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June 26 : England, Portugal, Egypt, Ghana and Paraguay secured places in the World Cup Round of 32 on Friday before their final group matches after results elsewhere confirmed four points would be enough to progress.

• Uruguay’s defeat by Spain and Cape Verde’s draw with Saudi Arabia in Group H guaranteed qualification for the five teams.

• France will face Sweden in the Round of 32 after winning Group I.

• Germany will take on Paraguay in the last-32 after the South Americans advanced from Group D.

HOUSTON, June 26 : Saudi Arabia’s inability to hold the ball and create attacking chances doomed the team in a goalless draw with Cape Verde at Houston Stadium on Friday in their final World Cup Group H match, coach Georgios Donis said.

• “We were very poor in creating actions. One cannot win a game this way,” he said.

• He added that Saudi Arabia had problems putting pressure on Cape Verde’s backline aside from a short period of time in the second half.

• “Our line of attack was not doing well. Our greatest problem today was creation and this was self evident.”

• Donis praised his players, saying the World Cup journey was a good experience but he would need to reassess the performance down the road.

• “It was not what we wanted because when playing in such a match against a team more or less the same level of us our level was not good. This gives cause for concern,” he said.

• “The journey was good and I would like to thank the players.”

HOUSTON, June 26 : The sight of Cape Verde’s players huddled around a single mobile phone as they watched the final seconds of Spain’s win over Uruguay before bursting into celebration was the kind of moment FIFA had hoped for in their push for an expanded World Cup.

As was the joy in the stands in Houston on Friday as Cape Verde fans cheered, danced and shed tears when the tiny island nation of some 500,000 inhabitants set up a round of 32 meeting with world champions Argentina in Miami on July 3.

Cape Verde coach Bubista had said in his pre-match press conference ahead of Friday’s 0-0 draw with Saudi Arabia that earned his side second place in Group H, the World Cup is for all nations, not just the elite of the game.

As thrilling as the stories of the winners lifting the trophy may be, so too are those of teams who punch above their weight, overcome hardships just to compete, and who showcase the fighting spirit and skill that make sport so captivating.

“Honestly, it’s mad. I feel like I’m in a dream,” Cape Verde midfielder Deroy Duarte said. “Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always dreamed of playing in a World Cup.

“To be man of the match and make history is something I could never have imagined.”Cape Verde are unlikely to advance beyond the next stage against Lionel Messi and company, but they have already written a story that will be long remembered.

“First, let’s celebrate. We’re so happy. Let’s hope all Cape Verdeans are happy too. From tomorrow, we’ll focus on the next match,” said Duarte.

“It’s against Argentina, isn’t it? A tough match, but let’s believe. Anything is possible.”

Cape Verde qualified for the round of 32 with three draws, with their gritty, defensive display against Spain in their opener the most impressive.

That won them new fans around the world, with Houston Stadium awash with Cape Verde t-shirts on Friday.

June 26 : Uruguay’s World Cup ended on Friday as Marcelo Bielsa’s side crashed out without a win, becoming the only CONMEBOL team not to reach the knockout rounds in a tournament format built to give heavyweights little excuse for failing to advance.

Twice world champions Uruguay were eliminated after a 1-0 defeat by Spain, having previously drawn with Saudi Arabia and World Cup debutants Cape Verde in Group H.

In an expanded 48-team tournament where 32 nations advance, Uruguay’s exit ranks as one of the most glaring failures.

The disappointment was heightened by the talent at Bielsa’s disposal. Federico Valverde, Rodrigo Bentancur, Manuel Ugarte and Darwin Nunez formed the core of a team expected to comfortably reach the knockout stage after a solid qualifying campaign and third-place finish at the 2024 Copa America.

Instead, Uruguay looked disjointed throughout the group stage, unable to turn possession and pressure into control or goals. Their campaign extended a winless run dating back to October, when they beat Uzbekistan in a friendly, and was a second straight World Cup in which they failed to progress.

The disappointment also came against a backdrop of growing tension around Argentine Bielsa’s methods.

