Category: Sports Fox

The United States men’s national team walked off the field at Los Angeles Stadium Thursday night with its first blemish of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but not much else changed. A dramatic 3-2 loss to Türkiye denied the Americans a perfect group-stage record when Kaan Ayhan scored on the final kick of the match in the eighth minute of stoppage time. But for a U.S. team that had already secured first place in Group D and a spot in the Round of 32, the objectives entering the night went beyond simply collecting three more points. Avoid injuries and red cards. If Mauricio Pochettino’s squad was able to accomplish that, they could officially turn their attention toward the knockout round. Mission accomplished. The ongoing debate before Thursday night’s final group-stage match centered on how important momentum would be for the USA. A third consecutive win would have sent the USA into the knockout stage unbeaten, but the team’s starting lineup made it clear that preserving a healthy, available roster was the priority. Pochettino ran out nine new starters in the match, including eight players making their first World Cup starts. The new-look lineup nearly delivered a victory if it weren’t for Türkiye’s late goal, which literally came on the last kick of the ball. According to FOX Sports soccer analyst Zlatan Ibrahimović, the outcome should not alter the way the World Cup is viewed by the USA. “It doesn’t matter because now starts the real deal against Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Ibrahimović said. “This game was more about putting those legs that haven’t played so far and getting them some minutes. The result will not change anything.” Perhaps the most encouraging development came in the second half when captain Christian Pulisic entered in the 58th minute. The American star had not played since suffering a calf injury during the first half of the tournament opener against Paraguay, but he looked sharp and healthy in his return. “When he’s on the field, anything can happen for the U.S. team,” FOX Sports’ lead soccer analyst Thierry Henry said. Henry viewed Thursday’s result as a win in just about every way outside the final score itself. “Nobody got injured. Carry on the momentum. That’s the only thing they didn’t do because they didn’t win,” he said. Now the focus shifts entirely to Bosnia and Herzegovina, which finished third in Group B after drawing against Canada, losing heavily to Switzerland and closing group play with a 3-1 victory over Qatar. For the USA, the mission was always survive and advance. Pochettino’s team did exactly that, winning Group D and reaching the knockout round with its most important player healthy and available. “You’re going through. You won the group. That was the aim. That was the goal,” Henry said. “Now perform against Bosnia, and we’ll see what can happen.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

LOS ANGELES STADIUM – Was this a lesson or a letdown? That is a question this U.S. men’s national team must answer after its stunning 3-2 loss to Türkiye in the waning seconds of stoppage time on Thursday night. Because no matter what’s happened up to this point, the Americans’ body of work will be judged by what comes next. The USA faces Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32 on July 1 at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium. Will it look like the squad that has captivated the nation over the first few weeks of the World Cup, or the one that appeared disjointed at times against Türkiye? The knockout stage resets everything, and the slate is cleared. “We want to keep going in this tournament,” said Chris Richards, who did not play as a precaution after previously picking up a yellow card. “We have a really strong team, a really hungry team. A lot of us guys who started the last few games, we were hurting that we couldn’t be out there tonight, so ultimately, I think it’s gonna light a fire under us and want to get the job done early next game.” The U.S. entered the group finale in an unusual position. It had already secured first place in Group D and a berth in the knockout round, while Türkiye had already been eliminated after dropping its first two matches. On paper, there was little at stake. What seemed most important to the players was momentum – they talked about it all week. With the elimination round looming — where every match is win or go home — they viewed Thursday as an opportunity to continue building up confidence. U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino made nine changes to his starting lineup from the previous match, including a surprising move by putting Matt Turner in goal in place of Matt Freese. He also rested four key starters — Richards, Tyler Adams, Antonee Robinson and Folarin Balogun — to avoid risking a second yellow card that would have led to a suspension for the next game. This gave several players who had seen little to no minutes an opportunity to make an impact, and the Americans got off to another hot start when Auston Trusty scored his first international goal just three minutes in. The U.S. surrendered the lead before halftime, but Sebastian Berhalter equalized with a rocket in the 49th minute. Despite creating several promising chances in the second half – especially once Christian Pulisic was subbed into the game – the U.S. couldn’t finish, and as the match went on, there was a sense inside the stadium it would end in a draw. That would have been good enough, but with seconds left in stoppage time, Kaan Ayhan slipped a right-footed shot past Turner for the lead, silencing the stadium. Afterward, the Americans were glum. They tried to talk about positive takeaways from the night – like moving onto the next round and how many players made their World Cup debuts. But their body language told a different story. Ricardo Pepi, who made his second consecutive start but couldn’t get anything going, walked quickly past reporters with the hood of his sweatshirt covering most of his face. Pulisic, who came on in the second half after missing the last match due to a calf injury, was whisked through the mixed zone interview area by a U.S. Soccer official and did not take questions. Tim Weah, who said he was disappointed in his performance, took the blame for one of Türkiye’s goals. Berhalter didn’t even want to talk about his stellar goal – he also recorded an assist, becoming the first American player to record both a goal and an assist in a World Cup match since 1966. “Take Me Home, Country Roads” blared throughout the stadium again as the players took a lap around the field after the final whistle, but this time it didn’t carry the same celebratory feel. “It’s a gut punch for a lot of guys,” Turner said, taking a deep breath. “I mean, this was a lot of our chance to step out there and show that we deserved and that we earned [to play], so you want it to go perfectly. But this sport can be so cruel and, as good as you play, it doesn’t always equal the final results. So it’s disappointing.” Players said the result won’t affect momentum or mindset moving forward. They were pleased that as of now, every healthy player on the roster has seen the field in this tournament. Cristian Roldan, who is dealing with a quadricep issue, is the only one who has not. They were also happy that Pulisic, who had not played since the first half of the Paraguay game, was back on the pitch. Weird things happen in World Cups. Germany, who also already booked its place in the knockout stage, lost its final group game on Thursday, too. Now the Americans need to find a way to use this bit of adversity as fuel. “We need to move on, but we’re full of confidence,” Brendon Aaronson told reporters after the game. “I’m not worried about it. I’m not worried at all. I think the team is in a great spot.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

