Nicaragua vs Costa Rica, 2026 World Cup Qualifying - Concacaf, Third Round
· FIFA World Cup Qualifying - ConcacafAbout
Match Timeline
- 0': Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
- 0': First Half begins.
- 1': Offside, Nicaragua. Juan Barrera is caught offside.
- 3': Foul by Josimar Alcócer (Costa Rica).
- 3': Jason Coronel (Nicaragua) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 8': Corner, Costa Rica. Conceded by Óscar Acevedo.
- 9': Handball by Juan Vargas (Costa Rica).
- 10': Attempt missed. Josué Quijano (Nicaragua) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
- 13': Ariagner Smith (Nicaragua) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 13': Foul by Juan Vargas (Costa Rica).
- 15': Attempt missed. Brandon Aguilera (Costa Rica) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Francisco Calvo with a headed pass.
- 16': Attempt saved. Alonso Martínez (Costa Rica) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is saved in the centre of the goal by Miguel Rodríguez (Nicaragua).
- 16': Corner, Costa Rica. Conceded by Miguel Rodríguez.
- 17': Attempt missed. Francisco Calvo (Costa Rica) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Brandon Aguilera with a cross following a corner.
- 19': Ariel Arauz (Nicaragua) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 19': Foul by Brandon Aguilera (Costa Rica).
- 21': Foul by Justing Cano (Nicaragua).
- 21': Josimar Alcócer (Costa Rica) wins a free kick on the left wing.
- 23': Attempt missed. Carlos Mora (Costa Rica) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Manfred Ugalde.
- 23': Ariel Arauz (Nicaragua) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 23': Foul by Joseph Mora (Costa Rica).
- 24': Attempt blocked. Justing Cano (Nicaragua) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Junior Arteaga.
- 25': Ariel Arauz (Nicaragua) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
- 25': Foul by Brandon Aguilera (Costa Rica).
- 26': Attempt blocked. Ariel Arauz (Nicaragua) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
- 26': Corner, Nicaragua. Conceded by Juan Vargas.
- 27': Attempt blocked. Ariagner Smith (Nicaragua) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Josué Quijano with a cross.
- 27': Corner, Nicaragua. Conceded by Carlos Mora.
- 28': Attempt missed. Junior Arteaga (Nicaragua) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Ariel Arauz.
- 29': Foul by Junior Arteaga (Nicaragua).
- 29': Orlando Galo (Costa Rica) wins a free kick on the left wing.
- 29': Junior Arteaga (Nicaragua) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
- 31': Attempt missed. Brandon Aguilera (Costa Rica) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right following a set piece situation.
- 32': Handball by Joseph Mora (Costa Rica).
- 38': Corner, Costa Rica. Conceded by Óscar Acevedo.
- 40': Ariel Arauz (Nicaragua) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
- 40': Foul by Orlando Galo (Costa Rica).
- 41': Attempt missed. Junior Arteaga (Nicaragua) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left from a direct free kick.
- 43': Dangerous play by Ariel Arauz (Nicaragua).
- 43': Orlando Galo (Costa Rica) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
- 45': Fourth official has announced 1 minutes of added time.
- 45'+1': First Half ends, Nicaragua 0, Costa Rica 0.
- 45': Second Half begins Nicaragua 0, Costa Rica 0.
- 45': Substitution, Costa Rica. Alejandro Bran replaces Brandon Aguilera.
- 45': Substitution, Nicaragua. Jacob Montes replaces Junior Arteaga.
- 48': Alonso Martínez (Costa Rica) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 48': Foul by Jason Coronel (Nicaragua).
- 51': VAR Decision: Card upgraded Jason Coronel (Nicaragua).
- 54': Jason Coronel (Nicaragua) is shown the red card.
- 57': Alejandro Bran (Costa Rica) wins a free kick on the right wing.
- 57': Foul by Jacob Montes (Nicaragua).
- 57': Substitution, Nicaragua. Marlon López replaces Ariagner Smith.
- 58': Corner, Costa Rica. Conceded by Henry Niño.
- 59': Corner, Costa Rica. Conceded by Jacob Montes.
- 60': Goal! Nicaragua 0, Costa Rica 1. Alexis Gamboa (Costa Rica) header from the centre of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Alejandro Bran with a cross following a corner.
- 64': Foul by Juan Vargas (Costa Rica).
- 64': Juan Barrera (Nicaragua) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 64': Substitution, Costa Rica. Anthony Contreras replaces Joseph Mora.
- 65': Attempt missed. Francisco Calvo (Costa Rica) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Orlando Galo.
- 68': Substitution, Nicaragua. Byron Bonilla replaces Juan Barrera.
