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Norway beats Ivory Coast 2-1 to set up last-16 Brazil clash

Erling Haaland scored a late winner as Norway set up a last-16 showdown with Brazil at the World Cup after taming the Ivory Coast 2-1 in Texas on Tuesday.

The Manchester City striker prodded in from close range, the ball dribbling in on 86 minutes for his fifth goal of the tournament.

It was the first time that Norway had won a knockout game in the history of the competition and Haaland looked emotional afterwards.

After an even first half that was slow to get going, Antonio Nusa fired Norway into the lead six minutes before the break with one of the goals of the tournament.

Manchester United’s Amad Diallo was sent on for the Ivory Coast and was immediately in the thick of it, stopping a certain second Norway goal and then grabbing a terrific equaliser on 74 minutes.

With extra time looming, predator supreme Haaland got on the end of a cross by Patrick Berg to make some Norwegian history.

They face five-time champions Brazil on Sunday in New Jersey with the quarter-finals at stake.

Norway captain Martin Odegaard said that with Haaland they always had a chance.

“Meeting Brazil in the World Cup is as big as it can be,” said the midfielder, who will face Arsenal teammates Gabriel and Gabriel Martinelli. “It’s amazing to have him (Haaland) in the team, we’re lucky to have him and it’s just about giving him as many opportunities as possible.”

Diallo said they gifted Norway the winner by failing to pick up Haaland in the box.

The center forward has scored in each of his last 13 competitive internationals, hitting 25 goals along the way.

“When you leave Erling Haaland alone in a match, you pay the price,” said Diallo. “We’re a little disappointed because we thought we could go further in this competition.

“But we’re also proud of ourselves because we’ve accomplished something that previous generations perhaps hadn’t managed.”

A match between two physical teams was tepid to begin with at the impressive air-conditioned home of the Dallas Cowboys.

The Ivory Coast players and fans were irate just before the drinks break when the livewire Yan Diomande was brought down on the break just inside his own half.

Referee Jesus Valenzuela surprisingly did not even book defender David Moller Wolfe.

The 19-year-old winger Diomande, who appears set to join European champions Paris Saint-Germain from RB Leipzig, was growing into the game.

The African side, one of the youngest at the tournament, were on top and particularly threatening down Diomande’s left-hand side of the pitch. (JapanToday)

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Paraguay beats Germany 4-3 in penalty shootout

Jose Canale scored on the first sudden death penalty kick, Orlando Gill made two key saves in the shootout, and Paraguay upset Germany 4-3 on penalties Monday to earn the biggest upset of the 2026 World Cup so far.

The round of 16 match ended 1-1 after extra time. Paraguay had gone in front when Julio Enciso scored on a header late in the first half. Kai Havertz equalized in the 52nd minute for four-time champion Germany.

Paraguay will next face the winner of Tuesday’s match between France and Sweden on July 4 in the round of 16 in Philadelphia. A win in that match would land them back in Foxborough for a quarterfinal match on July 9.

Germany had won six of seven penalty shootouts in major tournaments, including six straight since losing to Czechoslovakia in the 1976 European Championship final.

In the only previous World Cup match between the teams, Germany beat Paraguay 1-0 in the round of 16 at the 2002 tournament. Nearly a quarter-century later, Paraguay has its revenge.

Paraguay had appeared in five previous knockout games but failed to score in each. It advanced only once in those previous occasions, winning on penalty kicks against Japan in the round of 16 at the 2010 tournament in South Africa. It fell that year to eventual champion Spain in the quarterfinals.

Monday was Germany’s first knockout game since the 2014 final in Brazil when the Germans beat Argentina 1-0 to capture their fourth World Cup title.

On Monday, Germany appeared to take a 2-1 lead in the 102nd minute when Jonathan Tah headed in a corner kick by Nathaniel Brown that was just above the reach of Gill. But a video review ruled that Waldemar Anton has pushed Gill to the ground before the shot and the goal was disallowed. (JapanToday)

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Mexico ends a 40-year knockout drought; beats Ecuador 2-0

Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez scored goals in a nine-minute span in the first half and Mexico defeated Ecuador 2-0 on Tuesday night to break a 40-year drought without a win in the knockout stage and progressed to the World Cup round of 16.

