World Cup’s last qualifier Iraq plot ‘shock’ while Japan confident of making more history

Coach Graham Arnold has challenged his players to “shock the world” after Iraq became the 48th and final team to qualify for the World Cup on Tuesday with a nerve-shredding 2-1 win over Bolivia in an intercontinental play-off in Mexico. Meanwhile, Japan, who were the first nation to qualify for the finals in North America, made their own slice of history with a statement 1-0 win over England that showed they could go deep at the finals. Iraq, whose preparations were disrupted by the war in the...

6 April 2026 at 05:01 pm

1 views

World Cup’s last qualifier Iraq plot ‘shock’ while Japan confident of making more history

In a dramatic turn of events, Iraq has secured its place at the World Cup, becoming the 48th and final team to qualify for the prestigious tournament. The Middle Eastern nation achieved this feat with a nerve-wracking 2-1 victory over Bolivia in an intercontinental play-off held in Mexico City. The win not only crowned Iraq as the last team to qualify but also sent shockwaves through the football world, as the team was seen as an underdog in the competition.

Coach Graham Arnold has challenged his players to "shock the world" at the upcoming World Cup, highlighting the team's determination to make a significant impact on the global stage. The victory over Bolivia was a testament to Iraq's resilience and skill, as they overcame a challenging match filled with tension and high stakes. This qualification marks a historic milestone for Iraq, which has long aspired to make a name for itself in international football.

Meanwhile, Japan has also made its mark on the World Cup journey, becoming the first nation to qualify for the finals in North America. The Asian powerhouse achieved this feat with a commanding 1-0 win over England, showcasing their tactical prowess and ability to perform under pressure. Japan's victory over England was a statement of intent, indicating that the team is capable of reaching the later stages of the tournament and challenging the world's top teams.

The Japanese squad's performance has been a source of pride for the nation, as they continue to make history in international football. With a strong foundation and a talented group of players, Japan is poised to make a significant impact at the World Cup, aiming to surpass their previous best performance and etch their name in the annals of football history.

Iraq's journey to the World Cup has not been without its challenges. The team's preparations have been disrupted by the ongoing conflict in the country, which has posed significant logistical and security challenges. Despite these obstacles, Iraq has demonstrated remarkable tenacity and spirit, overcoming adversity to secure its place at the tournament. The qualification victory over Bolivia has given the team a much-needed boost of confidence, as they prepare to face the challenges of the World Cup stage.

The qualification matches have left football fans around the world eagerly anticipating the upcoming tournament. With Iraq and Japan among the teams set to compete, the stage is set for a thrilling World Cup filled with unexpected twists and turns. Both nations will undoubtedly aim to make their mark on the tournament, with Iraq looking to shock the world and Japan determined to build on its historic qualification win.

As the World Cup approaches, the stories of Iraq and Japan's qualification journeys serve as a reminder of the power of perseverance and determination in the face of adversity. For both teams, the tournament will be a chance to showcase their talent and passion for the sport, leaving fans worldwide in awe of their achievements. The stage is set for a World Cup that promises to be nothing short of extraordinary.

Source: Sport - South China Morning Post

GTA 6 developer Rockstar Games hacked once again but insists only a "limited amount of non-material company information" was compromised

GTA 6 developer Rockstar has confirmed it's been hacked by a third party after a hacking group issued a ransom demand. Read more

12 Apr

`Cheap Irish Homes’ casting for new season

The popular property show ‘Cheap Irish Homes’ is casting for its new season. The show follows property guru Maggie Molloy and architect Tadgh Casey as they help match buyers with properties. The show focuses on affordable homes across Ireland, guiding prospective buyers through the process of purchasing properties that often require some renovation. According to […] The post `Cheap Irish Homes’ casting for new season appeared first on Agriland.ie .

7 Apr

Bacon Waffles with Chives Recipe

Every poached egg needs the right serving platform. These savory waffles with crispy bacon are a perfect match for the rich egg yolk. The post Bacon Waffles with Chives Recipe appeared first on Hobby Farms .

7 Apr

The most expensive game cost over $1B, and how AI will transform it

Grand Theft Auto 6 and the future of AI If you happened to miss it, a few weeks back, here is the game trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6. It’s worth watching, and is amazing on multiple levels. But GTA 6 might be the peak of the open world category, untouched by the next wave […]

7 Apr

Champions League: Kompanys Kane-Update vorm „schwierigsten Spiel in Europa“

Der FC Bayern ist mit Harry Kane nach Madrid gereist. Ein Einsatz des Torjägers gegen Real zeichnet sich ab - ist aber noch nicht fix. Trainer Vincent Kompany sagt, was für ihn das Wichtigste ist.

7 Apr

Will States Be Ready with Counter Drone Tech for the FIFA World Cup?

Funding snafu, other issues delay counter-UAS ramp-up in Maryland, elsewhere By DRONELIFE Features Editor Jim Magill (Editor’s note: This is part of a series of stories on efforts to establish new counter-UAS protocols in the U.S. to protect high-profile sporting events and critical infrastructure from the potential threats posed by drones flown by careless or […] The post Will States Be Ready with Counter Drone Tech for the FIFA World Cup? appeared first on DRONELIFE .

7 Apr

Clojure 1.11.3

Clojure 1.11.3 is now available. CLJ-2843 - Reflective calls to Java methods that take primitive long or double now work when passed a narrower boxed number at runtime (Integer, Short, Byte, Float). Previously, these methods were not matched during reflection and an error was thrown. Java 21 added an overload to the method Thread/sleep in the 1-arity. When upgrading to Java 21, existing Clojure calls to Thread/sleep become reflective, but continue to work. As usual, you can detect reflection with *warn-on-reflection* and address with a type hint (here, ^long ) to choose the desired overload. Previously, passing a Short or Integer value to a reflective call like Thread/sleep that takes a long would not match, that has been corrected.

7 Apr

Basketball: Ex-NBA-Profi O'Neal gründet Liga fürs Dunken

Dunks gehören zum Spektakulärsten, was der Basketball zu bieten hat. Shaquille O'Neal will nun den besten Dunker der Welt ausfindig machen – und lockt mit einem enormen Preisgeld.

7 Apr

FII event highlights global investment themes as Trump and Ronaldo appear on stage

FII Priority Miami concluded its three-day summit with a series of discussions on global investment trends, economic volatility, and emerging growth sectors, alongside appearances by former US President Donald J. Trump and football legend Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima. FII stands for Future Investment Initiative. It is a global nonprofit focused on “Impact on Humanity”, […]

7 Apr

Wang beats Lebrun, keeps China’s ITTF World Cup hopes alive

Wang Chuqin kept alive China’s hopes of success in the men’s singles at the ITTF World Cup in Macau with a 4-2 victory over France’s Felix Lebrun on Friday. Wang dropped a tense opening game despite leading 9-6 and 10-9, as world No 6 Lebrun fought back to edge it 13-11. The Chinese left-hander again found himself in trouble in the second, trailing 2-7, but turned the game around with a series of aggressive rallies to win at 11-9. Lebrun regained the initiative in the third, moving ahead 6-2 and...

7 Apr