Tabakovic, and with no further goals in extra time, the tie was decided on penalties.
“I don’t think the boys deserved to suffer such a blow,” said Gattuso. “It’s difficult to digest.”
Ranked 66th in the world, Bosnia finished second in qualifying Group H behind Austria before beating Wales on penalties in their play-off semi-final.
Their only previous World Cup appearance came in 2014. Now they go into Group B at this year’s tournament along with Canada, Qatar, and Switzerland.
The 2014 edition is the last time Italy qualified. They went out in the group stage, like in 2010. They have not won a World Cup knockout game since they last lifted the trophy in 2006.
In 2018, they failed to qualify after losing a two-legged play-off final to Sweden, and they also missed out in 2022 after losing a play-off to North Macedonia.
Kosovo dream over
Turkiye qualified as Kerem Akturkoglu’s 53rd-minute goal secured a 1-0 win in Kosovo, shattering their hosts’ dream of appearing at the tournament for the first time.
It will be Turkiye´s first appearance at a World Cup since reaching the semi-finals in 2002. Vincenzo Montella’s team will go into Group D along with co-hosts the United States, Paraguay, and Australia.
Montella’s side is ranked 22nd in the world, but this will only be Turkiye´s third ever appearance at the World Cup — they went to the 1954 tournament before coming third 24 years ago in South Korea and Japan.
“We achieved our dreams. The World Cup is the pinnacle in this profession,” Montella told UEFA.com.
Kosovo, ranked 78th, were targeting a first-ever World Cup appearance, having only been accepted as a Fifa member a decade ago.
Gyokeres heroics, Danes denied
Sweden recovered from a desperate performance in the group stage of qualifying to secure their place at the finals in dramatic fashion.
Having beaten Ukraine 3-1 in last week’s semi-final, they edged Poland 3-2 in Stockholm, with Arsenal’s Viktor Gyokeres scoring an 88th-minute winner.
Earlier, Sweden had twice taken the lead only to be pegged back, with Anthony Elanga’s opener on 20 minutes cancelled out by Nicola Zalewski, only for Gustaf Lagerbielke to put the hosts back in front before half-time.
Karol Swiderski got Poland’s second early in the second half, but Gyokeres forced the ball over the line after a frantic goalmouth scramble late on.
They finished bottom of qualifying Group B without a win, but secured a play-off spot thanks to their performances in the UEFA Nations League.
Now coached by Englishman Graham Potter, they will go into Group F at the World Cup along with the Netherlands, Japan, and Tunisia.
The Czech Republic matched Bosnia’s achievement by qualifying thanks to back-to-back shoot-out victories, as they followed their success against Ireland last week by defeating Denmark 3-1 on penalties in Prague.
The match finished 2-2 after extra time, with Pavel Sulc firing the hosts ahead only for Joachim Andersen to head the Danes level.
Ladislav Krejci then put the Czechs back in front in extra time, but Kasper Hogh made it 2-2.
However, Denmark converted just one of their four penalties, with Rasmus Hojlund, Anders Dreyer and Mathias Jensen all failing from the spot as the Czechs qualify for a first World Cup since 2006.
They go into Group A with South Africa, South Korea and Mexico.
Four-time champions Italy missed out on a third consecutive World Cup after losing to host Bosnia and Herzegovina in a penalty shootout in its playoff final Tuesday in Zenica.
With the loss, Italy becomes the first former champions to miss out on three straight World Cups, with none of the team’s current players ever having participated.
Moise Kean scored early for Italy but then Azzurri center back Alessandro Bastoni was sent off with a direct red card before the break and Bosnia substitute Haris Tabakovic equalized in the 79th minute.
The match then went to extra time with the score 1-1 and Italy down to 10 players, but neither team scored in the 30 added minutes. In the shootout, Pio Esposito and Bryan Cristante missed their spot kicks and U.S.-born Esmir Bajraktarević converted the decisive penalty for Bosnia.
“We still don’t believe it — that we’re out and that it happened in this manner,” Italy defender Leonardo Spinazzola said. “It’s upsetting for everyone. For us, for our families, and for all the kids who have never seen Italy at a World Cup.”
The defeat added more misery for Italy’s once-proud national team after being eliminated by Sweden and North Macedonia, respectively, in qualifying playoffs for the past two World Cups and last won a knockout round game in 2006 over France in the final.
In last week’s European playoff semifinals, Italy beat Northern Ireland 2-0. Bosnia eliminated Wales in a penalty shootout.
In Tuesday’s other European playoff finals, Sweden and Türkiye each qualified. Sweden beat Poland 3-2 and Turkey beat Kosovo 1-0. Czechia also qualified after beating Denmark in a shootout.
The latest ouster for Italy means that the 1934, 1938, 1982 and 2006 champions will go at least 16 years without even playing a match at soccer’s biggest event.
Italy’s World Cup struggles date to 2010 and 2014, having failed to advance from its group on both occasions. Italy did win the European Championship in 2021.
The only other World Cup that Italy did not qualify for was in 1958.
