0.65 xG. From 75 percent possession. That is Portugal’s first-half-and-full-match combined attacking return against a team ranked 63 places below them in the world, and it tells you everything the scoreline is too polite to say. Portugal drew 1-1 with Congo DR in their Group K opener at NRG Stadium in Houston on June 17, … Read more
Sixteen goals. Two World Cups apart. One number that now belongs to both Miroslav Klose and Lionel Messi. Argentina beat Algeria 3-0 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, on June 17, 2026, in their Group J opener at the World Cup. Messi scored all three goals himself, in the 17th, 60th, and 76th minutes, … Read more
Twenty-nine minutes. That is how long Erling Haaland waited to score his first ever World Cup goal, and by full time he had two of them plus a small role in two more. Norway beat Iraq 4-1 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on June 17, 2026, in their Group I opener at the World … Read more
For 65 minutes, France looked like a team still finding its rhythm. Then Kylian Mbappe decided the wait was over, and by full time he had rewritten a piece of his country’s history along the way. France beat Senegal 3-1 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on June 17, 2026, in their Group … Read more
Twenty-three seconds. That is how long Romelu Lukaku needed on the pitch to change this match, and he did not even touch the ball. Belgium drew 1-1 with Egypt at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington, on June 16, 2026, in their Group G opener at the World Cup. Emam Ashour put Egypt ahead in the … Read more
Twenty-seven shots. Seven on target. Zero goals. Spain managed to lose this match without actually losing it. Spain drew 0-0 with Cape Verde at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on June 15, 2026, in their Group H opener at the World Cup. The European champions finished with 2.10 expected goals to Cape Verde’s 0.20, a … Read more
1.33 expected goals. Five actual ones. Somebody forgot to tell Sweden that the numbers were supposed to matter. Sweden beat Tunisia 5-1 at Estadio BBVA in Guadalupe, Mexico, on June 15, 2026, in their Group F opener at the World Cup. Yasin Ayari scored twice, either side of strikes from Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyokeres, and … Read more
Three times the woodwork said no to Ecuador. Once was enough for Ivory Coast. Ivory Coast beat Ecuador 1-0 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 15, 2026, in their Group E opener at the World Cup. Substitute Amad Diallo scored the only goal in the 90th minute, finishing a Wilfried Singo cross … Read more
Two minutes. That is all the time Japan needed to turn a loss into a draw that felt like a win. The Netherlands drew 2-2 with Japan at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on June 15, 2026, in their Group F opener at the World Cup. Virgil van Dijk and Crysencio Summerville scored for the … Read more
The smallest nation ever to play at a World Cup scored a goal that will be remembered forever in Willemstad. The other six goals belonged entirely to Germany. Germany beat Curacao 7-1 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, on June 15, 2026, in their Group E opener at the World Cup. Felix Nmecha opened the … Read more