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HOUSTON — Cristiano Ronaldo said facing Lionel Messi‘s Argentina in a World Cup knockout-stage showdown “would be awesome” after scoring twice in Portugal‘s 5-0 win over Uzbekistan on Tuesday. Ronaldo, 41 — who had struggled in Portugal’s opening draw with Congo DR in Group K — scored with just six minutes played in Houston, and added a second before halftime, either side of a Nuno Mendes free kick. – Ronaldo…

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ — Kalidou Koulibaly acknowledged he was culpable for Senegal‘s 3-2 FIFA World Cup defeat by Norway at the MetLife Stadium on Monday, which leaves their prospects of reaching the knockouts hanging by a thread. Having appeared sluggish in Senegal’s opening 3-1 loss against France, Koulibaly ensured a disastrous outing against Norway, where he was directly at fault for two goals during another listless display as the Teranga…

ATLANTA — Paraguay midfielder Miguel Almirón has been given a one-match suspension after he was the first player to be sent off at the World Cup for covering his mouth in a game against Türkiye. FIFA confirmed on Tuesday that Almiron will miss Paraguay’s final group game against Australia on Thursday. World soccer’s governing body said the decision was not subject to appeal. Almiron made history when he was issued…

ATLANTA — Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi has said his team will fear no one in the knockout rounds and insisted they have already shown what they are capable of at this World Cup by drawing with Brazil. Morocco are on course to seal a place in the last-32 ahead of their final group game against Haiti in Atlanta on Wednesday. With Group C and Group F paired together in the…

France coach Didier Deschamps will not be on the touchline for Les Bleus’ final World Cup group game against Norway on Friday after the death of his mother, the French Football Federation (FFF) said Tuesday. The FFF said Deschamps learned of his mother’s death on Tuesday morning and that he is going back to France to attend her funeral. “At this incredibly painful time, we wish the head coach great…

With their spot already guaranteed into the knockout rounds, Mexico players were in full support of a possible historic start for goalkeeping icon Guillermo “Memo” Ochoa against Czechia in their World Cup group stage finale on Wednesday. Ochoa, 40, was named to Mexico’s squad for a sixth World Cup, joining players such as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in that milestone. However, unlike Messi and Ronaldo, Ochoa has yet to…

Senegal goalkeeper Édouard Mendy will undergo examinations on a suspected ligament injury through Tuesday and Wednesday, said Teranga Lions captain Kalidou Koulibaly. Speaking after the side’s 3-2 loss to Norway on Monday night, Koulibably sharing that the fitness setback suffered by their stopper impacted the African champions mentally in Monday’s defeat by Erling Haaland and co. Mendy was replaced, in some discomfort, by backup keeper Mory Diaw in the 63rd…

The Iran national team can enter the United States a day earlier than they were allowed to in previous World Cup matches, the Department of Homeland Security told ABC News on Tuesday. “For the Iranian team’s third match in Seattle on June 26, the team has been permitted to come into the U.S. two days before the match,” a DHS spokesperson told ABC News. “The Iran team will still be…