Substitute Deniz Undav emerged as Germany's hero with a dramatic 94th-minute winner that completed his side's stunning comeback win against Ivory Coast and booked their place in the World Cup knockout stages.
21 Jun 2026
The four-time winners endured a frustrating outing after going behind to a 30th-minute goal from Ivory Coast captain Franck Kessie but Julian Nagelsmann turned to his bench in search of a response - and Undav delivered emphatically with a second-half double.
The Stuttgart forward applied a smart finish to fellow substitute Nadiem Amiri's cross to break Ivory Coast's resistance in the 68th minute before scoring the winner in the 94th minute to inflict a painful defeat on the African nation.
Undav had also scored a goal and provided two assists after coming off the bench in their 7-1 opening win against Curacao.
The dejected Ivorians can still progress from Group E behind Germany with a win against World Cup debutants Curacao in their final game.
Emerse Fae's side impressed with their energy and directness early on in Toronto, but it was Germany who carved out the clearer of chances.
The Germans had the ball in the back of net in the 22nd minute through Aleksandar Pavlovic but his header from a corner was ruled out for a foul on goalkeeper Yahia Fofana.
Ivory Coast then took the lead as their exciting 19-year-old winger Yan Diomande found Amad Diallo, whose close-range effort was blocked by Nathaniel Brown only for Kessie to convert the rebound.
Germany's frustration grew as Havertz had a goal disallowed for a foul on Emmanuel Agbadou by Jamal Musiala in the build-up while an unmarked Christ Inao Oulai and Kessie spurned chances to double the Ivorians' lead.
Those misses ultimately proved costly as they were undone by the injury-time winner from Undav.
Fofana had kept out efforts from Brown and Amiri late on but there was nothing he could do as Undav expertly trapped a pass from Felix Nmecha and slotted past the goalkeeper on the turn to break the Ivorian hearts in the dying seconds.
The Netherlands cruised past Sweden 5-1 to all but mathematically guarantee a place in the last 32 of the World Cup, with all six goals scored by players from the Premier League.
21 Jun 2026
Sunderland's Brian Brobbey and Liverpool's Cody Gakpo scored two goals apiece for Ronald Koeman's side, with relegated West Ham's Crysencio Summerville adding a fifth for the Dutch.
Sweden's consolation goal came from Newcastle's Anthony Elanga.
Brobbey was a surprise inclusion in the Dutch line-up at the expense of Summerville, who impressed and scored in the 2-2 draw with Japan, but the Black Cats forward took little time in repaying the faith of Koeman.
In the fifth minute the Netherlands went from one end of the pitch in just seven touches - Brobbey took down a long ball from goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen, played it to Gakpo on the left wing, and then charged into the penalty area to convert the winger's low cross.
Brobbey netted his second 12 minutes later when he stabbed home from Denzel Dumfries' low cross after getting goalside of Sweden defender Isak Hien.
Sweden thought they had halved the deficit in first-half stoppage time when Gustaf Lagerbielke nodded into an empty net after beating Verbruggen to a free-kick, but the offside flag went up.
Sweden's mini-fightback was quashed less than two minutes into the second half when Gakpo tapped in at the back post from another dangerous Dumfries delivery across the face of goal.
Gakpo scored his second in the 54th minute when Summerville - brought on at half-time - drove forward and set the Liverpool man up to drill a low shot past Kristoffer Nordfeldt in the Sweden goal.
That strike took the goals scored at this World Cup to 100 in 33 games, the fastest a century has been reached since the 1958 edition (32 or 33 games as both were played simultaneously).
Graham Potter's Sweden pulled a goal back five minutes later when substitute Elanga ran on to a through ball and lifted his shot past Verbruggen.
Summerville capped an impressive second-half cameo with a late run and strike into the bottom corner.
The Netherlands go top of Group F with four points, while Sweden will likely need a result against Japan in their final group game to secure progress to the knockout stage.
Miguel Almiron became the first player to be sent off for covering his mouth in the World Cup but 10-man Paraguay bravely clung on to boost their last-32 hopes and eliminate Turkey.
20 Jun 2026
Paraguay took the lead after just 64 seconds when midfielder Matias Galarza fired in from outside the area to score the fastest goal so far in this tournament and what turned out to be the match-winner.
Almost from that point onwards, however, it was one-way traffic as Turkey piled forward in search of an equaliser.
Their hopes were boosted when former Newcastle United midfielder Almiron put his hand over his mouth in a confrontation with Turkey defender Mert Muldur during first-half stoppage time.
After a video assistant referee review, Salvadoran referee Ivan Barton brandished a red card - as part of a new rule introduced before the World Cup.
Both sides came into the game on the back of defeats with Paraguay thrashed by hosts USA 4-1 while Australia beat Turkey 2-0 - meaning there was an edge to the meeting with so much on the line, which led to a fiery contest.
Despite their complete dominance, Turkey managed just one shot on target from 12 attempts, while a deflected header from Muldur hit the bar and the post.
Merih Demiral did test Orlando Gill after the break before substitute Deniz Gul wasted a great chance with a close-range header that was straight at the Paraguay goalkeeper.
Can Uzun forced Gill into a fine save late on before Gul somehow turned wide the rebound, although it was likely it would have been ruled out for offside to somewhat spare his blushes.
Turkey had 30 attempts on goal against the Socceroos in their first game and a further 32 here but could not find a way through against the 10 men in the second half and remain goalless in this tournament.
They cannot progress now after two defeats, while Paraguay know if they beat Australia in their final Group D game, then they will be through to the knockout stages.
World Cup still waits for real Brazil to show up.
20 Jun 2026
There were reminders of Brazil's glorious past all over the Philadelphia Stadium.
Ronaldinho, who was part of team crowned world champions in 2002, was in the crowd, while fans waved replica World Cup trophies in the air in the stands during the 3-0 win over Haiti.
Two goals by Matheus Cunha and another lovely finish by Vinicius Jr - all before half-time - ensured Brazil are up and running at this tournament.
A first win, a first clean sheet, fans clad in yellow dancing in the stands.
And then you remembered Brazil were facing a Haiti team more than 80 places below them in Fifa's world rankings.
That the Selecao were so flat after half-time that they failed to register an attempt on target in the second half.
That Haiti, who became the first team to be eliminated from the 2026 World Cup after this result, had seven shots to Brazil's two in the second half.
While rivals Argentina and France have impressed in the United States, Brazil have struggled to hit top form, and faded after a bright start in Philadelphia.
After the uninspiring 1-1 draw with Morocco in New Jersey in their opening Group C game, Brazil have four points from two games and are expected to advance to the last-32 stage.
Scotland conceded after just 70 seconds to fall to a World Cup defeat against a classy Morocco, but their hopes of a historic knockout place remain in their own hands with one group game to go.
20 Jun 2026
Head coach Steve Clarke had asked for the "footballing Gods to be smiling down on us" – with the knowledge one point would all-but confirm their progression out of Group C - but the Scots made the worst possible start.
Sloppy defending allowed Ismael Saibari to rocket the Africa Cup of Nations champions - ranked the sixth best team in the world - into a sensational lead inside the opening two minutes.
Clarke shuffled his pack from Saturday's victory against Haiti, with Celtic defender Kieran Tierney starting on the left of midfield in an apparent attempt to man-mark Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi.
That plan was pulled apart, though, when centre-backs Grant Hanley and Jack Hendry allowed Saibari to scoot in behind and sensationally flash his side in front.
The strike sucked the life out of the jubilant Tartan Army, who again bounced down to the Boston Stadium full of optimism. They were swiftly left fearing the worst.