Author: Arijit Bose

New Delhi: Striker Mikel Oyarzabal scored twice as Spain produced a commanding performance to defeat Austria 3-0 at Los Angeles Stadium on Friday, securing a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 knockout stage. Pedro Porro added the third goal as the European champions comfortably advanced to the pre-quarterfinals. The victory marks Spain’s return to the World Cup knockout rounds for the first time since the 2010 tournament in South Africa, where they lifted the trophy. Spain will now face neighboring rivals Portugal on July 6 for a place in…

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Vancouver: Switzerland secured a comfortable 2-0 victory over Algeria in Vancouver to book their place in the Round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup 2026. Goals from Breel Embolo and Dan Ndoye, coupled with a disciplined defensive display, ensured a straightforward win for the Swiss side. The victory marked a historic achievement for Switzerland, who recorded three consecutive World Cup wins for the first time in their history. The Swiss had already defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina and co-host Canada during the group stage and continued their impressive form in…

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Miami: Defending champions Argentina were pushed to their limits by a spirited Cape Verde side before securing a dramatic 3-2 victory after extra time in a FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 clash in Miami. Despite a trademark goal from captain Lionel Messi, Argentina needed an own goal in extra time to overcome the determined African underdogs and book a place in the Round of 16 against Egypt. While Argentina ultimately progressed, it was Cape Verde’s resilience and refusal to surrender that won widespread admiration. The tournament debutants twice…

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New Delhi: Egypt created a historic milestone by defeating Australia 4-2 in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw in regulation and extra time, securing a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16. The dramatic victory in Dallas marked one of the most significant achievements in Egyptian football history as the Pharaohs advanced beyond their previous World Cup accomplishments. Egypt took the lead in the 13th minute through Emam Ashour, who headed home from close range after a well-delivered cross by Mostafa Hafez. The early goal gave…

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New Delhi: An early goal from Jhon Arias guided Colombia to a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Ghana in Kansas City on Saturday, securing the South American side a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16. Colombia, who remained unbeaten during the group stage, continued their impressive run with another disciplined performance. The victory sets up a knockout-stage clash against Switzerland as the Colombians look to advance deeper into the tournament. Ghana started brightly and nearly stunned Colombia within the opening minutes. Midfielder Thomas Partey unleashed a powerful…

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Philadelphia: Two-time world champions France booked their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-finals with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Paraguay at Philadelphia Stadium on Sunday. A second-half penalty converted by star striker Kylian Mbappé proved decisive as France overcame a spirited Paraguayan side and secured a quarter-final clash against Morocco on July 9 in Boston. The match-winning strike was Mbappé’s seventh goal of the tournament, drawing him level with Argentina captain Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Boot. The goal also marked a significant milestone, becoming…

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New Delhi: Morocco secured a place in the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals with a commanding 3-0 victory over co-host Canada in Houston on Sunday. Midfielder Azzedine Ounahi starred with two second-half goals, while Soufiane Rahimi added a late strike in injury time to seal the win and book a quarter-final showdown against France on July 9 in Boston. The upcoming encounter carries added significance for Morocco, which was eliminated by France 2-0 in the semi-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Despite the defeat, Canada’s run to the…

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