Bosnia will play at a second World Cup following their debut in 2014, and will be in Group B at this summer’s tournament alongside co-host Canada, Qatar and Switzerland.
Italy’s defeat will raise questions about the status of coach Gennaro Gattuso, who took over from the fired Luciano Spalletti in June with the squad already in crisis mode following a defeat at Norway in its opening qualifier.
The Azzurri then went on a six-match winning streak before losing again to Norway in November to finish second in their group and end up in the playoffs again.
Despite the win over Northern Ireland in Bergamo, Italy struggled against Bosnia inside the intimate but imposing 14,000-seat Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica, which is surrounded by apartment towers overlooking the field.
“I want to personally apologize since we didn’t make it,” Gattuso said. “Today talking about my future is not important. Today it was important to get to the World Cup.”
On paper, it was a massive mismatch between 12th-ranked Italy and Bosnia, which is ranked 54 places below by FIFA.
Italy has a population of nearly 60 million. Bosnia’s is about 3.5 million.
Bajraktarević, who had the winning penalty, was born in Appleton, Wisconsin. He made his U.S. debut in a January 2024 friendly against Slovenia and then switched affiliation that August.
In Tuesday’s other pivotal games, Viktor Gyökeres scored in the 88th minute to earn the Swedes a 3-2 win over Poland, five days after netting a hat trick in the playoff semifinal victory over Ukraine.
Poland great Robert Lewandowski, 37, was hoping to qualify for what probably would have been his final World Cup.
Former Chelsea and West Ham coach Graham Potter was hired by Sweden last year — initially on a short-term deal — with one goal: to get the team to the World Cup. He succeeded.
Sweden reached the quarterfinals in its last World Cup appearance in 2018.
Türkiye will be in the United States‘ group at the World Cup after winning 1-0 at Kosovo to reach soccer’s biggest stage for the first time since 2002.
Kosovo were hoping to qualify for the World Cup for the first time, fewer than 10 years since the national team was out of the international soccer family.
It was in May 2016 that Kosovo and Gibraltar were voted into FIFA as its 210th and 211th member federations. That was eight years after Kosovo declared independence from Serbia.
Kosovo had the best chance of an entertaining first half, but Türkiye goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır pulled off a superb one-handed save to push Fisnik Asllani‘s strike onto the crossbar.
Türkiye got the breakthrough eight minutes into the second half. Kerem Aktürkoğlu got the finest of touches to ensure Orkun Kökçü‘s cross-shot went into the far bottom corner.
Türkiye joins the U.S. in Group D, along with Paraguay and Australia.
Czechia reached its first World Cup since 2006 with a penalty shootout victory over Denmark following a 2-2 draw.
Michal Sadílek converted the winning spot kick in the 3-1 penalty shootout win. It was Czechia’s second straight victory on penalties after also prevailing on spot kicks against Ireland in the semifinal.
Czechia will face co-hosts Mexico, South Africa and South Korea in Group A.
Information from The Associated Press and PA was used in this report.
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Las Vegas may be Fernando Mendoza’s first NFL stop. But if he joins the Raiders as a rookie, his jersey may stay clean early if coach Klint Kubiak has his way.
Mendoza led Indiana to its first College Football Playoff national title in January and is widely projected as the No. 1 overall pick in April’s NFL Draft, a selection held by the Raiders.
Klint Kubiak was named the Raiders head coach in February, shortly after helping to lead the Seattle Seahawks to the franchise’s second Super Bowl title as offensive coordinator.
Kubiak believes rookie quarterbacks benefit from learning from an experienced player before seeing game action.
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Las Vegas Raiders coach Klint Kubiak speaks at an introductory news conference at Intermountain Health Performance Center on Feb. 10, 2026, in Henderson, Nev. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)
“Ideally, you don’t want him to start from Day 1,” Kubiak told reporters Tuesday. “You’d love him to be able to learn behind somebody. That’s in a perfect world. It doesn’t always work out that way. Sometimes they have to play from Day 1, and it’s our job as coaches to get them ready to go. I think it does help the player if they can sit behind a mature adult and watch how they run the show.”
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Aidan O’Connell is the only other quarterback on the Raiders’s roster after the team traded Geno Smith and Kenny Pickett signed with the Panthers. Kirk Cousins, Jimmy Garoppolo and Russell Wilson are among the veterans who remain unsigned.
The Raiders’ playoff win drought dates to the 2002 season, when the franchise won the AFC championship.
Kubiak pointed to Fernando Mendoza’s track record when asked about the quarterback.
“He’s a national champion. He’s a winner,” Kubiak said of Mendoza. “He’s quick. He’s intelligent.”
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza passes against Miami during the first half of the College Football Playoff national championship game Jan. 19, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
On defense, the Raiders still have five-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Maxx Crosby after his trade to Baltimore was voided because he failed a physical.
Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak speaks to the media ahead of the Super Bowl at the San Jose Convention Center Feb. 5, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. (Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
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Kubiak said he smiled when general manager John Spytek gave him the news about the nixed deal.
“We got Maxx back. Are you kidding me? That’s great. Our team just got better,” Kubiak said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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