Quiñones opened the scoring in the 22nd minute while Jiménez added a strike in the 31st minute for the Mexicans, who had not won a knockout-stage match since defeating Bulgaria in the round of 16 when they hosted the tournament in 1986.

Mexico subsequently lost seven consecutive times at that same stage from 1994 to 2018.

In Qatar 2022, they were eliminated in the group stage for the first time since Argentina in 1978.

It was Quiñones third goal of the tournament and he is now El Tri’s second-best scorer in World Cup history behind Luis “Matador” Hernández and Javier “Chicharito” Hernández, who scored four each.

Jiménez scored his second goal of the tournament and has 47 with the national team to break a tie with Jared Borgetti. He is five away from tying “Chicharito” Hernández as the all-time leading scorer for Mexico.

Mexico will play another home match Sunday against the winner of Wednesday’s match between England and Congo.

Playing at the iconic Azteca Stadium, the Mexican squad boasts an undefeated record across 10 World Cup matches. Mexico has just two official losses at the venue — the last being a World Cup qualifying defeat to Honduras on Sept. 6, 2013.

With the win, Mexico extended its unbeaten run to 12 games, dating back to a friendly loss against Paraguay in November.

Mexico also became the first CONCACAF side to eliminate a CONMEBOL side in a World Cup knockout match. Teams from South America won the previous five meetings.

Ecuador was trying to advance to the round of 16 for the second time in their history and the first since Germany 2006.

The match started one hour after the original scheduled time due to a thunderstorm.

It was the second match of the tournament affected by weather. A storm during the France-Iraq match at Philadelphia on June 22 caused a 2-hour, 11-minute suspension at the end of the first half. (JapanToday)

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Morocco beat Netherlands in dramatic World Cup shootout to reach last 16

Morocco defeated the Netherlands in a penalty shootout to advance to the last 16 of the FIFA World Cup after a thrilling battle in Monterrey finished 1-1 following extra time.

Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou made the crucial save to block the Netherlands’ fourth penalty from Crysencio Summerville, before striker Ismael Saibari stepped up to blast home the winning spot-kick that sealed a 3-2 shootout win on Monday.

The victory sends Morocco into a last-16 clash with Canada in Houston on Saturday.

An enthralling match had gone to extra time after Issa Diop had glanced in a dramatic equaliser for Morocco in the first minute of stoppage time as the Netherlands had closed in on victory.

Liverpool forward Gakpo sank to the turf and appeared overcome with emotion as his teammates surrounded him in a prolonged group embrace.

But Morocco forced extra time when an unmarked Diop headed home from substitute Chemsdine Talbi’s cross in injury time.

Morocco had created the better chances in the fractious encounter, which saw players from both sides flying into tackles to test the patience of Brazilian referee Wilton Sampaio.

The Atlas Lions almost took the lead on 20 minutes when Neil El Aynaoui glanced an Achraf Hakimi corner goal-wards only to be denied by a superb reflex save from Netherlands goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen.

Verbruggen was pressed into action moments later, this time doing well to tip a vicious strike from Hakimi over the bar.

The fierce nature of the contest was on full display midway through the half, when Saibari was lucky to escape sanction after elbowing Jan Paul van Hecke in the face.

The Dutch continued to enjoy plenty of possession but were unable to convert it into goalscoring chances.

Their best effort came on 44 minutes, when Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven uncorked a ferocious shot from the edge of the area that was tipped over by Bounou.

Van Hecke continued to find himself in the thick of the action, and after bloodying his head in a collision in the penalty area, made his presence felt with a crunching tackle that upended El Aynaoui just before half-time.

As the half ended, Saibari just failed to connect with a cross that flashed across the Dutch goal before going behind.

The drama continued into an end-to-end second half, but appeared to have tilted in the Netherlands’ favour when coach Ronald Koeman brought on forward Wout Weghorst in a flurry of substitutions after the hydration break.

Weghorst made an immediate impact, flicking on a long ball to send Summerville bearing in on goal. Summerville crossed to Gakpo, who hurled himself at the ball to score.

The Netherlands, superbly marshalled by Gakpo’s Liverpool teammate Virgil van Dijk, appeared to be heading for victory, but Diop’s late header sent it to extra time.