LOS ANGELES STADIUM — All it took was one unlucky loss in the USA’s dead-rubber final group-stage game of the 2026 FIFA World Cup for Mauricio Pochettino to reveal the immense pressure he knows he’s under. Hired to be the men’s national team’s savior when the U.S. Soccer Federation backed up the Brinks truck — with the help of some deep-pocketed angel investors — to lure one of the world’s most highly regarded coaches to what European and South American elitists have always derided as a relative backwater, we’re about to find out if Pochettino is worth his hefty price tag. The U.S. will face Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday with a spot in the Round of 16 on the line. The Americans are the favorites, and their fans are expecting — demanding — a win. For all the good vibes and good publicity that the former Paris Saint-Germain manager engendered by opening the tournament with convincing wins over Paraguay and Australia, that won’t matter if he drops this next one. Those are the stakes. And for Pochettino, it’s not a great position to be in. This U.S. team should beat the Bosnians. But it won’t be easy. Anything can happen in one match. An own goal. An early red card. And if they lose, the reasons won’t matter. After a hot start, at the first World Cup on home soil in 32 years, losing that one game would instantly render the entire Pochettino experiment a missed opportunity. Sitting behind the mahogany desk in his office at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in nearby Orange County two nights before a reserve-heavy U.S. lineup lost 3-2 to Türkiye on Thursday, Pochettino was as charming as could be. For 30 minutes, the charismatic 54-year-old laughed and joked with a small group of reporters. He insisted that he’d slept like a baby the night before the Stars and Stripes’ World Cup opening 4-1 win over the Paraguayans, utterly convinced as he was that his beloved players would perform. Toward the end of the roundtable session, I asked him if he’d be as relaxed when the knockout stage arrived. “It needs to be the same,” he told me, which is not the same as saying that it will be. “We need to prepare [for] the game, not thinking about ‘if we don’t win.’” Unpleasant as the thought is, this match against Bosnia and Herzegovina has “trap game” written all over it. In Pochettino’s 29 outings since taking over the U.S. program in October 2024, he’s faced European foes six times — including Thursday — and lost every single one. The cold reality is that the outcome of this next game is probably close to a coin flip, and the World Cup co-hosts have a lot more to lose than to gain. The U.S. has reached the round of 16 at the last three World Cups it has participated in. After Thursday’s loss, a visibly upset Pochettino struck an inexplicably defensive tone. “No one congratulated us [for] finish[ing] first in a very difficult group,” he chastised the media members in the room, as if that’s a normal thing, as if the coverage of his team at this World Cup hasn’t been almost universally positive — including the game that had just ended. Granted, this was a hugely inexperienced lineup (just three of Pochettino’s starters had ever started a World Cup game before, with two making their tournament debut) that had played well despite the defeat. But a far weaker U.S. team survived a far tougher group in 2014, one that featured African power Ghana, a Portugal side led by an in-his-prime Cristiano Ronaldo and eventual champion Germany. Four years earlier, Bob Bradley’s squad topped a quartet containing England. Gregg Berhalter got to the round of 16 in 2022 with the youngest starting lineup in Qatar. And of course, Bruce Arena posted the USA’s lone World Cup knockout win in 2002, almost a quarter-century ago. So far, Pochettino has accomplished nothing close with his U.S. team. Not yet. That doesn’t mean that he can’t. He’s probably got a deeper roster than any of his predecessors. But now, because of the expanded format, he needs to win another game just to equal what his American-born predecessors managed time and again. And none of those men had the huge advantage that comes with home fans supporting them. The only one that did was Bora Milutinović, who took the U.S. to the round of 16 way back in 1994, losing 1-0 to Brazil — another eventual titlist — with a squad that only had seven players under contract with professional clubs. No wonder Pochettino is on edge. For a coach who has admitted that he’d like to return to the English Premier League, getting eliminated in the round of 32 on the biggest stage possible, by an inferior opponent, could do lasting, potentially irreparable harm to his global reputation. Surely he knows that, too. To be clear, this current U.S. team is absolutely capable of outperforming any that came before it. A quarterfinal trip is realistic. I’ve said consistently that, if they play as well as they can and get a little luck along the way, a semifinal berth is possible. “In 2002, when I was involved in the World Cup [as a defender for Argentina], South Korea was in the semifinal,” Pochettino, riding the high of being 2-0 at the time, said last week. “Morocco was in the [semis] also in Qatar [in 2022],” he added. “Why not us?” Well, getting anywhere close starts with a victory next week. The U.S. can do it, no question. The country fell in love with this team over the last two weeks for good reason. They play hard. They score goals. They’re good guys who care. They know that this summer represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the sport in this country, and they’ll do everything possible to seize it. No World Cup game is a forgone conclusion, but I firmly believe that the U.S. will beat Bosnia and Herzegovina on July 1 in Santa Clara. I’m sure of it. For Pochettino’s sake, they’d better.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

