Dembélé scores three against Norway B
The highly anticipated Group I clash between Norway and France was decided in the first 32 minutes, or as early as when Norway coach Ståle Solbakken announced a line-up that saw 10 changes from the win over Senegal.
2025 Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé scored three trademark goals to record the first first-half hattrick scored at a World Cup since 1994, and the second earliest ever recorded at the finals.
In between, Rangers’ Thelo Aasgaard did get one back for Norway’s second string side but once Jørgan Strand Larsen missed a second half penalty - Mike Maignan becoming the first keeper to save a penalty at these finals - the game became more of a training exercise.
Désiré Doué put the finishing touches on the scoreline (4-1) and the French move into the Round of the 32 for a confirmed encounter with Sweden, hopefully with coach Didier Deschamps back at the helm after his tragic return home for his mother’s funeral.
Norway will face Ivory Coast, a fate they seemingly decided they were happy with before kick off.
🇳🇴🇫🇷 Match report
Meanwhile, Senegal needed to beat Iraq, and rack up the goals to ensure their third place in the group, and a top eight finish in the wider best third-placed table. They did both - putting five past the 10 men of Iraq.
Unbeaten Cape Verde reach the knockouts as Uruguay implode
Minnows Cape Verde were the undoubted beneficiaries of Uruguay’s descent into chaos in their 1-0 defeat to Spain. Depending on which reports you believe, there was something of a mutiny in Marcelo Bielsa’s squad in the build-up to their showdown with the European champions, and that was in evidence with a lack of cohesion going forward and a number of rough tackles flying in as the game slipped away from them.
In a match short on chances, Uruguay legend Fernando Muslera made a third goalkeeping error that led to a goal in as many games, and he consequently exited the tournament early , subbed off at halftime. His teammates followed suit 45 minutes later, leaving North America without a win, and without a manager as Bielsa’s contract comes to an end.
But while Uruguay despaired, Cape Verde could celebrate after a third successive draw (against Saudi Arabia) saw them qualify for the Round of 32 as group runners up. The Blue Sharks become the first tournament debutant to reach the latter stages since Slovakia at the 2010 finals.
Cult hero Vozinha becomes the first keeper aged 40 or over to keep multiple World Cup clean sheets since England’s Peter Shilton.
Belgium find form while Iran suffer late VAR heartbreak
After successive draws and a frustrating 23 shots without a goal in their last game against Iran, Belgium put New Zealand to the sword in Vancouver.
The Red Devils came out to play and having started the day in third, they racked up another 35 efforts on goal, scored five, and ran out as group winners. Leandro Trossard and Kevin De Bruyne accounted for 14 of those shots alone as Belgium’s big names saw them safely past Oceania’s only representatives at the tournament.
In the other game in the group, Iran thought they had found a winner in what was FIFA’s designated Pride Match. Having levelled the scores at 1-1 through Ramin Rezeian, following Egypt’s opener, Shoja Khalilzadeh looked to have sealed the comeback with a close range finish in the 93rd minute.
VAR had other ideas, judging part of the defender’s boot to be offside. That leaves Iran waiting to see if their difficult campaign continues as one of the best third placed sides.
We’ve reached the final day of the Group Stage, and as such, we’re narrowing down on the final names that will enter the Round of 32.
Group L is in action first, with England still needing something against Panama, and Croatia battling Ghana for an automatic qualification spot.
Colombia meet Portugal in the Group K decider, with DR Congo up against the ‘pointless’ Uzbekistan.
And we round off with Argentina completing their group stage obligations against Jordan, and Algeria playing Austria.
England looking for improved showing against Panama
Which England will show up for the final group game? Thomas Tuchel's swashbuckling cavaliers that scored four and stretched Croatia all over the pitch? Or virtually the same set of players that struggled to turn a stubborn Ghana defence, resulting in Wednesday's nil-nil draw?
The answer probably lies in Panama's approach to this game. Do the already eliminated Canal Men go all out to avoid a third straight defeat or do they try and exit the World Cup by showing a bit of what got them here in the first place?
A better result than the 6-1 hammering England dished out to them at the 2018 finals would be a considerable mark of their progress.
A win secures top spot for the Three Lions and a likely meeting with Senegal.
For Ghana, who meet Croatia in the other game, remaining unbeaten in the Group Stage would see them through as runners up. Croatia's wily set of tournament pros are unlikely to go down without a fight, but regardless of the result, both are highly likely to progress due to their already-healthy points tally.
🇵🇦🏴 Panama vs. England match preview
Can Lionel Messi continue the streak?
Argentina’s World Cup title defence has been led by their captain. The mercurial Messi has scored all five of their goals in back-to-back wins over Algeria and Austria, and will look to strengthen his grip on the Golden Boot and the all-time World Cup goalscoring record if he is, as reported, selected to play some part in this dead rubber against Jordan.
Boss Lionel Scaloni has indicated that Messi will not start but says he will still feature against the tournament debutants, who are unable to better their current fourth position.
The other game in Group J sees Algeria and Austria, both level on three points, decide who finishes as group runners up.
Colombia face Portugal in mouthwatering tie
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal face group leaders Colombia, with the South Americans already qualified for the Round of 32 having picked up six points against DR Congo and Uzbekistan.
Hopefully we’ll see a match up between two World Cup legends and former Real Madrid teammates - Ronaldo, who, like Messi, is featuring at a sixth finals, and James Rodríguez. The 2014 Golden Boot winner has started in both of Colombia’s wins but has yet to add to his tally of six tournament goals.
Portugal sit on four points and can only be knocked out of the two automatic qualification spots if DR Congo put a hefty amount of goals past Uzbekistan. Which is not impossible, but highly unlikely.
