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The day after Mexico qualified, the United States, co-hosts of the 2026 World Cup, secured their ticket to the Round of 16 on Friday, while the Haitian team, beaten 3-0 by Brazil, became the first to be eliminated.
In the other Group C match, Morocco bounced back after their initial draw against the Seleçao by beating Scotland 1-0, just hours after the confirmation of their captain Achraf Hakimi being sent to trial for rape, with the player facing boos from the crowd during the game.
On Saturday, several other nations could secure qualification, including Sweden, as well as Germany and Ivory Coast, who face off in the ‘clash’ of Group E.
Team USA joins Mexico
The World Cup is kind to its hosts: After Mexico, the United States secured their ticket to the knockout stage on Monday, thanks to their 2-0 win against Australia in Seattle.
Team USA could even clinch first place in Group D later in the evening if Turkey loses or draws against Paraguay in San Francisco in the other match of the day.
Just like in their first game in this home World Cup, Mauricio Pochettino’s men—this time without their star player Christian Pulisic, who is injured—quickly took the lead with an own goal by Australian defender Cameron Burgess in the 11th minute, before extending their lead through Alex Freeman in the 43rd minute.
“It was another fantastic match. We won against a very strong team,” said the Argentine coach, who was cheered by Team USA fans at the end of the match.There were lots of them in red and white at the same time at Seattle’s Lumen Field, as well as in the bars around and the nearby streets, chanting “USA! USA!” The enthusiasm for the national team is starting to catch on in the land of American football, and it’s especially true in Seattle, a stronghold of soccer.
Brazil knocks out Haiti, Morocco bounces back
Six days after their draw, Brazil and Morocco, the heavyweights of Group C, got their first win in this World Cup, allowing them to take a big step towards the Round of 16.
Not very exciting against the Atlas Lions, the Seleção, in search of a sixth star, didn’t have to push too hard to beat a Haitian team that was way too weak in Philadelphia, thanks to a double from Matheus Cunha (23rd, 36th) and Vinicius Jr (45+3).Haiti is the first team eliminated from this World Cup. The men of French coach Sébastien Mignié, back 52 years after their first participation in a World Cup in 1974—where they lost all three matches—suffered their second defeat on Friday after the loss against Scotland and are now guaranteed to finish last in their group.
The other match in Group C was overshadowed by French legal news, with a decision from the Versailles Court of Appeal confirming the referral to trial for rape of Achraf Hakimi just hours before kickoff.
The complainant, through her lawyer, saw this decision as a ‘legal victory.’ The PSG defender, who denies the allegations, said on X that he is looking forward to the trial with ‘impatience’ to ‘finally’ be able to speak.”He is very calm,” said his coach Mohamed Ouabhi after Morocco’s 1-0 win against Scotland. “He wanted to have a big game, and he did have a big game.”
Each of his touches, however, was met with whistles from part of the crowd, which didn’t seem to bother him.
Germans, Ivorians, and Swedes close to the goal
With opening wins against Curaçao and Ecuador, the Germans and Ivorians could qualify for the round of 16 as early as Saturday and make a big step toward first place in the group if they win the clash between them in Group E in Toronto.
After the Japanese stumble (2-2), Virgil van Dijk’s Netherlands are under pressure as they face the other favorite in Group F, Sweden with Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres, in Houston—a matchup that feels a bit like the Premier League. A win would qualify the Swedes.The thousand and first
Statistics enthusiasts will be happy to learn that the match on Saturday in Monterrey between Japan and Tunisia will be the 1,000th in World Cup history, which began in Uruguay in 1930.
It will also be the big debut for Frenchman Hervé Renard on the Tunisian bench, just four days after he replaced Sabri Lamouchi, who was fired following the Carthage Eagles’ 5-1 rout against Sweden on Sunday.
