Match story
- South Africa fired more attempts (5 vs 4 shots).
- South Africa held more of the ball (54% possession).
South Africa and Nigeria drew 1-1 in the World Cup - Qualification Africa. The fixture is part of the Group Stage - 8 stage in the 2023 season. The match was played at Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein. P. Atcho officiated the match. The full-time result capped a South Africa vs Nigeria meeting in World Cup - Qualification Africa with detailed post-match statistics available on Sportra. This match centre covers lineups, live events, player ratings, team statistics, xG, head-to-head history, and related news for South Africa and Nigeria. On Sportra you can view xG, lineups, match statistics, events, player ratings, predictions, head-to-head history, and related news for this fixture.
World Cup - Qualification AfricaRecorded meetings: 6 (available previous meetings, not necessarily all-time).
Model outlook versus market-implied chances (overround removed from decimal odds). For entertainment and analysis only — not betting advice.
Estimated outcome mix from Sportra's pre-match model
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Lionel Messi is set to start as Inter Miami visit Chicago Fire looking to snap a rough patch of form. Lionel Messi has been included in the starting lineups as Inter Miami visit Chicago Fire at Soldier Field on Wednesday, with the Herons looking to snap a rough patch of form that has seen them go winless in five of their last six league matches. Messi enters the match fresh off a historic achievement, having become the first player in MLS history to reach 30 goal contributions in three separate seasons, a mark he hit while setting up Casemiro’s opener in Miami’s 2-2 draw against Atlanta United in the last fixture. Despite the individual milestone, Miami‘s results have cooled considerably since their 7-1 rout of Montreal, and the club now sits 10 points behind Nashville SC in the race for first place in the Eastern Conference. Chicago Fire, meanwhile, arrive at the match sitting third in the East, five points behind Miami for second place, with a win Wednesday closing that gap to just two points and giving the Fire a game in hand on the Herons. Noche de fútbol en Chicago. 🌃⚽️ #CHIvMIA • @MarriottBonvoy pic.twitter.com/umRymoHQBL— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) September 9, 2026 Gregg Berhalter’s side heads into the match off the back of a wild 4-4 draw at Toronto, a result that featured a brace from Maren Haile-Selassie and a goal from Robert Lewandowski, who has quickly established himself as one of the most efficient scorers in MLS since his move to Chicago. Chicago Fire confirmed lineup Chicago will be without Jonathan Bamba, Mbekezeli Mbokazi and Andre Franco, all of whom sat out the Toronto draw with lower-body issues. Zinckernagel leads the Fire’s attack this season and will look to combine again with Lewandowski and Haile-Selassie up top. Chicago Fire confirmed starting XI: Chris Brady; Jeremy Dean, Jack Elliot, Noah Allen, Andrew Gutman; Anton Salestros, Dje Tah D’Avila, Robin Lod; Philip Zinckernagel, Robert Lewandowski, Maren Haile-Selassie. Inter Miami confirmed lineup Miami’s injury list remains lengthy, with Sergio Reguilon, Gonzalo Lujan, Micael and Mateo Silvetti all confirmed out for the trip to Chicago, forcing Guillermo Hoyos to once again patch together his backline and attacking rotation. Inter Miami confirmed starting XI: Dayne St. Clair; Ian Fray, Casemiro, Maximiliano Falcon, Fricio Caicedo; Rodrigo De Paul, Yannick Bright, Telasco Segovia; Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, German Berterame.
Rangers beat St Mirren 1-0 at IbroxCeltic also narrow winners at St JohnstoneA dramatic last-gasp strike from substitute Bojan Miovski gave Rangers a 1-0 Premiership win over St Mirren at Ibrox.Back in the technical area after a two-game touchline suspension, Derek McInnes watched St Mirren’s Australian goalkeeper Jacob Chapman keep the home side at bay in the first half with a string of saves, albeit helped by some poor finishing. Continue reading...
Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski are finally facing each other in the Major League Soccer, prompting questions of what was the outcome of the last clash between the two legends. Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski prepare to cross paths once again, facing off for the first time in Major League Soccer following a storied and at times tense history between the two iconic forwards. As the two legends prepare to share the pitch, fans are looking back at their most recent encounters. The Chicago Fire host Inter Miami on Wednesday, September 9, at Soldier Field. The home side enter the contest on a six-match unbeaten streak in MLS play, sitting fifth in the Supporters’ Shield standings with 38 points through 22 matches, while the Herons hold third place with 43 points through 23 games during a mixed stretch featuring one win, two draws, and two losses over their last five outings. Lewandowski previously featured against Inter Miami following his July 22 arrival in Chicago, as the Herons secured a 3-2 victory in a match Messi missed while resting after Argentina’s 2026 World Cup run. For Wednesday’s fixture, however, both superstars are expected to feature in the starting XI for one of the season’s most anticipated MLS matchups. A heated previous encounter between Messi and Lewandowski Following the cancellation of the 2020 Ballon d’Or, Messi stated during his 2021 acceptance speech that Lewandowski deserved the prior year’s honor, prompting the Polish striker to publicly question Messi’s sincerity. Messi subsequently excluded Lewandowski from his voting ballot for FIFA The Best award, fueling further public friction between the two. Lionel Messi of Argentina battles for possesion with Robert Lewandowski of Poland. (Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) That tension spilled onto the pitch during Matchday 3 of the 2022 World Cup group stage, where Messi visibly snubbed an on-field greeting from Lewandowski prior to kickoff. Argentina went on to secure a 2-0 victory over Poland, highlighted by a late incident where Messi dribbled aggressively at Lewandowski before drawing a foul. Speaking to ESPN a year later, Messi admitted he harbored extra motivation during that match. “I was bothered by the statements Lewandowski had made. Because when I won the Ballon d’Or, I truly meant what I said about him. And for him to speak the way he spoke, honestly, it bothered me. I dribbled past him again just because it was him,” he stated on what has been their last encounter until today. A deadlocked all-time series In recent years, the friction between the two icons has cooled, with Lewandowski publicly expressing hope that Messi would return to FC Barcelona during his tenure in Spain. Now competing as rivals in MLS, both stars will look to take the lead in their head-to-head record. Their series began during the 2014-15 UEFA Champions League semifinals, where Messi scored twice and added an assist in Barcelona’s 3-0 first-leg win over Bayern Munich. Lewandowski scored in Bayern’s 3-2 second-leg victory, though Barcelona advanced 5-3 on aggregate. Their final European club meeting came in 2020 during Bayern’s iconic 8-2 quarterfinal victory over Barcelona, where Lewandowski recorded a goal and an assist. Messi subsequently evened their all-time head-to-head record at 2-2-0 with Argentina’s World Cup victory over Poland, setting the stage for Wednesday’s MLS showdown to break the tie.
Our cartoonist imagines how the football great might while away the hours after calling time on his international careerBuy this cartoon | Some of David’s favourite worksAnd his latest book, Chaos in the Box: get it now Continue reading...
The Philadelphia Union midfielder has gotten his longest run of game time since turning pro, and the data is tantalizingThere’s a video from a United States U-15 camp three years ago that will make your head spin. It’s a routine training session for the boys on the pitch except one, a head shorter and a year or two younger than the others, who’s practicing with the national team for the first time.Is the boy nervous? He is not. A pass floats into the box and he checks his run, tries to get under it, but the ball is too high for his 13-year-old head to reach. He doesn’t even jump. As the cross sails over him, he flings himself forward like Superman and flicks a heel up behind his back, catching the ball with a scorpion kick that bounces straight into the path of a teammate for a cartoon assist. Continue reading...
Lautaro Martinez revealed that Lionel Messi's retirement from Argentina national team "hits hard" despite knowing before the announcement. Lionel Messi‘s retirement announcement from the Argentina national team sent shockwaves across world soccer, reverberating not because of his age, but because of his sustained performance at the sport’s highest level. Despite receiving advance notice of the decision, star teammate Lautaro Martinez admitted that Messi’s departure “hits hard.” In an open letter published on Instagram, Messi confirmed his decision to step away from international duty, sharing his thoughts just two days following the 2026 World Cup final. The announcement brought an official end to a legendary 21-year tenure with the national team that began with his senior debut in 2005. Speaking during Monday’s pre-match press conference ahead of a Champions League clash against Real Madrid, Martinez addressed whether he was aware of Messi’s plans beforehand: “Leo announced that he had retired from the national team, and for us, we knew that at some point the news was going to come, but when it arrives it hits hard because of everything Leo means to the world of football, to the national team, and to our country.” Martinez elaborated on the personal message he shared on Instagram, while reflecting on the captain’s resilience through adversity. “I spoke with him and dedicated a few words to thank him for how he has taught and guided us toward victory; he went through difficult times and never gave up,” he added. Lautaro Martinez of Argentina celebrates with Lionel Messi after scoring. (Marcelo Endelli/Getty Images) “That is what is truly valued, and that’s what I take with me, beyond the fact that on a day-to-day basis we talk and experience very intense things for our careers and for life,” Martinez noted regarding the Argentina icon, who will be absent from the squad for the upcoming international window. With Messi vacating his spot in the attacking line, questions remain regarding how manager Lionel Scaloni will adapt. Scaloni could opt for a traditional two-striker system pairing Martinez alongside Julian Alvarez, or deploy rising playmaker Nico Paz to assume Messi’s creative responsibilities in the final third. Lautaro Martinez, a cornerstone of Argentina’s championship run Lionel Messi served as the catalyst for Argentina’s international dominance after Lionel Scaloni assumed control in 2018, leading the country to multiple major trophies, including the 2022 World Cup. However, Lautaro Martinez played a pivotal supporting role throughout that golden era, consistently supplying critical goals in key moments. During the Scaloni era, Messi leads all scorers with 60 international goals, but Martinez stands comfortably in second place with 40 goals, holding a substantial gap over Julian Alvarez in third place with 15 goals. Furthermore, the Inter Milan striker delivered the defining moment of the 2024 Copa America, scoring the extra-time winner in a 1-0 victory over Colombia on American soil, as well as the recent header coming from a Messi cross to complete the comeback against England in the 2026 World Cup semifinal.
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