Australia put on a defensive masterclass as they beat Türkiye 2-0 in Vancouver in the final opening Group D match.
All eyes were on Türkiye's talisman Arda Güler, but it was Australia's youthful attack that stole the show.
Nestory Irankunda became Australia's youngest World Cup goalscorer when the 20-year-old opened the scoring in the 27th minute with a composed finish after the Socceroos launched a swift counterattack.
Türkiye, appearing at the World Cup for the first time since 2002, enjoyed the overwhelming bulk of possession throughout the game, but were unable to turn it into goals.
Connor Metcalfe's strike 15 minutes from time sealed victory for Australia and gave them the perfect start to their World Cup campaign.
“Proud to be here as head coach, to experience this, to put a smile on these people's faces who have travelled so far to support us. I'm just happy for a wonderful young group of men,” Tony Popovic said.
Star player Vinícius Júnior helped Brazil salvage a 1-1 draw against Morocco after a shaky start to their Group C opener.
A thunderous strike from the Real Madrid forward levelled the game in the 32nd minute after Morocco's Ismael Saibari had lifted the ball over the onrushing Alisson Becker to open the scoring 11 minutes earlier.
After reaching the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup, Morocco carried their impressive form into this tournament by dominating Brazil during the opening half-hour.
The game at New York New Jersey Stadium drew a star-studded crowd, including former NFL star Tom Brady, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and rapper Travis Scott.
The hosts of the last World Cup, Qatar, scored a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser against Switzerland to claim their first-ever point at a World Cup finals.
Boualem Khoukhi headed home in the 94th minute to cancel out Breel Embolo's first-half penalty.
The match was largely one-sided and Switzerland will be disappointed not to have put away their earlier chances.
“I told them that even if we hadn't scored the goal and didn't draw I would have been proud of the mentality and discipline that they showed today,” said Qatar's Spanish head coach Julen Lopetegui.
Scotland opened their Group C campaign with a 1-0 win over Haiti thanks to a first-half goal from John McGinn.
It was Scotland's first opening victory at a major tournament since 1982.
With Morocco and Brazil still to come in the group, victory was crucial if Steve Clarke's side are to reach the knockout stages for the first time.
“It doesn't happen very often. When you're told it's a must-win game and you win it, then the players deserve a lot of credit for that. They deserve to be the team that's finally got another win on the board in the World Cup,” Clarke said.
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As the 2026 Fifa World Cup tournament draws to a close, there’s much to anticipate and yet so much to look back at.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 16th of July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Defending champions Argentina came from behind with two late goals to beat England 2-1 on Wednesday, booking their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final where they will face Spain.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 15th of July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced the reimposition of a U.S. naval blockade on all Iranian ports and warned that power plants and bridges could be targeted next week unless Tehran returns to negotiations.
The United States carried out a third consecutive night of airstrikes against Iran, targeting military capabilities around the Strait of Hormuz as Donald Trump announced the reinstatement of a blockade on Iranian shipping and proposed a 20% fee on cargo passing through the strategic waterway.
The U.S. military announced that it has completed a new wave of strikes against Iranian military targets under U.S. President Donald Trump's orders. The operation targeted command centres, air defence systems, missile and drone facilities, and coastal surveillance sites across multiple locations.
The death toll from the fire at a live music pub in Bangkok has climbed to 32 after two more victims died from their injuries, according to Thailand's Police Hospital.
Ukraine and Russia exchanged fresh attacks on Tuesday, with Kyiv targeting shipping and energy infrastructure inside Russia while Moscow launched another large-scale missile and drone assault on Ukrainian cities.
As the 2026 Fifa World Cup tournament draws to a close, there’s much to anticipate and yet so much to look back at.
Defending champions Argentina came from behind with two late goals to beat England 2-1 on Wednesday, booking their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final where they will face Spain.
Spain booked their place in the World Cup final with a composed 2-0 victory over France on Tuesday, ending the hopes of the tournament favourites and moving within one match of a second World Cup title.
Argentina and England will meet in a blockbuster World Cup semi-final after both sides came through gripping quarter-final ties that were settled in extra time.
South Africa international midfielder Jayden Adams, who helped Bafana Bafana reach the knockout stages of the 2026 FIFA World Cup for the first time, has died at the age of 25.
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