Senior figures, including Uruguay’s all-time record scorer Luis Suarez, questioned aspects of his management, particularly the intensity of training and direction of the team.

Local media reported that captains Valverde, Bentancur, Ugarte and goalkeeper Sergio Rochet met Bielsa before the Spain match to raise concerns over the physical demands of training and his tactical approach.

The reports said the exchange became tense, with players concerned the workload had left them fatigued during matches.

Bielsa had already hinted before the tournament that his tenure could end after the tournament, saying in May his “job ends with the World Cup.”

Following a winless exit marked by poor performances and internal friction, his future appears increasingly uncertain.

June 27 : American Olympic medallist and former world champion Jenny Simpson has been discharged from hospital after suffering a heart attack during an event in Raleigh, North Carolina.

The 39-year-old was pacing a mile group at a community track event hosted by Sir Walter Running when she collapsed and required CPR.

“We’re grateful to share that Fleet Feet Chief Running Officer Jenny Simpson has been discharged from Duke University Hospital and will continue her recovery in North Carolina following the medical emergency she experienced during the Sir Walter Running Pop Up Mile event on June 17,” her employers Fleet Feet said in an Instagram post on Friday.

“During the event, Jenny suffered a sudden cardiac arrest and received immediate lifesaving care, including CPR and the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED), before being transported to UNC Rex Hospital in Raleigh. She was later transferred to Duke University Hospital.”

Simpson won the gold medal in the 1,500 meters at the 2011 World Championships, as well as silver in  2013 and 2017, and bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics. She retired from competitive running in 2024.

June 26 : Spain coach Luis de la Fuente praised his side’s resilience after a battling 1-0 win over Uruguay secured top spot in World Cup Group H, saying the players had coped with a physically demanding match in which they were pushed “to the limit”.

Spain finished the group stage with five goals scored and none conceded, extending their unbeaten run to 34 matches and De la Fuente called it a mark of pride for his squad.

• Forward Yeremy Pino suffered what appeared to be a fracture and was likely to be out of the tournament, while Nico Williams finished with minor discomfort, De la Fuente said

• The coach declined to criticise the referee, preferring to focus on his team’s performance and said officials have tools such as VAR to manage difficult matches.

• On his squad’s depth in midfield, De la Fuente said Pedri, Fabian Ruiz, Dani Olmo, Mikel Merino and Martin Zubimendi are all interchangeable depending on the opponent.

• He said Spain’s main area for improvement was ball speed and fluidity of play, adding that defensively they were “very strong.”

• “I have total confidence in this group. It is a team that wants to keep growing. We are on the right path, but every match from now on will be even more difficult,” the coach added.

June 26 : Cape Verde coach Bubista walked into his press conference draped in his country’s flag, a man of few words tasked with explaining how one of football’s smallest nations had barged into the World Cup knockout rounds at the first attempt.

Their 0-0 draw with Saudi Arabia completed a group stage journey of three stalemates that left them on three points, nervously dependent on Spain beating Uruguay to secure their passage.

So the players stayed on the pitch with mobile phones in hand, watching the final minutes of Spain’s 1-0 victory before tension burst into celebration.

For Bubista, however, this was no fairytale, but an achievement built on hard work, discipline and a refusal to wilt under pressure.

“I’m proud of what they’ve achieved,” the 56-year-old former defender said. “To finish the first phase without losing a single match, we have to be pleased. It was down to organisation and team spirit.

“Our fans deserve all of this. We were one goal short of being even better, of being even happier. The team did everything they could to win and I’m pleased.”

‘A BIT OF A SHOCK’

Cape Verde, the smallest nation ever to reach the World Cup knockouts, finished second in Group H, earning them a round-of-32 meeting with holders Argentina, a prize that felt improbable even as it came into view.

“It’s a bit of a shock, although we’d always had it in mind that we might reach this stage after the first two matches,” Bubista said.

“The team was really keen to show the whole world what we’re made of; we were proud of what we’d already achieved. We’re a small country, but we fight for what we want to achieve. For us, nothing is impossible.”

Cape Verde were anxious as they waited for news from the Spain v Uruguay match, but their coach said the ordeal revealed the true substance of his squad.