LOS ANGELES STADIUM — So much for a perfect group stage. After winning its first two games at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the U.S. men’s national team finished the first round with a 3-2 defeat to already eliminated Türkiye on Thursday on literally the last kick of the ball. With the USA having already clinched Group B with a game to spare, coach Mauricio Pochettino made nine changes to the lineup that beat Australia last week in Seattle. But despite taking the lead less than three minutes in thanks to defender Auston Trusty’s first international goal, the Americans were outplayed by the visitors for the rest of the first half. Pochettino’s team went into halftime trailing, with Orkun Kökçü and 21-year-old Real Madrid playmaker Arda Güler finishing well-worked plays that left the U.S. defenders chasing shadows. But rather than make substitutions at halftime — even at the risk of a second Sebastian Berhalter yellow card — Pochettino stuck with his plan. And it almost paid off. Berhalter, who set up the opening Stars and Stripes goal from a corner kick that Auston Trusty banged home, scored a second-half equalizer as part of a greatly improved last 45 minutes before Kaan Ayhan knocked home the winner in the final seconds of stoppage time. That means the World Cup co-hosts head into next Wednesday’s must-win round of 32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium off their first loss of the tournament. Here are four takeaways from the USA’s defeat: 1. This Time, The U.S. Can’t Ride An Early Lead Even before Trusty coolly settled Sebastian Berhalter’s corner kick and blasted it past Uğurcan Çakır, the home side had chances to score. So when the ball hit the back of the net, it felt like the U.S. could roll the way they had in those multi-goal victories against Australia and Paraguay. That’s not how it played out. For all the talk about how the U.S. reserves would treat this game as their World Cup final, the Turks were the ones to impose themselves, winning tackles and putting the Americans — who, to be fair, probably were never going to look as cohesive as the starters given that they’d never played together as a starting 11 (or even close to one) before. Whatever Pochettino said to his players at halftime worked. The World Cup co-hosts came out flying. Again, they had opportunities to draw level even before doing so. And it still only took four minutes of the second stanza for Berhalter to get on the end of a failed clearance at the top of the Turkish box, half-volleying a blistering strike past Çakır. It was moments away from earning the Stars and Stripes a share of the spoils. 2. American Reserves Learn A Valuable Lesson With no disrespect intended to the bottom of Pochettino’s roster, there was an obvious drop-off in quality with almost all the usual suspects on the bench ahead of the knockout stage. That’s the case with most teams, to be sure. (Weston McKennie and Ricardo Pepi were the lone holdovers from last game.) And again, the fact that most of these guys had never started or even played in a World Cup before in their careers was surely a culture shock in the first half — especially with the Turks hell-bent on showing that they are far better than the results of their first two games, both losses in which they failed to score, would indicate. The good news for the Americans is that they responded. And while it wasn’t enough to prevent a loss and head into the knockout stage undefeated, the experience they gained in losing could still pay off handsomely if and when a few of the understudies are called upon against the Bosnians — or beyond. 3. Pulisic Making His Return Bodes Well The best news of the night from a USA perspective has to be the sight of Pulisic, Pochettino’s most irreplaceable attacker, sprinting onto the field just before the hour mark. Pulisic had played just the first half of the first game for the U.S. before being felled by a sore calf that also kept him out of the 2-0 victory over the Socceroos last week in Seattle. As encouraging as that game was in showing that the co-hosts can win a World Cup game even without their marquee star, they did miss Pulisic’s quality both in that match and for the first 57 minutes on Thursday. No, he didn’t get on the scoresheet (although he came close).  But that doesn’t matter. What does is that he’s healthy again and, barring something unforeseen, will start the first knockout match. If the Stars and Stripes are to make the deep run they believe they’re capable of, make no mistake: Pulisic will be one of the catalysts —  if not the driving force — that takes them there. 4. It’s About To Get Real, With Bosnia And Herzegovina Next With the group stage now over, the attention can finally now move to the game U.S. fans — if not players — have been looking ahead to ever since Paraguay upset this same Turkish squad last Friday to ensure that the Stars and Stripes would play for a spot in the round of 16 in the Bay Area on July 1. It’s probably not the matchup the Americans wanted. It’s definitely not the easiest one they could’ve gotten, nor the ideal reward for finishing in first place. The Bosnians showed just how dangerous they can be in March, when they eliminated four-time World Cup champions Italy in Europe’s qualifying playoffs. They were probably unlucky not to beat Canada in front of a hostile, partisan crowd in Toronto in their opening match at the main event. Still, man-for-man, the U.S. is the better team. With Pulisic back, the rest of Pochettino’s first-choice players rested and another colossal home field advantage expected at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, they are and should be the favorites.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The USA’s next World Cup opponent is official: Bosnia and Herzegovina. Bosnia and Herzegovina finished its three Group A matches with four points, including a win over Qatar in Seattle on the final match day. It will now head south for its next match, which will be on Wednesday, July 1, in Los Angeles. Here’s everything to know about the matchup: Bosnia And Herzegovina’s World Cup Journey Bosnia and Herzegovina finished second in its qualifying group behind Austria. It went 5-2-1 in a group that also included Romania, Cyprus and San Marino. From there, Bosnia and Herzegovina advanced thanks to a pair of victories in penalty shootouts. The first match was against Wales in Cardiff, where Edin Dzeko scored in the 86th minute to make the score 1-1 before the Bosnians then won the shootout 4-2. That victory against Wales set up a home match against Italy in the final playoff round. Italy took a 1-0 lead in the 15th minute, but defender Alessandro Bastoni received a red card in the 41st minute. Bosnia equalized through Haris Tabakovic in the 79th minute (Dzeko assisted the goal), and then it won the shootout 4-1 after two misses from Italy. At the tournament itself, Bosnia and Herzegovina opened with a 1-1 draw against Canada before losing in convincing fashion, 4-1, to Switzerland. Then, a 3-1 win over Qatar was enough to finish third in its group on four points with a -1 goal difference. The Key Players The name that soccer fans are most likely to recognize: Edin Dzeko. The 40-year-old striker is the all-time leader with 150 appearances and 73 goals for Bosnia and Herzegovina. Dzeko has played for Manchester City, Roma and Inter Milan during his career. Since moving to FK Teplice in Czechia in the summer of 2005, he has scored 443 career goals. He is not the same player he was during his days in England or Serie A, but he is still more than capable of taking a chance in front of goal. The first goal against Qatar came from 18-year-old Kerim Alajbegović, who is headed to Bayer Leverkusen in Germany. He’s not the only promising young player for the Bosnians, though. Winger Esmir Bajraktarevic broke through at PSV Eindhoven this past season and made 36 appearances there. Bajraktarevic actually grew up in Appleton, Wisconsin, but opted to represent Bosnia and Herzegovina, where his parents were born. “He was the best passer in this game,” our Brian Sciaretta wrote in his takeaways from Bosnia and Herzegovina’s win over Qatar. “At just 24, Basic is a player not just for this World Cup, but he will also be important to Bosnia & Herzegovina by a long stretch.” Another player who stood out: Ermin Mahmic, who scored Bosnia’s third goal against Qatar after coming off the bench in the 63rd minute. “Finally,” Sciaretta wrote, “there is Ermin Mahmic, the 21-year-old who put the game out of reach with the third Bosnia and Herzegovina goal. Born in Austria to Bosnian parents, Mahmic played for the Austrian youth national teams in the past. It was only last month, in May, when he completed a change-of-association switch with FIFA to play for Bosnia & Herzegovina. In doing so and then scoring in this game, he became one of the key pieces to this national team’s future.” Where And When Will USA vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina Be Played? This matchup will take place on Wednesday, July 1, at Los Angeles Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET, and the game can be watched on FOX and streamed on FOX One.