Today's action kicks off with the Ivory Coast and Norway. Whoever wins this match will face Brazil in the Round of 16. Africa started with 10 teams in this tournament, and eight of them are still dancing.
Tuesday, June 30, 2026
World Cup: Ivory Coast v. Norway
Last night, Morocco wrapped up thrilling day with a win in penalty kicks over the Netherlands. So two of the sport's biggest traditional powers -- Germany and the Netherlands -- will not make the round of 16. Another great power -- Italy -- didn't even qualify for the tournament.
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20 minutes: Ivory Coast 0 - 0 Norway
ReplyDeleteNew proposal. Have the penalty kick shootout before the game starts. Whoever wins the penalty kick shootout gets one point, and starts with a 1-0 lead. The game then continues, with each goal during the game being worth two points. That way the game can never end in a tie.
1st Water Break: Ivory Coast 0 - 0 Norway
ReplyDeletePretty even game so far, as expected.
ReplyDelete30 minutes: Ivory Coast 0 - 0 Norway
ReplyDelete90 minutes: Ivory Coast 1 - 2 Norway
ReplyDeleteIt's been a cracker of a game. Norway took a 1-0 lead after 39 minutes, and then Ivory Coast tied it in the 74th minute, before Norway's big star, Erling Haaland, but the Norwegians back in front in the 86th minutes. Now we have seven minutes of injury time.
NORGE! Finally, a team is able to defend a one-goal lead, and Norway advances to the Round of 16, where they will play Brazil.
ReplyDeleteNorway becomes the first European team to reach the Round of 16. The next game features France and Sweden, and whoever wins that game will be the second European team to advance to the round of 16.
ReplyDeleteHere's the round of 32 so far:
ReplyDeleteS. Africa 0 - 1 Canada
Brazil 2 - 1 Japan
Germany 1 - 1 Paraguay (Paraguay win 4-3 on penalties)
Netherlands 1 - 1 Morocco (Morocco win 3-2 on penalties)
Ivory Coast 1 - 2 Norway
Every game has been tied late in the contest. We've had four games in a row where a team fell behind 1-0, and then fought back to tie. Canada, Brazil, and Norway found late game winners, and the other two games went to penalties. It doesn't get much closer than that.
Now we have France and Sweden. I'm picking France to win the whole thing.
ReplyDelete10 minutes: France 0 - 0 Sweden
This is a great uniform matchup -- France in blue shirts, white shorts, and red socks, Sweden in yellow shirts and blue shorts with yellow socks. Sweden's colors are basically the same as what the L.A. Rams wore in the 1980s.
ReplyDelete20 minutes: France 0 - 0 Sweden
ReplyDeleteFrance had a brilliant goal called back for offsides.
1st Water Break: France 0 - 0 Sweden
ReplyDeleteFrance is dominating the game. They have 72 percent of the possession, and 11 shots on goal compared to 2 for Sweden. But they have not yet been able to finish, and we are still scoreless after 42 minutes.
ReplyDelete40 minutes: France 0 - 0 Sweden
ReplyDeleteIn the 45th minute, Kylian MBappe, the best player in the world, skitters through the Sweden defense and blasts a perfect, unstoppable shot into the corner. France lead 1-0, and Sweden will now be forced to come out of their shell.
ReplyDeleteHalftime: France 1 - 0 Sweden
ReplyDeleteFrance becomes the first team to go up 2-0 in the knockout round, as two pretty passes tear the Swedish defense apart and Bradley Barcola, who plays forward for Paris-Saint Germain (the best club team in the world) hammers home a second goal for France.
ReplyDeleteThis is like one of those round-of-32 games in the NCAA's where everyone is talking about March Madness and then UConn goes out and beats Southern Cal by 32 points.
ReplyDeleteThe Guardian's live blog of this game, written by Will Unwin, states, "Who can stop France? I am not sure anyone can. They have looked on a different level to everyone else I've seen at the tournament."
ReplyDelete60 minutes: France 2 - 0 Sweden
ReplyDeleteWatching France play Paraguay in the next round will be like watching a well-coached team from the 1970's trying to run the Four Corners against the 1996 Kentucky Wildcats in a game with no shot clock.
ReplyDelete2d Water Break: France 2 - 0 Sweden
ReplyDeleteWe're looking at two games in a row with no penalty kicks. That makes me happy.
70 minutes: France 2 - 0 Sweden
ReplyDeleteIn the 73d minutes, Mbappe beats Sweden's offside trap as easily as a dad playing with the kids in the backyard. He takes a perfect pass and blasts it home. 3-0.
ReplyDeleteIf France keeps playing like this, they will go down as a truly legendary side. This looks like the old footage of Brazil in 1970.
ReplyDeleteI predict that in the next round, Paraguay won't have any player more than 25 yards from the Paraguay goal.
