Nicaragua upset Honduras with a 2-0 win at the Concacaf 2026 World Cup Qualifiers
Honduras fell 2-0 to Nicaragua in the Concacaf 2026 World Cup Qualifiers, meaning everything will now be decided in the final match of the group stage.
Honduras fell 2-0 to group underdog Nicaragua in the Concacaf 2026World Cup Qualifiers, denying the visiting team the opportunity to secure direct qualification tonight.
Before the match began, Honduras were the clear favorites to secure the victory, entering as group leaders against a Nicaragua squad that sat at the bottom of the table with only one point.
However, the home team struck early, scoring in the 11th minute with a great goal from Bancy Hernandez that threw the Honduran teams off balance. The visitors pushed for an equalizer in the second half, but Jaime Moreno scored the second goal in the 82nd minute, sealing the match.
This defeat is a harsh blow for Honduras, who arrived at the contest with a chance to secure direct qualification for the 2026 World Cup but failed to capitalize. Their destiny will now be determined in their final group match when they visit Costa Rica on November 18th.
For Nicaragua, despite securing a valuable victory, the squad managed by Marco Antonio Figueroa have officially been eliminated from the race for 2026 World Cup qualification. Following Haiti’s victory over Costa Rica in a parallel match, Nicaragua no longer have a chance to qualify, even as one of the best second-place teams.
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Thanks for joining us!
Nicaragua defeated Honduras 2-0 in Concacaf 2026 World Cup Qualifiers at Estadio Nacional and you lived every moment of this game here.
Thanks for staying with us, see you next time!
END OF THE GAME! (2-0)
Nicaragua secured a 2-0 win over Honduras at Estadio Nacional!
88'- Honduras nearly score a spectacular goal! (2-0)
Ramirez almost secured a goal back with a bicycle kick inside the Nicaragua box, but Lopez managed to block the shot!
81'- GOOOOAAAAAL FOR NICARAGUA!!! (2-0)
Jaime Moreno extends the lead for Nicaragua!!!!
75'- Yellow card for Honduras (1-0)
Ramirez receives a yellow card.
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74'- Substitution for Nicaragua (1-0)
Josue Quijano leaves the field to make way for Junior Delgado.
72'- Three substitutions for Honduras (1-0)
Kervin Arriaga, Romell Quioto, and Getsel Montes leave the field to make way for Devron Garcia, Dereck Moncada, and Jorge Alvarez.
71'- Two substittuons for Nicaragua (1-0)
Bancy Hernandez and Ariel Arauz leave the field to make way for Byron Bonilla and Marlon Lopez.
64'- Yellow card for Honduras (1-0)
Getsel Montes of Honduras receives a yellow card.
61'- First substitution of the game (1-0)
Jorge Benguche leaves the field to make way for Marlon Ramirez.
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57'- Honduras with another shot off target
Arteaga fired a powerful shot from outside the box that sailed high over Lopez's crossbar.
55'- First yellow card of the game (1-0)
Velasquez of Nicaragua receives the first yellow card of the game.
52'- Nicaragua miss out on the second goal! (1-0)
Arauz unleashed a strong shot that glanced just wide of Menjivar's right post.
49'- Clear chance for Honduras! (1-0)
This time it was Benguche who unleashed a powerful shot from outside the box, which Lopez saved brilliantly. Honduras are close to equalize the score!
47'- Honduras are looking for the equalizer (1-0)
The visiting side came out determined to find the equalizing goal, and Quioto immediately had a chance, although his shot was not dangerous.
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The second half is underway! (1-0)
The game is on again!
End of the first half!
Nicaragua finished the first half of the game winning 1-0 against Honduras
39'- Nicaragua dominate the game (1-0)
Despite Honduras pushing hard to find the equalizer, Nicaragua are proving superior, leading the shot count with eight attempts compared to only two from their rivals, with ball possession evenly split at 50% for each side.
28'- Hernandez misses a huge chance! (1-0)
Bancy Hernandez came very close to scoring his second goal of the match, but his strike from inside the box went just over the crossbar.
25'- Honduras qualification must wait (1-0)
If Honduras win this match and Costa Rica draw against Haiti, the Honduran team would secure its ticket to the 2026 World Cup. However, with this result, they will have to wait until their final match against Costa Rica on the road to secure qualification.
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11'- GOAAAAAAL FOR NICARAGUA! (1-0)
Bancy Hernandez scores the first goal of the game!!!
Following a superb cross into the box, Quioto struck the ball from inside the area, but his shot sailed just over the crossbar.
8'- A quiet start (0-0)
So far, nothing significant has occurred in the match apart from a long-range shot from Juan Barrera that sailed over the goal.
GAME ON!
Nicaragua and Guatemala have kicked off the Concacaf 2026 World Cup Qualifier game!
Players are on the pitch!
Players from both countries are on the pitch for the national anthems. Everything is ready for the start of the match.
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Confirmed lineup for Nicaragua!
This is Nicaragua's starting team for tonight:
Alyer Lopez; Justing Cano, Henry Niño, Anyelo Velasquez; Josue Quijano, Ariel Arauz, Jason Coronel, Junior Arteaga; Jaime Moreno; Juan Barrera, Bancy Hernandez.
🚨𝗫𝗜 𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟 Doradobet Nicaragua 🚨
🔥 Ellos son los elegidos de Nicaragua en Eliminatorias Mundialistas 🆚 🇭🇳 Honduras. pic.twitter.com/ydZdOTZyHq
— Selección Nacional de Nicaragua 🇳🇮 (@LaAzulyBlanco) November 14, 2025
Confirmed lineup for Honduras!
This will be Honduras' starting XI for tonight: Edrick Menjivar; Andy Najar, Luis Vega, Getsel Montes, Joseph Rosales; Deiby Flores, Kervin Arriaga, Luis Palma, Romell Quioto; Alexy Vega, Jorge Benguche.
1️⃣1️⃣Así sale a la cancha nuestra H 🇭🇳
Este es el once inicial para la primera batalla de esta noche, bajo la dirección del profe Reinaldo Rueda. 💪🇭🇳⚽
— Federación de Fútbol de Honduras (FFH) (@FFH_Honduras) November 14, 2025
Group C standings
Group C is currently led by Honduras (8 points), followed by Costa Rica (6 points), Haiti (5 points), and Nicaragua sit in last place (1 point).
The first-place teams in each group (A, B, and C) will secure direct qualification to the 2026 World Cup, while the two best second-place teams across the three groups will advance to the play-offs for a chance to enter the world’s most prestigious tournament.
Track record between Nicaragua and Honduras
Nicaragua and Honduras have faced each other 21 times in their history, with Honduras holding a commanding historical dominance. Honduras have secured 18 victories, while Nicaragua have only managed one historical triumph, along with two draws.
Today’s referee
American referee Ismail Elfath has been appointed to officiate the Concacaf 2026 World Cup Qualifiers between Nicaragua and Honduras.
The full officiating team for today's game:
Referee: Ismail Elfath (USA)
Assistant Referee 1: Corey Parker (USA)
Assistant Referee 2: Kyle Atkins (USA)
Fourth Official: Adonai Escobedo (MEX)
VAR: Chris Penso (USA)
VAR Assistant: Tristley Jansen Bassue (CAN)
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Kick off time and where to watch
The clash between Nicaragua and Honduras will kick off at 9:00 PM (ET).
Gianni Taina is a bilingual journalist, fluent in English and Spanish, with a specialization in soccer, NBA, and tennis. He began his professional career in 2020 with Mundo Deportivo US, where he first established himself as a writer. Throughout his career, Gianni has covered major sports events such as the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the NBA Finals, and Grand Slam tournaments like the French Open. His ability to report on real-time events and perform well under pressure has made him a valuable member of a top-tier team of journalists. In 2024, he joined Bolavip US, bringing his expertise in soccer, NBA, and tennis to deliver original content while providing live coverage of important events.