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Plenty of drama is likely to unfold on Friday at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where Groups G, H and I will all play their final slate of games. The day opens with Group I, where two of the tournament’s best players, Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé, will meet in a top matchup between Norway and France in Boston. Then, in Toronto, Senegal and Iraq both need to win and need help elsewhere to have a chance at the round of 32. In Group H, Uruguay has disappointed at the World Cup and now must likely defeat pre-tournament favorites Spain to advance. In the group’s other game, Cape Verde will hope to continue its fairytale run into the knockouts with a win over Saudi Arabia. Then in Group G, Belgium has thus far played poorly but could get back on track and into the round of 32 with a win over New Zealand. Finally, Egypt and Iran will both be looking for a win to secure a first-ever knockout appearance. Norway vs. France When: Friday, June 26, 3 p.m. ET Where: Boston TV: FOX Stream: Watch three days free on FOX Group I will be decided on Friday afternoon at Boston Stadium when Norway takes on France. It is an eagerly anticipated game between two teams, each with a perfect six points from two games, and it will feature two of the sport’s greatest goalscorers, Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland. Both teams have already punched their respective tickets to the round of 32, but this game will decide the group winner. Due to a superior goal differential, France will win the group even if the match ends in a draw. Haaland has not disappointed in his first-ever major tournament for Norway, finding the back of the net four times, with two goals in each of the first two games. That has brought him to a staggering 59 goals with 52 appearances for his country. Mbappé also has four goals from two braces, and he remains in pursuit of Messi’s new goal-scoring record. The Real Madrid forward now has 16 career World Cup goals and is just two behind the Argentine great. Both teams have also benefited from their other star players stepping up. For France, 2025 Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé finally found his first World Cup goal in its recent 3-0 win over Iraq, while Michael Olise has been the team’s creative force with three assists in two World Cup matches to lead the tournament. Norway has also continued to execute its game plan in the last two games as its central midfielders look to play the ball wide to wingers or fullbacks and then find Haaland. Norway was perfect in its World Cup qualifying campaign, and that run has carried into this tournament. But France will be its toughest test. For France to stop Norway, it cannot focus on stopping Haaland. Its best hope is to stop central midfielders Martin Ødegaard and Sander Berge, along with the key wide players Antonio Nusa and Julian Ryerson. That will be easier said than done, as France has not kept a clean sheet in six matches. This game should have plenty of goals. Player to Watch While most people will be watching Mbappé and Haaland, Olise has been arguably the tournament’s most complete player in the group stage. He is driving France’s attack, and he is also a threat to score himself. He is coming off a great season with Bayern Munich, where his passing range and quality were exceptional. He has now carried that into the World Cup. Senegal vs. Iraq When: Friday, June 26, 3 p.m. ET Where: Toronto TV: FS1 Stream: Watch three days free on FOX Both Senegal and Iraq enter this Group I game at Toronto Stadium with zero points after losing games to powerhouses Norway and France. This game is not completely dead rubber either. While a draw would eliminate both teams, a winner still has a slight chance of advancing as one of the top eight third-place teams. It remains to be seen if three points will be enough, depending on the final tables and goal differentials in other groups. Senegal will be the favorite in this game as the Lions of Teranga were very competitive in their losses to Norway and France. As one of the best African teams, Senegal simply ran into a brutal draw at this World Cup. Ismaïla Sarr has been Senegal’s best player, and the Crystal Palace winger scored both goals in the 3-2 loss to Norway. Along with Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson and all-time leading scorer and former Champions League winner Sadio Mané, Senegal has the talent to score plenty of goals against Iraq. The concern is the team’s leaky defense, which has allowed six goals in this tournament as well as another three against the United States in a pre-tournament friendly. This game was always an uphill climb for Iraq, but it became even more challenging after captain and starting forward Aymen Hussein left the game against France in just the 26th minute due to an injury. One key for Iraq in this game is to play smarter. In each of the first two games, Iraq conceded terrible goals with sloppy passing in its own third after goal kicks. At the time of each of these mistakes, Iraq was still in the game. Iraq cannot continue to be its own worst enemy if it wants to win and have a slight chance of advancing. Player to Watch The Crystal Palace winger has been the best player for Senegal, and the offense has been flowing through him. That should continue to be the case in this game. The challenge for Sarr is not just to help Senegal score enough goals to win this game, Senegal potentially needs a wide margin of victory to improve its goal differential. Uruguay vs. Spain When: Friday, June 26, 8 p.m. ET Where: Guadalajara TV: FOX Stream: Watch three days free on FOX It will be a matchup of former World Cup champions on Friday when Spain and Uruguay clash at Guadalajara Stadium in Mexico to conclude Group H action. Spain currently sits atop the group with four points while Uruguay has just two points. Led by Marcelo Bielsa, who is widely considered one of the most influential managers of his generation, Uruguay has disappointed at this World Cup after being held to draws against Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde. That has left the team in a difficult spot, in