Q-final: France 2-0 Morocco

Fri, 10 Jul, 2026

Q-final: France 2-0 Morocco

Foxborough: Kylian Mbappe recovered from having a first-half penalty saved to score a magnificent opener that set France on their way to a 2-0 win over Morocco in their FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-final showdown on Thursday.

Mbappe's weak spot-kick was easily saved by Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, but he made up for that by producing a brilliant curling finish to make it 1-0 on the hour mark.

That was Mbappe's eighth goal at the tournament, moving him level again with Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Boot, before he came off late on and watched the final minutes with an ice pack around his right ankle.

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Preview - Q-final: Spain v Belgium

Thu, 09 Jul, 2026

Preview - Q-final: Spain v Belgium

Inglewood: Belgium meet Spain in the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-finals on Friday with the daunting task of breaching the European champions' watertight defence for the first time at the tournament.

In beating Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal 1-0 on Monday, Luis de la Fuente's men became the first team in history to record six consecutive FIFA World Cup clean sheets.

Spain have not shown the attacking flair of France but they are playing the careful, possession-based football that took them to glory in South Africa in 2010.

Team effort keeping opposition at bay, says Spain keeper Garcia

Fri, 10 Jul, 2026

Team effort keeping opposition at bay, says Spain keeper Garcia

Los Angeles: Spain's run to the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-finals has been built on a tournament record run without conceding a goal, a fact goalkeeper Joan Garcia said comes down to the whole team's willingness to defend.

Garcia has enjoyed a meteoric rise from playing in Spain's second division two years ago to being Barcelona's number one, but he has had to watch from the sidelines during the tournament as Luis de la Fuente has kept faith with Unai Simon.

England's Quansah handed two-game ban

Fri, 10 Jul, 2026

England's Quansah handed two-game ban

Miami: England defender Jarell Quansah will miss Saturday's FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-final against Norway, and the last four should the Three Lions progress, after being handed a two-game ban by FIFA.

Quansah was shown a straight red card against Mexico in the last 16, but only after a VAR review.

Rogers backs Kane to outshine Haaland in showdown

Thu, 09 Jul, 2026

Rogers backs Kane to outshine Haaland in showdown

Kansas City: England's Morgan Rogers backed Harry Kane to come out on top when he faces Norway's Erling Haaland in an enticing battle between the FIFA World Cup 2026 sharpshooters on Saturday.

The forwards, who will meet in the quarter-finals in Miami, are among the frontrunners in a thrilling race for the tournament's Golden Boot award, along with Lionel Messi and France's Kylian Mbappe.

Aston Villa forward Rogers admitted Manchester City's Haaland, who has scored seven goals so far, was almost impossible to stop.

Messi magic masks familiar penalty frailty

Thu, 09 Jul, 2026

Messi magic masks familiar penalty frailty

Atlanta: Lionel Messi once retired from international football after blasting a penalty into the American sky to lose a Copa America final 10 years ago.

A decade on, Messi's problems from the spot persist on US soil, but his magic is more than masking that flaw as he continues to lead the Argentina quest for FIFA World Cup glory at the age of 39.

The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner's latest penalty miss left the world champions staring at a shock exit to Egypt in the last 16 on Tuesday.

Either side of seeing his spot-kick saved by Mostafa Shobeir, goals from Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Ziko put Egypt into a 2-0 lead with just 11 minutes remaining.