“The key? Our team’s unity and resilience,” he said. “We’ve always talked about our organisation, but also about our determination to do things without fear.

“It was a very difficult match that demanded a great deal of mental strength, as we were dependent on the result of the other match, but our team showed incredible character.”

‘WORK GIVES A PERSON DIGNITY’

Bubista said his players deserved praise not only for their football but for the way they carried themselves through the group stage.

“Work gives a person dignity,” Bubista said. “All the players understood the importance of day-to-day work.

“We told the players they had to work hard and have confidence because the reward would come. And here we are. The people of Cape Verde should be proud of what this team has done so far. It’s something incredible.”

Looking ahead to facing Lionel Messi’s Argentina, Bubista framed the encounter as an honour.

“It’s a country with which we have a long-standing connection, as many Cape Verdeans have emigrated there,” he said.

“We’ll play our game with the right attitude and a sense of responsibility, but also with our own personality and character. They have Messi, who needs no introduction.

“We represent our island, but we also represent Africa. It’s a source of immense pride. One of our objectives was to showcase the quality of our football and our country. This shows that even the smallest countries can prove that nothing is impossible when you have strength, determination, focus, willpower and resilience.”

SANTA CLARA, California, June 26 : Australia full back Jacob Italiano and veteran attacker Mathew Leckie are out of the World Cup with injuries, the Socceroos confirmed on Friday.

Italiano, who started in the opening group matches against Turkey and the United States, suffered an adductor injury in training while Leckie sustained a hamstring strain during the U.S. match.

Both missed the 0-0 draw against Paraguay that put Australia into the Round of 32 on Thursday.

Leckie was a hero of Australia’s World Cup in Qatar, scoring the winner in a group match against Denmark to seal their passage to the knockout phase.

The 35-year-old was selected for a fourth World Cup despite an injury-blighted season for Melbourne City.

Full back Aziz Behich, who slotted into the starting 11 in the absence of Italiano, said he was “gutted” for his City teammate.

“I saw first-hand this year what he had to do to get back on that pitch for us at Melbourne City and then what he did in Sarasota,” Behich told reporters on Friday, referring to Australia’s pre-World Cup training camp in Florida.

“He left no stone unturned and it’s a credit to him, it’s not easy, not just physically but also mentally at his age.”

While Australia have depth to cover Leckie, Italiano’s loss saw coach Tony Popovic shift regular left back Jordan Bos to the right to play as an inverted wingback against Paraguay.

Veteran full back Behich started in Bos’s place at left back.

The move proved effective as Bos was a standout in the scoreless draw, and his link-up play with Cristian Volpato down the right flank set up a number of promising attacks.

“It’s something we worked on during the week in our tactical session and it worked really well, and I think it worked well again last night,” Behich said of the tactical switch.

“That’s why we got the result that we deserved.”

GUADALAJARA, Mexico, June 26 : Manolo el del Bombo is gone, but in Mexico the drum still speaks for him.

Spain beat Uruguay 1-0 on Friday to top Group H and reach the knockout stage of the World Cup. For the Spain supporters in Guadalajara, the victory was tinged with sadness.

Manuel Caceres, the drum-pounding superfan known worldwide as “Manolo el del Bombo”, died in May last year at the age of 76, leaving ‘La Roja’ without the rhythmic heartbeat that followed them for decades.

“This is the first World Cup without him,” Spain supporter Pablo Munoz said when asked if Manolo was missed. “And of course he’s missed, because he was the most legendary Spain supporter, the most well known.”

Munoz remembered Manolo as someone who was easy to love and who welcomed visitors to his bar in Valencia as if they were family.

Sete Fernandez, who described himself as the “Trumpet of Spain,” said supporters from fan groups Marea Roja and Furia Española had brought their own drum to continue Manolo’s legacy in the stands.

“We’re not talking about successors here; what we have to talk about is continuing his legacy,” Fernandez said. “I could never be Manolo’s heir, because Manolo was unique.”

In Guadalajara, that legacy has already been recognised in the streets.

“People see us in the streets and call us ‘Manolo,’ because when they see the drum, they say: ‘Manolo, Manolo’,” Fernandez said. “That’s a good sign that Manolo’s symbol lives on.”

Manolo had told Reuters at the 2006 World Cup that his target was to keep drumming until he had been to 12 tournaments.

“My aim is to retire after 12 World Cups, which will make me 77, if Spain qualify for all of them,” he said. “I’ll be there, even if I have to go with a walking stick.”

In all, Manolo made it to 10 World Cups, missing Qatar in 2022 due to ill health.

Fernandez said he has planned his return flight for July 19 after the final and the drumbeat would follow Spain wherever they play.

“If it’s Guadalajara, then Guadalajara. If it’s Miami, then Miami,” he said. “We’ll be following Spain and carrying Manolo’s legacy wherever necessary.”

FOXBOROUGH, Massachusetts: Ousmane Dembele scored a hat-trick as his ruthless already-qualified France side claimed top spot in World Cup Group I with a 4-1 win over second-string Norway on Friday (Jun 26).

The winger scored three times in the space of 25 minutes in the first half to send the 2018 world champions and 2022 runners-up into th

The France players had promised to go for a win as a tribute to coach Didier Deschamps who has flown home from the United States to attend the funeral of his mother.

Les Bleus – like Norway – had made sure of a place in the Round of 32 before Friday’s clash but wanted to top the group to take advantage of a lighter travel schedule offered by the tournament’s North American criss-crossing route map.

Their task was made easier by Norway coach Stale Solbakken’s decision to rest all but one of the players who started against Senegal earlier this week, including goal-scoring machine Erling Haaland and captain Martin Odegaard.

France went on the attack from the kickoff. Kylian Mbappe, who is likely to be challenging Haaland for the World Cup’s Golden Boot top scorer award, slammed an angled shot off the bar with barely 20 seconds on the clock.

Six minutes later Mbappe swept a glorious cross-field pass to Dembele who cut inside and then outside a defender before blasting an angled shot past goalkeeper Egil Selvik.

Mbappe fed Dembele again in the 20th minute and the Paris St-Germain forward gained a yard of space against his marker once again to score with a dipping shot.

Norway pulled a goal back almost immediately through Thelo Aasgaard before Dembele became only the third France player to score a World Cup hat-trick – after Just Fontaine and Mbappe – by curling a low shot into the bottom corner in the 32nd.

It was the second-earliest hat-trick ever scored at a World Cup, behind Erich Probst who got three goals for Austria in 1954 against Czechoslovakia after 24 minutes.

Jorgen Strand Larsen blew a chance to get Norway back into the game early in the second half when his soft penalty was saved by Mike Maignan.

Winger Oscar Bobb forced Maignan into another save as the Scandinavians exposed some vulnerability in their opponents’ back line before Desire Doue got France’s fourth with a header from a cross by substitute Bradley Barcola in the dying moments.

“This is a unique and important moment for me. But I preferred how I played against Senegal or against Iraq,” Dembele claimed after his hat-trick, becoming only the fourth France player to do so at a World Cup.

“I think I was much more influential in those games, so I think we need to stay fully concentrated because we have important things ahead of us.”

“He had a great game. It’s good for us. It’s great to have a player like that who can make the difference,” France defender Maxence Lacroix said of Dembele.

His interchanging of positions with Michael Olise between the right wing and the number 10 role is proving a real headache for opponents, and France’s attacking arsenal is frightening.

“Their front four is the best in the competition by far,” said Norway coach Stale Solbakken.

Apart from Mbappe’s strikes, France’s other goals at this World Cup have all come from PSG players: Dembele, Doue and Bradley Barcola.

“That can only be positive,” said assistant coach Guy Stephan, as France prepare to face a third-placed team in New Jersey in the last 32 next Tuesday.

“These are players who have not stopped winning things in the last two years. They can take players on, score goals, set up goals. It is a big plus for us.”

By finishing top of Group I, France are likely to meet Sweden in the first knockout round of the tournament. As runners-up, Norway will play Ivory Coast.