which it likely needs to defeat Spain to advance. At this point, that seems unlikely, as Uruguay hasn’t won any of its last six games, and Spain is arguably the best team in the world, with its unbeaten run in competitive matches now up to 33 games (24 wins and nine draws) dating back to March 28, 2023. Uruguay sits in second place, but a draw would leave La Celeste vulnerable to being overtaken by either Saudi Arabia or Cape Verde, who will be playing at the same time. Three points and an even goal differential might also be enough to get through, but that depends on other groups. Uruguay is led by winger Maxi Araújo, who has carried the team’s attack at the World Cup with two goals. Federico Valverde has also played well in the midfield. The problems for the team have been its mistake-prone defense and the ongoing slump of striker Darwin Núñez, who led the team in scoring during World Cup qualifying but hasn’t scored for Uruguay in 14 games. That slump has forced Bielsa to bench Núñez and scramble to find other options. Spain, meanwhile, is deep at every position with world-class players and is a genuine threat to win the tournament. After shockingly being held to a 0-0 draw by Cape Verde, Luis de la Fuente’s squad quickly returned to form with a 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia as the usual suspects Mikel Oyarzabal and Lamine Yamal led the way. For plenty of reasons, Spain is favored to win this. With a midfield led by Rodri, Spain should have plenty of possession, and Uruguay could become frustrated. The biggest concern for Spain is that a desperate, Bielsa-led team is always dangerous. Player to Watch As likely the best teenager in the game and a Ballon d’Or runner-up, Yamal is special with what he can do offensively on the wing. He is not yet at 100 percent, and he likely won’t go the full 90 minutes, but he is getting more fit and healthy with each passing game. That is good news for Spain and bad news for everyone else. If Uruguay is to pull off an upset, it starts with containing him. Cape Verde vs. Saudi Arabia When: Friday, June 26, 8 p.m. ET Where: Houston TV: FS1 Stream: Watch three days free on FOX Everything will be on the line on Friday in Houston when Cape Verde takes on Saudi Arabia in Houston, with the winner likely advancing out of Group H and into the round of 32. Cape Verde enters the game with two points (even with Uruguay but behind by only one on the goals scored tiebreaker) from two draws, while Saudi Arabia has one point. Cape Verde has become the Cinderella darlings of the tournament after playing Spain to a 0-0 draw, followed by a 2-2 draw with Uruguay. The archipelago nation just off the coast of continental Africa has a population of just 525,000, but came away with results against two nations that have won the tournament. A win would send Cape Verde into the knockouts, but a draw to finish with three points might suffice if other results break its way. The Blue Sharks have earned praise for their courageous defense and their remarkable organization on defense under head coach Pedro Leitão Brito, who is commonly known as Bubista. Against Uruguay, Cape Verde was then able to combine its defense with timely goals in the attack to eventually play to a draw. Against Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde will have to maintain its defensive structure while looking for goals through counterattacks and set pieces. Kevin Pina’s free kick against Uruguay was one of the longest goals hit at the tournament (from more than 30 yards out), so far, and the team’s counterattacks are typically played through Gilson Benchimol and Garry Rodrigues. The only time Saudi Arabia has qualified for the knockout stage of the World Cup was when the tournament was also in the United States in 1994. Now, 28 years later on the same soil, the Green Falcons will look to return to the second stage with a win over Cape Verde. Under head coach Georgios Donis, Saudi Arabia will need its front line to be more dangerous. Through two games, the team’s only goal came through central defender Abdulelah Al Amri. Winger and captain Salem Al-Dawsari, along with striker Feras Al-Buraikan, who led the Saudis in scoring during World Cup qualifying, will need to be more dangerous. This game is an even matchup and is tough to predict, but Cape Verde is likely to have plenty of support in Houston as the team has been one of the most uplifting stories at the World Cup. Player to Watch The 40-year-old Cape Verde goalkeeper has been the face of the team’s remarkable draws against Spain and Uruguay. We have seen stories about his mother finding her way to the United States to watch her son, and the wild growth of his social media following (specifically 14.5 million new Instagram followers after the draw with Spain) has also grabbed the attention of the media. Behind that, Vozinha has made plenty of incredible saves to give his team a chance at the knockouts. He is in great form, and he will have to make even more big saves against Saudi Arabia to give his team a chance to continue its run. New Zealand vs. Belgium When: Friday, June 26, 11 p.m. ET Where: Houston TV: FS1 Stream: Watch three days free on FOX For both New Zealand and Belgium, advancing out of Group G and into the round of 32 likely depends on winning this game at Vancouver Stadium on Friday night. Belgium enters this game in third place in the group with two points from two games. Rudi Garcia’s team has been disappointing through two games as the Red Devils arrived as a top-10 team in the FIFA World Rankings with hopes of making a deep run in the knockouts. Two points is not the end of the world, but the big concern for the team has been its lack of offensive production. The only goal it has scored was an own goal in a 1-1 draw with Egypt. Fortunately, there is plenty of time to turn things around as Belgium is the favorite in this game and a win would lift the Red Devils to five points. Belgium has not lost in 15 games, and will be strong up the middle with Kevin De Bruyne, and captain Youri Tielemans playing behind all-time top scorer Romelu Lukaku. While this group has underperformed in the first two games, the expectations are that the group is so talented that eventually it will find its way. As for New Zealand, the Kiwis are the lowest-ranked team at this World Cup and are coming off a difficult 3-1 loss to Egypt. New Zealand now must defeat Belgium to have a chance of advancing to the knockout stage. New Zealand relies heavily on veteran players, including its all-time leading scorer in Chris Wood, fullback Tim Payne and central defender Michael Boxall. Despite being unconvincing in the first two games, Belgium is the obvious favorite against New Zealand, given the gap in talent. New Zealand fights hard but will have a tough time containing players like De Bruyne for 90 minutes. Player to Watch It has been a wild week for Belgium’s winger. Doku left the team’s World Cup camp midweek to attend the birth of his son in London, and the decision was met with some criticism. On Tuesday, he announced that he had rejoined the Belgian team. The Manchester City star missed Belgium’s 0-0 draw with Iran due to an illness, but he should be healthy for this game. When he is on his game, he is one of the best dribblers in the