Author: Bernard Okumu

Portugal and Croatia meet at Toronto Stadium on Thursday in a Round of 32 clash that will pit Cristiano Ronaldo against Luka Modric for what may be the final time on football’s biggest stage, with a place in the last 16 hanging in the balance.

Roberto Martinez’s Portugal side arrives in Toronto having finished second in Group K behind Colombia, a campaign that included a 5-0 rout of Uzbekistan sandwiched between underwhelming draws against DR Congo and Colombia. Ronaldo, playing what is widely expected to be his sixth and final World Cup at 41 years old, has managed just two goals so far, both against Uzbekistan, and enters the knockout stage under scrutiny after quiet outings elsewhere in the group.

Croatia, meanwhile, secured their spot in the Round of 32 by finishing second in Group L behind England, recovering from an opening 4-2 defeat to the Three Lions with hard-fought wins over Panama and Ghana. Zlatko Dalic’s side have built their reputation on knockout resilience, a run to the 2018 final chief among their credentials, and will lean heavily on the composure of Modric, still marshalling the midfield at 40 years old alongside Mateo Kovacic.

The generational duel between the two veteran captains adds real weight to the occasion. Ronaldo remains Portugal’s focal point in attack, supported by Bruno Fernandes and a deep pool of attacking talent including Pedro Neto, Joao Felix, and Rafael Leao off the bench. Modric, for his part, continues to dictate tempo for Croatia, tasked with slowing Portugal’s rhythm and creating space for Ante Budimir and Ivan Perisic on the counter.

Portugal enter as slight favourites given their overall depth, but Croatia have made a habit of exceeding expectations at major tournaments. Whichever side prevails will advance to face the winner of Spain and Austria in the Round of 16 in Toronto.

Spain and Austria meet at Los Angeles Stadium on Thursday in a Round of 32 clash that pits one of the tournament favourites against a side chasing history, with all eyes set to fall on Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal as Spain look to keep their title charge alive.

La Roja head into the knockout rounds having eased through Group H, though not always convincingly. Luis de la Fuente’s side opened with a surprise 0-0 draw against Cabo Verde before roaring back with a 4-0 demolition of Saudi Arabia and a hard-fought 1-0 win over Uruguay to top the group. Spain remains unbeaten in 34 matches stretching back to March 2023, a run Austria will be desperate to end.

Yamal’s involvement adds intrigue to the occasion. The 18-year-old has been carefully managed after tearing a hamstring in April, restricted to 141 minutes across the group stage, during which he still found the net once. De la Fuente insists his star winger is now ready for a fuller workload. This prospect has Austria coach Ralf Rangnick plotting carefully to limit his space and dribbling opportunities.

For Austria, Thursday represents a historic opportunity. Rangnick’s side reached the knockout stage for the first time since 1998 after finishing runners-up in Group J, a campaign that included a 3-1 win over Jordan, a 2-0 defeat to Argentina, and a dramatic 3-3 draw with Algeria. A win over Spain would deliver the country’s best World Cup showing since a third-place finish in 1954.

Despite the underdog tag, Austria have not been shy going forward, scoring six goals in the group stage — one more than Spain managed. Whichever side prevails at Los Angeles Stadium will advance to face either Portugal or Croatia in the last 16.

DR Congo gave England the fright of their World Cup campaign on Wednesday in Atlanta, taking a shock early lead and holding firm for long stretches before Harry Kane produced a stunning double to send the Three Lions through to the Round of 16, 2-1.

The Leopards, appearing in their first-ever World Cup knockout match, made the perfect start. Just seven minutes in, Brian Cipenga beat goalkeeper Jordan Pickford at his near post to send the underdogs into a stunning lead. What followed was a masterclass in disciplined, resilient defending. Congo DR soaked up wave after wave of England pressure, with Yoane Wissa even striking the post from close range and Marcus Rashford seeing an effort cleared off the line, as the African side refused to buckle.

Thomas Tuchel’s side toiled for long periods without finding the breakthrough their possession and territory deserved. Jude Bellingham had a header pushed away, and clear-cut chances were few and far between against a well-organised Congolese backline. With the clock running down, Tuchel turned to his bench, and the changes proved decisive.

Substitute Anthony Gordon delivered a pinpoint cross with roughly fifteen minutes remaining, which captain Harry Kane rose to head home and level the score. The goal breathed new life into England, but Congo DR continued to fight until the very end. It was Kane who settled the tie for good, finding space amid a crowd of defenders in the 86th minute and firing a powerful strike into the roof of the net to complete his brace and the comeback.

The result extends England’s World Cup run and sets up a daunting Round of 16 clash against co-hosts Mexico at the Estadio Azteca. For DR Congo, the tournament ends in heartbreak, but their courageous performance against one of the favourites will not soon be forgotten.

