USA join Mexico to make it two out of three
The USA joined fellow co-hosts Mexico in reaching the Round of 32, impressing again in a comfortable 2-0 win over Australia in Group D. Later, Paraguay’s win over Turkey confirmed the Americans as group winners.
A Cameron Burgess own goal and Alex Freeman’s header got the job done in the first half in Seattle for Mauricio Pochettino’s side, who controlled the game despite the absence of talisman Christian Pulisic.
Victory means the States have won back-to-back World Cup matches for the first time since the inaugural edition of the tournament way back in 1930.
Saibari sinks Scotland as Morocco extend unbeaten run
Ismael Saibari made it two in two at the 2026 World Cup, powering home a fine close-range finish just over a minute in to clinch victory for Morocco against Group C rivals Scotland in Boston.
It leaves the 2022 semi-finalists poised to advance to the knockout stage at successive World Cups for the first time – and Scotland quite possibly needing to take at least a point off Brazil in their last group game if they’re to finally progress from the group stage of a major tournament at the 13th time of asking.
Having previously held Brazil to a 1-1 draw in their opener, 2025 Africa Cup of Nations winners Morocco have now gone 30 games without defeat – and even that loss came in the African Nations Championship, a competition reserved for domestically based players, meaning none of their biggest hitters were involved.
Returning Cunha gets Brazil off the mark
Recalled to the starting 11 as expected, Matheus Cunha made up for lost time with a match-winning brace as Brazil recorded their first success of the tournament, dispatching Haiti 3-0 in Philadelphia.
It was an efficient performance from the five-time world champions, who only had eight shots but accumulated 1.75 expected goals (xG). Vinicius Junior notched the third goal shortly before half-time to make it two goals in as many games.
Defeat means Haiti are out of their first World Cup since 1974, their head-to-head record preventing them finishing any higher than fourth in the group.
Paraguay send Turkey packing, but Almiron makes unwanted history
Paraguay responded to their chastening 4-1 defeat to the USA as Matias Galarza’s 65-second goal – the quickest of these finals so far – saw off Turkey in San Francisco.
It wasn’t all plain sailing for the South Americans, though: Miguel Almiron became the first player to fall foul of FIFA’s new law on players covering their mouths when talking to opponents, seeing red in first-half stoppage time.
Despite that and having 32 shots, Turkey couldn’t find a way through and were eliminated from the tournament — with head-to-head records being the tiebreaker at the World Cup for the first time.
Team of the Day
Three teams could confirm last-32 spots on day 10 of the 2026 World Cup, while one could be mathematically eliminated after only two games.
Group F leaders Sweden face the Netherlands in Houston, while Japan take on Tunisia in Monterrey.
In Group G, table-topping Germany meet Ivory Coast in Toronto and Ecuador go up against Curacao in Kansas City.
Sweden eye Dutch scalp
Sweden finished bottom of their World Cup qualifying group, failing to win a single game – only to earn a reprieve via their Nations League performance and triumph in the play-offs, with Graham Potter at the helm by then. And they wasted no time in justifying their place at the finals, beginning their campaign by thumping Tunisia 5-1.
The Netherlands are bound to present a sterner test, but Potter has got star strikers Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres in perfect sync, the pair scoring and assisting each other against Tunisia. A win will see Sweden through.
Ronald Koeman’s Dutch side come into this contest as favourites, though they’ll need to be more resolute after twice surrendering the lead to draw 2-2 with Japan.
Germany and Ivory Coast look to seal progress with a game to spare
Germany and the Ivory Coast enjoyed victories of very different kinds in their openers – the former demolishing World Cup debutants Curacao 7-1, the latter leaving it late to beat Ecuador 1-0 – but both know another win here will take them into the last 32.
Kai Havertz is set to lead the German line once more and is one of his nation’s form men: the Arsenal striker has scored in his last three games for club and country and registered at least one goal involvement in his last five.
The Ivory Coast, meanwhile, are aiming to beat European opposition at the World Cup for only the second time, their first such success coming 3-2 against Serbia and Montenegro on their tournament debut in 2006.
Tunisia hope big call pays off against Japan
By the time Tunisia kick off against Japan in the early hours of Sunday morning, they could be on the verge of exiting the World Cup. If Sweden beat the Netherlands, Tunisia simply cannot afford to lose.
So, the Eagles of Carthage will be hoping for that ‘new manager bounce.’ Yes, they have a new manager, wasting no time in sacking Sabri Lamouchi – who only took the job in January – after that 5-1 loss to Sweden and parachuting in Herve Renard, mastermind of Saudi Arabia’s shock victory over Argentina four years ago.
Japan, though, proved their quality in holding the Netherlands and will want to take a big step towards a third straight knockout berth.