world. Now with an emotional week behind him, Doku might be eager to make a big impact in this game to get his country into the round of 32. Egypt vs. Iran When: Friday, June 26, 11 p.m. ET Where: Seattle TV: FS1 Stream: Watch three days free on FOX This year, Iran is making its seventh World Cup appearance while Egypt is making its fourth appearance at the tournament. Despite this, neither country has ever advanced out of the group stage. That will change at this World Cup when Iran and Egypt meet at Seattle Stadium on Friday night. At least one of these teams will advance, although both teams have work to do to clinch. Egypt sits atop Group G with four points after its 2-2 draw with New Zealand followed by its 3-1 win over New Zealand. Four points will likely be enough to secure a spot in the knockouts, but a draw would clinch it. The team is led by Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah, who is one of the best forwards of his generation. Salah, 34, has 68 goals in 118 appearances for Egypt, and he was the difference-maker in the win over New Zealand. Iran will be the underdog in Seattle and enters the game on two points from a draw with Belgium and New Zealand. In the recent 0-0 draw with Belgium, Iran sat deep and secured the point thanks to solid defense and a bit of luck. Against Egypt, Iran is likely going to play with a similar approach, but at some point, it might have to become more aggressive with its attack, as advancing likely only comes with a win. Iran relies heavily on veteran players, and against Belgium, head coach Amir Ghalenoei fielded the oldest starting lineup in World Cup history with an average age of 32.5 years. That lineup served Iran well against Belgium, but if Ghalenoei goes with the same squad against Egypt, there is a risk that such an old lineup might wear down against Egypt. Player to Watch The most talented and accomplished player on the field, by far, is Salah, who could be playing in his final World Cup. At the club level, Salah has accomplished just about everything possible. He has won the Premier League, the Champions League, and the FA Cup. He has won the Premier League Golden Boot and the Player of the Season. But Salah is now heavily motivated to finally play in the knockout stages of the World Cup, and this game could get the Pharaohs to that point for the first time in their history.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Germany still tops the group. Ecuador finally found its finishing touch. Germany lost, and it cost the team nothing. Ecuador won, rescuing its World Cup dreams. On a hot Thursday afternoon at the New York New Jersey Stadium, Ecuador came from behind to stun a strong Germany side, 2-1 — a result that means wildly different things to the two teams trudging off the same field. Julian Nagelsmann’s side top Group E regardless. Sebastián Beccacece’s side leaves with its first goals of the tournament and is currently the best third-place team. Here are my takeaways: 1. Germany Top The Group — And Can Afford A Night Like This Here’s the perk of sealing your group early: you can lose like this and barely feel it. Top spot was secure before kickoff, so Thursday was a free hit, and Julian Nagelsmann’s side played like a team that knew it. It struck inside two minutes, then eased off. The press loosened. Ecuador pounced. The positives remain real, though. Seven goals past Curaçao. A grown-up win over Ivory Coast. Tons of attacking midfield talent. The back line wobbled, the finishing vanished and the complacency will gnaw at Nagelsmann all the way to the round of 32. But nobody lifts the trophy in June. You qualify, you learn, you move on. Germany has the first part down. 2. ¡Sí Se Puede! Ecuador Found Its Goals At The Perfect Time Two games, zero goals. Then the group winners rolled into town, and Ecuador remembered where the net was. That’s its whole tournament. A 1-0 loss to Ivory Coast, which it was incredibly wasteful against. A toothless 0-0 draw with Curaçao. An attack allergic to the final third. And then, against Germany of all teams, Nilson Angulo leveled inside 10 minutes, and Gonzalo Plata smashed in the winner with 13 to play, nodded down by substitute Kevin Rodríguez. Sebastián Beccacece always had the spine. Moisés Caicedo and Pedro Vite ran the middle. Vite set an Ecuadorian record for tackles in a World Cup match. The missing piece was a punch up top, as the living fossil Enner Valencia feels like a relic from the past. But in the most important game of the group, the squad collectively stepped up. Third place, four points, and — pending the other groups — a ticket to the knockouts. Sí se puede, indeed. 3. Florian Wirtz, Jamal Musiala, And A Reunion Worth Watching Remember when Florian Wirtz picked Liverpool over Bayern Munich partly to avoid sharing the No. 10 role with Jamal Musiala? Now they share it with Germany — the most tantalizing thing Nagelsmann owns. Thursday was a tease. Wirtz slid one gorgeous ball through to Musiala that Joel Ordóñez blocked superbly, then coughed up possession in the exact spots that made his Liverpool autumn such a slog. That’s the subplot. His £116 million move began miserably — no goal until after Christmas, mockery over the fee, the lot — before he roared back in the spring to look like himself again. The World Cup is the stage to finish that comeback. Pair a rediscovered Wirtz with a fearless Musiala between the lines, and Germany has a duo nobody wants to defend. A glimpse today. Imagine the team at its best for a full 90 in a game that actually matters in the knockouts. 4. Ecuador Didn’t Just Win — It Defended Like It Meant Everything Beating the group winner takes more than two good finishes. It takes a back line willing to throw itself in front of everything — and Ecuador had exactly that. Once Gonzalo Plata’s winner landed, the final stretch turned into a siege. Germany piled forward in waves; Ecuador refused to break. Willian Pacho, Joel Ordóñez and Piero Hincapié — three of the most composed young defenders at this tournament — blocked, headed and cleared everything coming their way. In front of them, Pedro Vite ran himself into the ground for nine tackles, the most by an Ecuadorian in a World Cup match on record and the joint-most by anyone at this one. Sebastián Beccacece spent two games hunting a goal. On Thursday, his side showed the other half of a knockout team: the intestinal fortitude to defend such an important lead against one of the best teams in the world.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