- 68': Substitution, Nicaragua. Bancy Hernández replaces Emmanuel Gómez.
- 68': Attempt saved. Óscar Acevedo (Nicaragua) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner by Keylor Navas (Costa Rica). Assisted by Bancy Hernández.
- 70': Handball by Josimar Alcócer (Costa Rica).
- 74': Penalty Nicaragua. Ariel Arauz draws a foul in the penalty area.
- 74': Penalty conceded by Juan Vargas (Costa Rica) after a foul in the penalty area.
- 77': VAR Decision: Penalty Nicaragua.
- 81': Goal! Nicaragua 1, Costa Rica 1. Byron Bonilla (Nicaragua) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom left corner.
- 82': Attempt missed. Manfred Ugalde (Costa Rica) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Carlos Mora.
- 84': Corner, Nicaragua. Conceded by Josimar Alcócer.
- 85': Substitution, Costa Rica. Kenay Myrie replaces Carlos Mora.
- 85': Substitution, Costa Rica. Ariel Lassiter replaces Josimar Alcócer.
- 86': Ariel Lassiter (Costa Rica) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 86': Foul by Marlon López (Nicaragua).
- 87': Substitution, Nicaragua. Ebert Martínez replaces Ariel Arauz.
- 88': Attempt blocked. Anthony Contreras (Costa Rica) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Francisco Calvo with a cross.
- 88': Corner, Costa Rica. Conceded by Justing Cano.
- 89': Attempt missed. Juan Vargas (Costa Rica) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Alejandro Bran with a cross following a corner.
- 89': Offside, Costa Rica. Alonso Martínez is caught offside.
- 90': Fourth official has announced 10 minutes of added time.
- 90'+1': Attempt blocked. Manfred Ugalde (Costa Rica) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Anthony Contreras.
- 90'+6': Byron Bonilla (Nicaragua) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
- 90'+6': Foul by Alexis Gamboa (Costa Rica).
- 90'+6': Alexis Gamboa (Costa Rica) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
- 90'+7': Attempt blocked. Byron Bonilla (Nicaragua) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
- 90'+7': Corner, Nicaragua. Conceded by Alejandro Bran.
- 90'+8': Offside, Nicaragua. Bancy Hernández is caught offside.
- 90'+10': Foul by Francisco Calvo (Costa Rica).
- 90'+10': Marlon López (Nicaragua) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 90'+10': Francisco Calvo (Costa Rica) is shown the yellow card.
- 90'+10': Second Half ends, Nicaragua 1, Costa Rica 1.
- 0': Match ends, Nicaragua 1, Costa Rica 1.
Game Information
Venue: Estadio Nacional de Fútbol
Location: Estadio Nacional de Fútbol, Nicaragua
Attendance: 19,532
WCQ - Concacaf Table
| # | TEAM | GP | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Haiti | 6 | +3 | 11 |
| 2 | Honduras | 6 | +3 | 9 |
| 3 | Costa Rica | 6 | +2 | 7 |
| 4 | Nicaragua | 6 | -8 | 4 |
Line-Ups
Nicaragua (3-5-1-1)
| No. | Name |
|---|---|
| 1 | Miguel Rodríguez (GK) |
| 4 | Henry Niño |
| 3 | Oscar Acevedo |
| 5 | Justing Cano |
| 14 | Jason Coronel |
| 13 | Ariel Araúz |
| 16 | Junior Arteaga |
| 6 | Emmanuel Gómez |
| 2 | Josué Quijano |
| 7 | Ariagner Smith |
| 11 | Juan Barrera |
Costa Rica (5-3-2)
| No. | Name |
|---|---|
| 1 | Keylor Navas (GK) |
| 6 | Alexis Gamboa |
| 15 | Francisco Calvo |
| 4 | Juan Pablo Vargas |
| 8 | Joseph Mora |
| 22 | Carlos Mora |
| 14 | Orlando Galo |
| 20 | Josimar Alcócer |
| 10 | Brandon Aguilera |
| 12 | Alonso Martínez |
| 9 | Manfred Ugalde |
WCQ - Concacaf News
Days after Panama qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, FIFA banned the country's federation president for failing to respect a previous ban imposed for fat-shaming a women's national team star.
The race to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is drawing to a close. Here's how it's looking around the globe.
Italy will first host Northern Ireland in a World Cup qualifying playoff in March but would then need to win on the road to reach its first tournament after back-to-back failures at this stage.
There are still 64 national teams that can win the FIFA World Cup next summer. Let's go through them all and rank where they stand.
The past week of World Cup qualifiers was a reminder that, when entire nations are gripped by joy and heartbreak, it can be football at its very best.