Switzerland seize top spot
Switzerland won the Group B decider against World Cup co-hosts Canada to finish first in the group.
Second-half goals from Rubén Vargas and breakout starlet Johan Manzambi gave the Swiss a 2-0 lead in Vancouver – and though Promise David halved the deficit to set up a nervy finish, Murat Yakin’s side held on for a huge three points.
Canada – who outshot their opponents 13-6 (albeit they only shaded the xG battle 1.34-1.06) – are through to the knockout stage of a World Cup for the very first time, but Jesse Marsch’s men will not play another game on home turf, first heading to Los Angeles to play Group A runners-up South Africa in the last 32.
In the other Group B match, Bosnia and Herzegovina beat Qatar 3-1 in Seattle, Kerim Alajbegović’s stunning strike making him the eighth-youngest goalscorer in World Cup history at 18 years and 276 days. Results elsewhere later on confirmed Bosnia’s progress as a best third-placed finisher.
Brazil clinch group win and leave Scotland on brink
Brazil swept aside a lacklustre Scotland 3-0 to secure top spot in Group C and leave the Scots staring at an early World Cup exit for the ninth time in as many appearances.
Having scored once in each of Brazil’s first two games, Vinícius Júnior bagged a brace to stay hot on the heels of Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot race – before Matheus Cunha made it three goals in two games himself.
In a performance littered with defensive sloppiness, Scotland gave up a whopping 4.33 xG – while totalling just 1.04 themselves – and end the group stage with a goal difference of -3, leaving them needing a minor miracle to advance in third place.
Meanwhile, in Atlanta, Morocco twice came from behind against Haiti to triumph in a 4-2 thriller, the Atlas Lions going through in second. Ismael Saibari kept up his record of scoring in every game of the tournament.
Mexico maintain perfect start as South Africa recover
Having already guaranteed first place in Group A, co-hosts Mexico made it three wins from three with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Czechia at the Azteca which sends the Czechs home.
It was a jubilant night in the Mexican capital, where veteran goalkeeping icon Guillermo Ochoa, at his sixth World Cup, came off the bench for a heartwarming cameo.
Elsewhere - South Africa reached the knockout stage of the World Cup for the very first time, Thapelo Maseko the hero with the only goal against South Korea midway through the second half in Monterrey. As a result, the third-placed South Koreans must wait to find out if they’ve done enough to progress.
Groups D, E and F conclude in the next 24 hours, with eight teams’ final group positions still to be decided.
The action gets underway in Group E, with Curaçao taking on Ivory Coast and Ecuador facing Germany.
Then it’s over to Group F for Japan’s clash with Sweden and Tunisia’s meeting with the Netherlands.
And we finish up in Group D as Paraguay go up against Australia and Türkiye play co-hosts USA.
Nagelsmann has time to tweak, Curaçao eye further history
Victories over Curaçao and Ivory Coast have already ensured Germany will finish top of Group E, so their encounter with Ecuador in New York could be the ideal opportunity for Julian Nagelsmann to give his squad players some important minutes.
Realistically, Ecuador must win if they’re to make it out of a World Cup group for only the second time – the first having come 20 years ago in Germany.
Meanwhile, debutant minnows Curaçao have already made history by holding Ecuador to a 0-0 draw last time out – upset Ivory Coast, who sit second in the group on three points, in Philadelphia and their greatest adventure yet will hit dizzying new heights.
Netherlands, Japan and Sweden in three-way battle for first
It’s all to play for in Group F, where the Netherlands, Japan and Sweden could all still clinch top spot.
The Dutch have their noses in front on goals scored as it stands – and they’ll be confident of advancing as group winners when they face already eliminated Tunisia in Kansas City, the Eagles of Carthage having lost to both Sweden and Japan by four goals.
Sitting on four and three points respectively, a draw in Dallas will almost certainly send both Japan and Sweden into the last 32.
Crunch time for Australia and Paraguay
Australia or Paraguay could technically lose their game in San Francisco and still progress to the last 32 as a best third-placed finisher – but both will be heading into this one with a wholly more positive approach: win and they’ll go through as runners-up. A draw will have the same outcome for Australia, who are trying to reach the knockout stage at successive World Cups for the first time.
The USA’s meeting with Türkiye, on the other hand, is the first dead rubber of this World Cup, the USA guaranteed top spot in the group and Türkiye’s exit already confirmed.
But Mauricio Pochettino’s co-hosts will want to put on a show for a raucous home crowd in Los Angeles – and the States have never finished a World Cup group with a 100% record.