For the first time ever, Ivory Coast has qualified for the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup. Ivory Coast sealed its progression with a straightforward win over Curaçao on Thursday in Philadelphia. Nicolas Pépé scored once in each half, including one in the seventh minute that put the African nation in control from the start. Here are our takeaways: 1. Ivory Coast Will Be A Tough Out … Ivory Coast got a late winner to earn three points against Ecuador in its opening match, and it was moments away from a draw against Germany. It’s clear Les Éléphants have a competitive squad, highlighted by Yan Diomandé in attack and veteran Franck Kessié in midfield. The team took care of business against Curaçao, clearly creating the better scoring chances and dominating possession. It even had a respectable 40% of the ball against Germany, despite scoring the first goal in the 30th minute and playing on the back foot for most of the game. This squad is full of players from top clubs in Europe. Striker Ange-Yoan Bonny is at Inter Milan, winger Amad Diallo at Manchester United, while midfielder Ibrahim Sangaré is also a regular in the Premier League for Nottingham Forrest. Ivory Coast will not be intimidated by any opponent, a sentiment that will come in handy in its next game. 2. … So Watch Out Norway (Or France) The Ivory Coast’s prize for finishing second in Group E might not be seen as a positive one by many. Les Éléphants will be drawn against the second-place team in Group I, which will be either France or Norway. Both teams are on six points entering their Friday catchup, but the French have a superior goal difference. That means Norway has to beat France to win Group I. Regardless of which team Ivory Coast will face, it will be an underdog to advance. France has some of the best players in the tournament, while Erling Haaland powers a Norway attack that is one of the best in the tournament. 3. Diomandé’s Price Tag Keeps Going Up The 19-year-old winger, who currently plays his club soccer at RB Leipzig in Germany, has been a hot topic this summer, with Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool rumored to be very interested in his services. He has shown why with three impressive performances in the group stage for Ivory Coast. Diomandé provided the assist for Pépé’s opening goal on Thursday, getting possession after a mistake from Curaçao in its own 18-yard box and putting it on a plate for Pépé. Having a player like Diomandé, who can create a chance out of nothing, will be huge moving forward for Ivory Coast. Chances may be at a premium for Les Éléphants in the knockout stages, but Diomandé is capable of making sure their quality looks at goal. 4. Curaçao’s Presence Won’t Be Forgotten This World Cup has featured some of the smallest nations ever to compete in the tournament, which makes sense given the expansion to 48 teams. No country is smaller than Curaçao, which has a population of 158,000 people. Only one player in the squad was born there (Tahith Chong), while the other 22 were born in the Netherlands with ancestry from the country. Of course, the tournament started with a 7-1 thumping against Germany, but Curaçao followed that up with an impressive defensive effort to hold Ecuador to a 0-0 draw. Cape Verde has captivated the tournament with two draws to open the tournament, while DR Congo held Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal scoreless. While there have been some lopsided scorelines in the tournament, it’s encouraging to see some of these teams get their shot on the biggest stage — and occasionally look like they belong.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

LOS ANGELES STADIUM – U.S. men’s national team manager Mauricio Pochettino has made nine changes to his starting lineup for the group stage finale against Türkiye on Thursday night. It’s the most adjustments a USA team has ever made between two World Cup matches. The previous high was five between the Germany and Iran games at the 1998 tournament. Midfielder Weston McKennie – who will captain the squad – and striker Ricardo Pepi are the only holdovers from the 2-0 win vs. Australia. The modifications are necessary for a few reasons. For one, Pochettino is sitting four regular starters – midfielder Tyler Adams, striker Folarin Balogun, defender Chris Richards, and fullback Antonee “Jedi” Robinson – because they all have one yellow card and the manager does not want to risk them accumulating a second and therefore being suspended for the round of 32 match. Second, the Americans have already clinched their place in the knockout round and this is an opportunity to get some fresh legs on the pitch and give other guys some much-needed rest. Defenders Mark McKenzie and Miles Robinson will make their World Cup debuts, while forward Brenden Aaronson and goalkeeper Matt Turner will see their first minutes of this tournament. Cristian Roldan is not available due to a quadricep issue that he’s been dealing with all week. The most head-scratching decision is that Turner will start in goal over Matt Freese, who only has 17 caps. It was widely thought that Pochettino would make significant changes to the lineup, but he would likely keep Freese in goal to get more reps playing in a World Cup. Turner started all four matches for the U.S. at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, but was unseated by Freese ahead of last summer’s Gold Cup. The other major question entering this match will be whether star forward Christian Pulisic will play. Pulisic sat out the 2-0 win over Australia after having suffered a calf injury in the 4-1 victory over Paraguay. “I’m feeling good,” Pulisic said on Wednesday at practice. “I’ve obviously joined the team in the last few days, so I’m feeling good, positive going into it, and hopefully I’ll be able to play a part tomorrow.” The U.S., winner of Group D, is aiming to finish with a perfect record in the group stage. After Thursday’s match, it will play next in the round of 32 on July 1 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The projected opponent for that game is Bosnia and Herzegovina, who finished in third place in Group A. That has yet to be officially confirmed.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

LOS ANGELES — Many professional baseball players tout the benefits of journaling for their personal and professional growth, but Justin Wrobleski has always been more of a numbers guy. So, rather than put pen to paper to jot down his thoughts after every start, the Dodgers pitcher updates Excel spreadsheets. Wrobleski, whose college tenure began in Clemson’s engineering school, has created his own model to chart his professional development, giving himself a score after every outing based on a series of factors related to elements of his performance within his control. “It’s nothing crazy,” Wrobleski told me. “Nothing like I’m looking at launch angles; I don’t care about that. It’s just, like, whether I’m getting ahead in counts, getting into leverage, and whether I’m limiting damage when I give up hits.” There’s a mental section of the model as well, which includes five questions pertaining to how he felt that day, graded on a scale of one to five. “I try to relate those to the outings and see if there’s a correlation,” Wrobleski explained. The way he’s performing, maybe more pitchers will want to learn about his process. The Dodgers have been without Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow since early May, yet they still have the lowest starters’ ERA and the best record in Major League Baseball. The emergence of Wrobleski, an 11th-round pick who exemplifies the Dodgers’ ability not only to outspend but also to outdraft and outdevelop most of the competition, has played an important role in the success. When the Dodgers needed someone to fill the final spot in their six-man rotation after Snell started the season on the injured list, Wrobleski fired five innings of one-run ball on April 6 in Toronto and never looked back. Despite possessing one of the lowest