Belgium produced one of the great World Cup comebacks on Wednesday, coming from two goals down to beat Senegal 3-2 after extra time in a pulsating Round of 32 clash at Seattle Stadium, booking their place in the last 16.

For long stretches, the match belonged to Senegal. Habib Diarra opened the scoring in the 24th minute, pouncing on a rebound after Ismaïla Sarr’s header had bounced back off the post. Six minutes into the second half, Sarr doubled the lead himself, latching onto a defence-splitting pass, controlling it on his chest, and thumping the ball into the top corner. With Belgium’s attack misfiring and Kevin De Bruyne substituted early, Rudi Garcia’s Red Devils looked set for a shock exit.

The turnaround began in the 86th minute, when substitute Romelu Lukaku, introduced at halftime, poked home a near-post finish to halve the deficit. Three minutes later, Belgium found an equaliser when a defensive mix-up allowed captain Youri Tielemans to head home from close range, levelling the score at 2-2 and forcing extra time.

Neither side created much in the additional 30 minutes until deep into the second period of extra time, when Tielemans went down under a challenge from Lamine Camara inside the box. After a lengthy video review, the referee awarded a penalty, sparking furious protests from the Senegalese players. Tielemans stepped up himself and calmly slotted the spot kick into the top corner in the 125th minute, the latest match-winning goal in World Cup history.

The result ends a remarkable run for Senegal, who had scored ten goals across the tournament and looked destined for the knockout rounds after their dominant first-half showing. For Belgium, it was a chaotic but crucial step forward, setting up a Round of 16 meeting with the tournament co-host USA.

The United States men’s national team pulled off a gutsy knockout-stage win on Wednesday, defeating Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 despite playing more than half the match a man down, to punch their ticket into the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Playing in front of a passionate crowd in the San Francisco Bay Area, Mauricio Pochettino’s side struck early through Folarin Balogun, who found the back of the net before later being shown a red card that reduced the Americans to ten men. Rather than wilting under the pressure of defending a slender lead with a numerical disadvantage, the U.S. dug in. Malik Tillman doubled the advantage, sealing what proved to be a comfortable scoreline despite the drama.

The victory marks the USMNT’s first World Cup knockout-round win since 2002, a milestone that had loomed large over American soccer for more than two decades. For a team that entered the tournament under enormous pressure as co-hosts, the result offers validation for Pochettino’s rebuild and a signature moment for a young, hungry squad.

Balogun’s dismissal has since become a talking point in its own right, with post-match reviews suggesting the officiating crew may have misapplied the rules in sending him off. Regardless of the debate, the forward will now serve a suspension and miss the U.S.’s next assignment.

That next test comes against Belgium in the Round of 16, a clash Pochettino had already billed as final-like in stakes before a ball was even kicked against Bosnia. With Balogun sidelined, the Americans will need fresh contributions up front. Still, Wednesday’s resilience — grinding out a result while down a man — offers real belief that this USMNT side has the character to keep advancing on home soil.

Senegal face Belgium in a mouth-watering World Cup Round of 32 showdown at Lumen Field in Seattle on Wednesday, July 1. The Lions of Teranga arrive as underdogs but with genuine belief they can match their best-ever World Cup finish — the quarter-final appearance achieved in 2002.

Wednesday’s match is the first-ever meeting between the two nations at any level, adding fascinating tactical unpredictability to an already intriguing knockout tie. Both Rudi Garcia and Pape Thiaw must rely purely on their own squad’s strengths and tournament patterns, without historical head-to-head data to guide them.

Belgium’s route to the last 32 was unconvincing. Draws against Egypt and Iran left the Red Devils teetering before Leandro Trossard inspired a scintillating 5-1 demolition of New Zealand to secure top spot in Group G. Kevin De Bruyne remains Belgium’s creative heartbeat, while Romelu Lukaku carries six World Cup goals and eight total involvements — more than any Belgian player since 1966.

Senegal’s campaign was equally dramatic. Back-to-back defeats to France and Norway left the Lions of Teranga needing a miracle before they delivered spectacularly, thrashing Iraq 5-0 to become the first African nation ever to score five goals in a single World Cup match. They also became the first side in history to qualify for the knockouts after losing their opening two games.

However, first-choice goalkeeper Edouard Mendy misses out through a knee sprain, a significant blow against a Belgian attack firing on all cylinders. Sadio Mane and Ismaila Sarr — with three tournament goals — remain Senegal’s chief counter-attacking weapons. Opta’s supercomputer gives Belgium a 46.8 percent chance of winning in regulation, making this the tightest fixture of the round.