Morocco looked to have made the breakthrough when Soufiane Rahimi went through on goal in the 96th minute, only to be denied by a jaw-dropping save from Verbruggen.

The Netherlands held on for penalties, but despite Morocco missing their first when El Aynaoui hit the bar, the North Africans recovered to win. (AlJazeera)

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Enzo Maresca appointed Manchester City manager to succeed Pep Guardiola

Manchester City have appointed Enzo Maresca as manager to replace departing coach Pep Guardiola next season, the Premier League club announced on Monday.

The Italian joins City following a mid-season exit from Chelsea, with the London club saying they had reached an agreement with the Manchester club over a compensation package. British media reported the fee to be about £17 million ($22.5 million).

Maresca, who has signed a three-year contract, brings familiarity with City’s set-up, having previously coached the club’s youth team. He was also the senior side’s assistant coach under Guardiola during City’s 2018-19 treble-winning season.

“Manchester City is a club I know very well and to have the chance to manage this team is a brilliant opportunity for me,” Maresca said in a statement.

“The quality of the people who work here is what makes it so special and I want to thank them for showing faith in my ability.

“I cannot wait to start coaching the players. I want us to win, play good football and enjoy the pressure of representing Manchester City.”

The 46-year-old Italian’s managerial journey began at Parma in 2021, where he lasted 14 games, winning only four times.

He was appointed Leicester City boss at the start of the 2023-24 Championship season and guided them back to the Premier League as champions.

His success in the East Midlands earned him a move to Chelsea, where he was charged with steering a young but expensively assembled squad back to the Champions League.

Maresca guided Chelsea to a fourth-place finish and lifted both the Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup, but his relationship with the club’s owners deteriorated and he left midway through his second season at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea said in a statement on Monday that Maresca had expressed a desire to leave in the middle of his contract after being informed of the opportunity to succeed Guardiola at Manchester City.

“It became clear to us that it was his strong desire to succeed Guardiola and that he was fully committed to pursuing the opportunity, despite the fact he was under a long-term contract which he had no right to terminate,” Chelsea said in a statement.

“In December 2025, our Head Coach unexpectedly and abruptly resigned from his position. Obviously, we felt let down as we believed that his head and heart were focused on another club and another opportunity, despite having just arrived at Chelsea the year before.”

City also confirmed they held confidential talks with Maresca last year, while he was still at Chelsea.

The Italian acknowledged his departure disrupted Chelsea’s season, with the club eventually finishing ninth after parting ways with his successor Liam Rosenior and turning to caretaker Calum McFarlane.

“I recognise that my departure from Chelsea in the middle of the season caused disruption for the club and I apologise for that. It was neither my intention nor my wish,” Maresca said in a statement on the Manchester City website. (AlJazeera)

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South Korea fans target coach Hong with boos as World Cup squad returns

South Korean soccer fans angered by the country’s World Cup first-round exit greeted the returning squad early Tuesday with one message for head coach Hong: his time was up.

Hong, a former national team defender, resigned on Sunday after South Korea finished the group stage with one win and two losses, dashing hopes of a deep run led by captain Son Heung-min.

South Korea crashed out after failing to qualify for the knockout stage as one of the tournament’s eight best third-placed teams.

The Round of 32 had appeared within reach until a shock 1-0 defeat to lower-ranked South Africa in their final group match ended their campaign.

Hong walked silently out of the arrival gate at Incheon International Airport under heavy media scrutiny, declining to answer reporters’ questions.

Fans booed and chanted “Hong out!” as he made his way out of the airport, but applauded the players who followed behind him.

“Thanks for all your hard work!” one fan shouted as the players emerged, in stark contrast to the jeers aimed at Hong.

Police cordoned off a route extending from inside the terminal to the waiting bus outside, as several dozen protesters gathered nearby.

“South Korean football is dead,” read one banner held aloft by fans who had waited for hours at Incheon International Airport.

“Hong, you must quit,” the crowd chanted, beating drums to amplify their protest.

Hong’s post-match admission that he was struggling to understand what had gone wrong did little to stem the criticism.

And his Sunday resignation did little to satisfy Kim Gi-mo, who came to the airport to voice his frustration.

“I question whether his resignation was sincere, given his attitude when he made the announcement,” Kim told AFP. “He ruined this festival that only comes once every four years. I came here to see the person responsible for that.”

Questions had already lingered over the Korea Football Association’s 2024 decision to appoint Hong to be in charge, with critics arguing the selection process lacked transparency even before the World Cup campaign unravelled.

The KFA did not organize an official welcome ceremony for the returning squad.

It was not the first hostile reception for Hong.

In 2014, angry supporters threw Korean sweets at the team after they returned from Brazil, where they were eliminated in the group stage during Hong’s first spell as national team coach.

South Korean media had labelled the 2026 squad a “golden generation”, featuring internationally established players such as former Tottenham Hotspur captain Son, Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae and Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Lee Kang-in.

Expectations were high, with many fans believing the team could reach the Round of 16, particularly as the tournament was widely expected to be Son’s last World Cup.

The captain turns 34 next month.

But Hong’s decision to leave Son on the bench in the first half for the decisive match against South Africa baffled and angered many supporters.

“I was very shocked that he benched Son against South Africa,” Song Min-kyung, a 20-year-old university student, told AFP at the airport. “I think that was the beginning of everything that went wrong at this World Cup.” (JapanToday)

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Canada beats South Africa 1-0 in World Cup’s first knockout match

Canada beat South Africa 1-0 thanks to a stoppage-time strike by Stephen ⁠Eustaquio from distance to reach the FIFA World Cup last 16 for the first time in their history.

Eustaquio received the ball on the edge of the ⁠South Africa penalty area and hammered it past diving goalkeeper Ronwen Williams in a thrilling conclusion to the first knockout-round match of the tournament on Sunday.

South Africa, who had seemed ⁠content to play for extra time and a possible penalty shootout, made a few furious but unsuccessful attempts to level before the final whistle as the sun broke through the clouds at Los Angeles Stadium.

Canada will next face either the Netherlands or Morocco on July ‌4 in Houston for a place in the quarterfinals.

“It’s about the two years we’ve been together,” Canada coach Jesse Marsch told the team in a huddle after the final whistle.

“Think about how we talked about sticking to the plan – you guys showing your character. You guys are Canadian heroes here.”

Chances were scarce in a cagey first half, with little to separate the sides, who were both playing ⁠in the knockout rounds for the first time.

Canada’s best opening ⁠came just before half-time when a corner sparked a scramble in the South Africa box. Moise Bombito sent a header goal-wards, which was cleared off the line by Aubrey Modiba, before Tajon Buchanan’s close-range effort struck ⁠Williams in the chest.

Moments later, Richie Laryea went down in the area, prompting Canadian appeals for a penalty, but the decision ⁠not to award a spot kick stood after a ⁠VAR review, prompting loud boos from Canada’s red-clad army of supporters dominating the stands.

Marsch continued to protest as the teams left the field at half-time, with Bombito appearing to urge him away from the referee.

Frustration ‌for Canada only grew early in the second half, as South Africa appeared in no rush to press the issue.

Canada had another chance just before the second-half hydration ‌break, ‌when Tani Oluwaseyi’s shot hit the keeper, and Jonathan David was unable to head the ricochet home, thanks to an excellent defensive effort by Mbekezeli Mbokazi to clear the ball.

Eustaquio dedicated the win to “all Canadians” when he spoke to reporters after the match.

“I think it was an amazing goal. When I shot, I thought everyone shot with me. Everyone added a little power to it when it went into the back of the net.

“[The belief] It started when we came out of group stage. Belief is a big part of it. We will now get either Netherlands or Morocco. Anything can happen. If we keep working like we are doing, we might even win it.” (AlJazeera)

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Congo rallies to 3-1 win against Uzbekistan to seal place in knockout stage

For 52 years, Congo’s standout World Cup memory was a humiliating 9-0 rout at the hands of Yugoslavia in its only other appearance on soccer’s biggest stage.

Not anymore. Not after a new generation of players made history by advancing to the knockout stage of the World Cup for the first time and set up a clash with England.

“The weight on our shoulders was hard to bear,” said striker Yoane Wissa, whose two goals helped Congo rally to a 3-1 win against Uzbekistan on Saturday night.

Fiston Mayele was also on target in a dramatic second-half comeback as Congo joined Cape Verde as another surprise qualifier for the round of 32.

“We told ourselves we can’t give up,” Mayele said.

Congo has been one of the surprise stories of this World Cup, with few expecting it to emerge from a group that included Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal and Colombia. And history was hardly on its side.

Congo’s previous appearance was when it competed as Zaire in 1974 and lost all three games, including the rout by Yugoslavia.

It’s a completely different story now.After holding Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal to a surprise 1-1 draw earlier in the tournament, Congo needed a win in its final Group K game to advance as one of the best third-place teams.

And it did just that with a breathless fight back after trailing to Eldor Shomurodov’s lobbed goal in the 10th minute.

“We’re a team that knows how to respond when we concede a goal; we keep fighting with determination,” coach Sébastien Desabre’s said.

If the weight of the occasion was evident in Congo’s first-half performance, the resilience of its players proved irresistible after the break.

The game was level in the 68th when Wissa was brought down by Abdukodir Khusanov for a penalty.

Wissa picked himself up and sent Uzbekistan goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov the wrong way by rolling the ball into the bottom corner for the first of a late flurry of goals.

Mayele put Congo ahead 10 minutes later when flicking past Nematov at the near post and was mobbed teammates and even substitutes, who raced off the bench and across the field to join in the wild celebrations. (ABC)

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Martinelli scores late as Brazil beat Japan 2-1, into World Cup last 16

Gabriel Martinelli scored the winner late in injury time to give five-time champions Brazil a 2-1 win over Japan in the World Cup round of 32 in Houston.

Martinelli, who had come on as a second-half substitute, scored in the sixth minute of stoppage time as the match on Monday appeared to be heading to extra time.

Brazil will next face either the Ivory Coast or Norway on Sunday in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in the round of 16.

Casemiro had earlier equalised with a header in the 56th minute off an assist from Gabriel Magalhaes after just missing another chance two minutes earlier. The shot sailed just out of reach of the outstretched hand of Japan goalkeeper Zion Suzuki and into the net.

Kaishu Sano stole a misplaced pass in midfield before his right-footed shot from above the half-circle put Japan ahead after 29 minutes.

Vinicius Junior, who has scored four goals so far in the tournament, had a chance to put Brazil on top in the 58th minute, but his shot from the left was deflected by goalkeeper Suzuki and went past the far post.

Brazil had two chances to even the score early in the second half before breaking through late on. First, Suzuki blocked a header from Bruno Guimaraes in the 52nd minute. Soon after, Casemiro’s header bounced off a defender’s head and Suzuki’s face.

Japan have never won a World Cup knockout match.The win was Brazil’s 12th in 15 games against Japan.

The teams have also played to two draws, while Japan got their first win in the series in a friendly in Tokyo in October.

This was a match-up between two countries with deep ties, Brazil being home to about 2.7 million Japanese descendants, which is the largest Japanese population outside of Japan.

Those ties extend to football, where Brazil superstar Zico moved to Japan in 1991 to play for Kashima Antlers and help build Japan’s professional football network.

He coached the Japan national team from 2002–06, leading the team to the World Cup in 2006.That team lost to Brazil 4-1 in the only previous meeting between the teams at the World Cup.

Brazil won Group C after a draw with Morocco and victories over Haiti and Scotland.

Monday’s victory came on the anniversary of their first World Cup championship in Sweden in 1958, when a 17-year-old Pele scored two goals in the final against the host country.

Japan reached the round of 32 as runner-up in Group F after draws with the Netherlands and Sweden and a win over Tunisia. The loss snaps a 10-game unbeaten streak dating back to a 2-0 defeat to the United States in September. (AlJazeera)

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Three-storey building collapses in Lagos

Tragedy struck in Lagos when a three-storey building located in the Alakija axis, Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area, collapsed, which has thrown the entire area into panic mode.

As of press time, the number of casualties could not be ascertained, as there are victims said to be trapped under the rubble.

According to reports, the incident occurred unexpectedly and sent shockwaves through the community, as residents and passers-by rushed to the scene in fear of possible casualties and further structural failure.

An eyewitness account stated that the building suddenly collapsed at about 11:40 a.m. on Thursday. The incident disrupted normal activities in the neighbourhood, with people fleeing surrounding buildings for safety.

The Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Dr Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, who confirmed the unfortunate incident, said the rescue mission has begun. (Vanguard)