ReplyDeleteI've been watching the World Cup since 1990, and I don't think I've ever seen a team that looked better than this one. I know the French fans are worried about their defense, but it's pretty easy to play defense when your team always has the ball.
ReplyDelete80 minutes: France 3 - 0 Sweden
ReplyDelete90 minutes: France 3 - 0 Sweden
ReplyDeleteFour minutes of injury time.
Full Time: France 3 - 0 Sweden. And that's how it's done.
ReplyDeleteThe night game is Mexico v. Ecuador.
ReplyDeleteMexico v. Ecuador is currently delayed due to a heavy thunderstorm in Mexico City.
ReplyDeleteLooks like Mexico v. Ecuador will kick off at 9 P.M. Central Time, which is also Mexico City Time.
ReplyDeleteMEXICO (4-1-2-3):
ReplyDeleteGK: Raul Rangel, Guadalajara (MEX)
DF: Jorge Sanchez, PAOK (GRE)
DF: Cesar Montes (Vice-Captain), Lokomotiv Moscow (RUS)
DF: Johan Vasquez (Third Captain), Genoa (ITA)
DF: Jesus Gallardo, Toluca (MEX)
MF: Erik Lira, Cruz Azul (MEX)
MF: Luis Romo, Guadalajara (MEX)
MF: Gilberto Mora, Tijuana (MEX)
MF: Roberto Alvarado, Guadalajara (MEX)
FW: Raul Jimenez, Wolverhampton Wanderers (ENG)
FW: Julian Quinones, Al-Qadsiah (KSA)
ECUADOR (4-4-2):
ReplyDeleteGK: Hernan Galindez, Huracan (ARG)
DF: Piero Hincapie, Arsenal (ENG)
DF: Joel Ordonez, Club Brugge (BEL)
DF: William Pacho, Paris Saint-Germain (FRA)
MF: Alan Franco, Atletico Mineiro (BRA)
MF: Pedro Vite, UNAM (MEX)
MF: Moises Caicedo, Chelsea (ENG)
FW: Nilson Angulo, Sunderland (ENG)
MF: John Yeboah, Venezia (ITA)
FW: Enner Valencia (Captain), Pachuca (MEX)
MF: Gonzalo Plata, Flamengo (BRA)
Both teams in their traditional uniforms. Mexico has green shirts, white shorts, and red socks. They look great. Ecuador has yellow shirts, blue shorts, and yellow socks. They look like Sweden.
ReplyDelete10 minutes: Mexico 0 - 0 Ecuador
ReplyDeleteNot much action so far.
Brilliant! Mexico score a counterattacking goal thanks to a great run by Quinones. Soccer at 1-0 is much better than at 0-0.
ReplyDelete1st Water Break: Mexico 1 - 0 Ecuador
ReplyDeleteThe winner of this game will play either England or the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
ReplyDeleteNow, can Mexico get that huge 2-0 lead, or will Ecuador level the score?
ReplyDelete30 minutes: Mexico 2 - 0 Ecuador
ReplyDeleteAnd there it is! The huge crowd in Azteca Stadium go nuts. Some nice passing in front of the penalty box leads to a devastating strike from Jimenez, and Mexico are in ecstasy.
I'm calling it right now: Mexico are going to the quarter-finals. I just don't believe that England or the DR of the Congo are going to beat this team in Azteca Stadium. I think France and Argentina are the only teams that could go into Azteca Stadium and beat these guys.
ReplyDeleteNot that England won't try. If we do get Mexico v. England at the Azteca Stadium in the Round of 16, that will be like watching Tennessee go down to LSU for a Saturday Night game -- the energy in the stadium, and from both teams, will be incredible. But England just doesn't have the talent to pull off that type of road win.
ReplyDeleteTo win a big game on the road, energy and effort are not enough, because the home team will match you. To win a big game on the road, you need superior talent -- and not just a little bit superior. You need a major gap in talent. England's good, but they aren't that good.
ReplyDeleteIn all official tournament and qualifying fixtures, including the World Cup, the Gold Cup, and the FIFA Confederations Cup, Mexico's record in Azteca Stadium is 66 wins, 2 losses, and 17 draws.
ReplyDelete40 minutes: Mexico 2 - 0 Ecuador
ReplyDeleteHalftime: Mexico 2 - 0 Ecuador
ReplyDeleteAt this point, you should be watching any game with France, Mexico, Brazil, England, or Argentina. Any of those games are going to be highly entertaining.
ReplyDelete50 minutes: Mexico 2 - 0 Ecuador
ReplyDelete2d Water Break: Mexico 2 - 0 Ecuador
ReplyDelete70 minutes: Mexico 2 - 0 Ecuador
ReplyDelete80 minutes: Mexico 2 - 0 Ecuador
ReplyDelete90 minutes: Mexico 2 - 0 Ecuador
ReplyDelete7 minutes of injury time
Full Time: Mexico 2 - 0 Ecuador
ReplyDeleteMexico advances to the round of 16.