strikeout rates in MLB, the 25-year-old lefty is building an All-Star résumé. Wrobleski has the seventh-lowest ERA and the fourth-lowest WHIP among all qualified National League starters, and he has allowed two runs or fewer in 10 of his 13 starts. His ERA (2.71) nearly mirrors that of teammate and World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (2.65). “A lot of young pitchers are trying to find their identity,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “With Justin, the one thing with him is he knows who he is as a pitcher, and that’s important. Then, you take your stuff and layer that in on how to get hitters out, and there’s real confidence, which I think sometimes young players don’t have. With the confidence, with the success, knowing who he is as a player, that’s led to that consistency.” The Dodgers’ rotation includes four starters on nine-figure deals, which means spots are limited for any prospect in the organization trying to carve out a big-league role. Earlier in his career, Wrobleski felt the weight of that reality. He posted a 5.70 ERA over eight appearances in his debut 2024 season, then coughed up eight runs in his first start last season. On other teams, Wrobleski might have been able to take his lumps as he developed at the big-league level. But the Dodgers, who were seeking consecutive championship titles, weren’t most teams. “When you’re a young guy, you don’t have time to go out there and develop,” Wrobleski told me. “It’s like, you need to go out there and develop and perform at the same time, because if you don’t, there’s way too much invested in this roster and this team to go out there and fail like some guys are given the grace to do.” Ultimately, though, Wrobleski believes facing those high expectations with the Dodgers accelerated his development. “It’s one of those things I’m thankful for,” he said, “because I think it’s made me better.” Wrobleski spent most of last season shuffling between Triple-A and the big leagues, primarily serving as a long reliever in the Dodgers’ bullpen. Over time, his mindset began to shift. He stopped worrying about things that were out of his hands, like his role or how many spots were available, and kept his focus on being the best version of himself. “Obviously, we’re going out and getting big free agents, so it’s sometimes hard to be like, ‘Where do I fit into that?’” he told me. “But for me, it was just like, I don’t really care where I fit into that. I just know I’m going to fit into this roster. I know I’m going to find a way to pitch well and continue to go out there and control the things that I can.” In late July last year, the Dodgers kept him up for good. Over Wrobleski’s final 21 appearances, he registered a 3.48 ERA. He did not appear in the NLDS or the NLCS, but the Dodgers’ front office kept assuring him he would eventually throw big innings in the playoffs. He was dubious. “I’m like, ‘Yeah, great, but when Blake and Yama and everyone going out there is going seven, eight innings, it’s like, you’re not going to go to me first unless we’re up by 12,’” Wrobleski thought. “So I’m like, ‘Sure, OK, I got it.’ Then of course, we get to the World Series, and we’re down big in Game 1.” Trailing by seven runs, Wrobleski made his postseason debut, retiring all three batters he faced. Two games later, he added 1.2 more scoreless innings in the Dodgers’ 18-inning marathon win. Roberts’ trust was growing. With the season on the line, Wrobleski relieved Yamamoto in a do-or-die Game 6 and threw a scoreless inning. One night later, he was back on the mound again, recording four outs in the deciding Game 7. In his first ever postseason series, Wrobleski’s five scoreless World Series innings played a part in the Dodgers’ repeat championship. “They were right,” Wrobleski said. “I ended up throwing big innings, and it’s huge for your confidence.” He has carried that into the 2026 season. Wrobleski didn’t feel like he had his best stuff early in the year, yet he still produced a 0.56 ERA over his first five starts after claiming the final spot in the rotation. He has struck out only 53 batters in 86.1 innings, but he has consistently found a way to navigate lineups and minimize damage. His manager now describes him as “unflappable.” “There is talent, but there’s also what’s practical, what plays at the big-league level,” Roberts said, “and that is strike-throwing, being able to sequence, miss barrels, put it on the ground, create soft contact, work with efficiency. Those are things that help a championship team win games, and he has a really good grasp of that.” With elite control and exceptional command, Wrobleski is pounding the zone and reaping the rewards. He has the fifth-lowest walk rate and has surrendered the seventh-fewest home runs per nine innings in the National League. On Tuesday night, the way Wrobleski attacked hitters in a seven-inning, two-run outing caught the attention of Pedro Martinez, who gave Wrobleski a new nickname. “He was like a shark out there!” Martinez posted on X. “After tonight, he’s now ‘The Shark.’” Six years ago, Wrobleski was pitching at a junior college. Five years ago, he was the 10th pitcher the Dodgers selected in the 2021 MLB Draft. A year ago, he had still yet to solidify his place as a major-leaguer. Months ago, he was just hoping to earn a shot in the six-man rotation. Now, he’s “The Shark,” garnering praise from a Hall of Fame pitcher. “That’s the fun of the game for me, seeing how close I can move the needle to the best in the game,” Wrobleski told me. “Whether that takes me to one of the best in the game or just makes me the best version of myself, I think that’s a super helpful way to view it and kind of how I’ve always set the bar for myself.” With the assistance of pitching coaches Mark Prior and Connor McGuiness, Wrobleski feels like he has a better idea now of how to game plan to get through a lineup and when to “go for the kill,” seeking swing and miss. His evaluation model seems to be working, too. Wrobleski wanted to create a framework to track his outings and rank them against each other. After years of trial and error, and with the help of data available at the big-league level, he has devised a system that works regardless of whether he’s starting or relieving, one that he can take with him wherever his MLB career goes. In-game, Wrobleski focuses solely on his game plan and the chess match with hitters. Afterward, his system helps him understand where he might be slipping and what he needs to focus on in bullpen sessions between starts. “It’s taken me some time to figure out how to do it in a way that makes sense, in a way that, ‘OK, here’s my score for the outing, how were the results for the outing?’” Wrobleski explained. “Most of the time, if my score’s good, the results are good; if my score’s bad, the results are bad. But that wasn’t always the case. There were some things I had previously where, ‘I sucked today but thought I pitched well,’ so there’s been a lot of adjusting and figuring out what’s important. “What does it boil down to that allows me to have success? I know the things that kind of lead me to pitching well, and that’s what I use for it.” At this rate, he might even get to use it at the All-Star Game.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports