Spain's Dominant Start Fueled by Laine Yamal
Laine Yamal injected vital energy into Spain’s offense as the favorites launched their World Cup campaign with a commanding victory over Saudi Arabia.
This was exactly the way the coach would have wished it. Lamine Yamal scoring 10 minutes into his first start since suffering a hamstring injury in April. Mikel Oyarzabal adding two more in the first “quarter”, Marc Cucurella forcing the fourth on 49, victory secured so early that De la Fuente could withdraw those players who needed protecting and give minutes to those that needed them, Mikel Merino and Nico Williams invited to join the party too. Unai Simón was the last to arrive, not making a significant save until the 80th minute.
Ben Fisher’s Report: Belgium and Iran Keep Campaigns Alive
Ben Fisher provides a detailed account from Los Angeles where Belgium and Iran each maintained their hopes in a match filled with dramatic moments. The result leaves Group G wide open, with all four teams still capable of advancing to the knockout stage on the final day.
There was simply no debate over the moment of the match and it is one that Iran will cherish, even more so if they are to progress to the World Cup knockout stage for the first time. Every angle of Alireza Beiranvand’s preposterous save to prevent Belgium taking the lead approaching the hour adds to the miraculous nature of it all. Perhaps the most ludicrous element was that Beiranvand had seesawed to his left in an attempt to intercept Kevin De Bruyne’s rolled cross into the six-yard box and yet, scrambling on the turf, stuck out a left glove to shut the door in the face of Maxim De Cuyper. Belgium finished with 10 men after Nathan Ngoy was sent off for hauling down Mehdi Taremi.
If Iran advance to the last 32, they will surely reflect on Beiranvand’s divine intervention. De Bruyne shone intermittently, notably when he expertly controlled Leandro Trossard’s lifted pass on the byline. Beiranvand was determined to reach De Bruyne’s cross before Romelu Lukaku, who by starting became Belgium’s third-most capped player. Ultimately, Ali Nemati blocked the cross, legs spread as Beiranvand denied De Cuyper. Iran’s belief remains strong. Meanwhile, Belgium, who exited at the group stage four years ago, find themselves in a precarious position.
Live Coverage Introduction: New Zealand vs Egypt at Vancouver Stadium
Welcome to live coverage of New Zealand versus Egypt from Vancouver Stadium. Kick-off for this Group G encounter is scheduled for 6pm local time (9pm EDT/2am BST/11am AEST).
Historically, only Honduras have played more World Cup matches (nine) without a win than Egypt (eight) and New Zealand (seven). Both teams nearly broke their winless streaks in their opening matches, with the Pharaohs and the All Whites showing promise.
Ranked 85th globally by FIFA, New Zealand enter the finals as the lowest-ranked team on paper. However, their performance in the opening match was encouraging, with Chris Wood excelling as a target man, using his physicality with his back to goal to help his team establish presence in midfield. As underdogs in every match, coach Darren Bazeley is unlikely to overcomplicate his approach.
Egypt, conversely, focused heavily on defense in their match against Belgium, employing double and triple marking on Jeremy Doku to neutralize Belgium’s key threat. This evening, they must shift focus to offense if they are to fulfill the expectations tied to their seven Africa Cup of Nations titles.
With the earlier Group G match ending in a draw, both teams understand that a victory tonight could produce a historic outcome.
I will return shortly with team news and a summary of all matchday developments. Meanwhile, you can follow Cape Verde’s impressive tournament debut as they challenge Uruguay. Feel free to share your World Cup thoughts by emailing jonathan.howcroft.freelance@the.com.
