Cape Verde Make History as World Cup Debut Dream Continues

Cape Verde continued their remarkable debut at the 2026 FIFA World Cup by reaching the Round of 32 after battling Saudi Arabia to a goalless draw in Houston.

The Blue Sharks completed the group stage unbeaten, collecting five points from three matches. Their campaign included draws against Saudi Arabia and Spain, as well as an entertaining 2-2 result against Uruguay.

Although Cape Verde missed several opportunities late in the match through Laros Duarte, Pina and Garry Rodrigues, their disciplined defensive display proved enough to secure second place in Group H.

Their reward is a blockbuster Round of 32 clash against Lionel Messi's Argentina.

Spain End Uruguay's World Cup Journey

Spain claimed a narrow 1-0 victory over Uruguay in Guadalajara to finish top of Group H and send the South American side crashing out of the tournament.

The match produced few clear-cut chances and was settled by a costly goalkeeping error. Uruguay struggled throughout the contest and managed just two shots on target, both arriving in the closing stages.

After earlier draws with Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde, Uruguay bowed out of the competition at the group stage.

Belgium Cruise Into Knockout Rounds

Belgium secured qualification for the Round of 32 with an emphatic 5-1 victory over New Zealand in Vancouver.

Leandro Trossard scored twice before Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Jeremy Doku all found the net to seal Belgium's first win of the tournament after opening with consecutive draws.

Elijah Just briefly gave New Zealand hope with a consolation goal, but Belgium quickly restored their dominance to finish top of Group G on goal difference.

France Finish Top as Dembélé Stars

France wrapped up first place in Group I with an impressive 4-1 victory over Norway in Boston.

Ousmane Dembélé stole the show by scoring a first-half hat-trick, putting the match beyond Norway before the break. The Scandinavian side rested several key players, including Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard, and struggled to match France's intensity.

Thelo Aasgard reduced the deficit, but goalkeeper Mike Maignan preserved France's comfortable lead by saving a penalty from Jorgen Strand Larsen. Désiré Doué added a late goal to complete an outstanding performance.

Senegal Strengthen Qualification Hopes

Senegal boosted their chances of advancing to the knockout stage with a commanding 5-0 victory over Iraq.

Habib Diarra opened the scoring before Iraq's task became even harder when Rebin Sulaka was sent off following a VAR review for denying Sadio Mané a clear goalscoring opportunity.

The Lions of Teranga took complete control after halftime. Ismaïla Sarr continued his excellent tournament with another goal, while substitute Pape Gueye struck twice from long range. Iliman Ndiaye added the fifth to complete the rout.

The convincing victory leaves Senegal in a strong position to qualify as one of the tournament's best third-placed teams, while Iraq finished the competition without earning a single point.

Iran and Egypt Share the Spoils

Iran and Egypt settled for a 1-1 draw in Seattle in a match that ended with both teams taking a point.

The fixture also attracted attention off the pitch as it coincided with the city's designated Pride Match, with rainbow flags and Pride-themed displays visible around sections of the stadium despite criticism from some supporters connected to both nations.