Sports
Can Norway earn first World Cup quarterfinal at Brazil's expense?
June 30, 2026; Arlington, Texas, U.S.; Norway’s Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard celebrate after the match as Norway qualify for the round of 16 stage of the World Cup. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — For the first time in this World Cup, two top-scoring stars meet in a knockout-round encounter when Vinicius Junior’s Brazil face Erling Haaland’s Norway in the round of 16 on Sunday.
Haaland has scored five times in Norway’s first World Cup appearance since 1998. He is tied for third behind Argentina’s Lionel Messi (seven) and France’s Kylian Mbappe (seven). Vinicius Junior was one of several players sitting on four goals.
For Norway, the match also will be arguably the biggest in the Nordic nation’s footballing history — at least since they last faced Brazil at that ‘98 tournament and earned a 2-1 victory in the group finale to book their place in the last 16.
That version of Brazil entered as tournament favorites and rotated its squad after clinching its place in the knockouts. This one is seen by some as eminently beatable, presenting Norway a chance to make national history with a first quarterfinal appearance.
“We need to play the match, not the circumstances,” insisted Norway manager Stole Solbakken. “We need to make sure that we don’t play according to the occasion but that we simply play the match.”
That largely means continuing to do what Norway have done, winning three of their four matches with their lone defeat coming while rotating their squad against France having already secured the last 32.
Haaland scored the late winner in a compelling 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast in the round of 32 in Arlington, Texas, and he’s found the net in all three of his tournament appearances. But while Brazil are synonymous globally with attacking football, Haaland may face the most formidable defensive duo he has seen so far in center backs Gabriel Magalhaes and Marquinhos.
“I think that Brazil has one of the greatest partnerships in the central defense in this World Cup,” Solbakken said. “But it’s, for me, more about Brazil against Norway and not those two against Haaland.”
Norway could be facing a second game without right back Julian Ryerson, but it’s Brazil who carry the more influential injury absence with Lucas Paqueta suffering a hamstring strain during their 2-1 victory over Japan in the round of 32.
That could bring more burden on midfield colleague Bruno Guimaraes, whose four assists rank second in the tournament behind the five of France’s Michael Olise. But the Newcastle United man believes he’s ready.
“The last World Cup was definitely a learning opportunity for me,” the 28-year-old said through an interpreter. “I wasn’t up to the task. I have to be quite honest with you. … But in this World Cup, my mindset is completely different. Again, this is my biggest dream. And I just want to play my best brand of football.”
Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti, the five-time UEFA Champions League winner hired 13 months ago to right what appeared to be a wayward ship, admitted there won’t be a perfect solution for replacing the work Paqueta does in connecting the defense to the attack.
“We do not have anyone else on the team with the same characteristics as Lucas Paqueta, so we’ll have to find someone else,” he said through an interpreter. “I’ll choose the player based on the type of match that we expect, considering obviously the strength of our opponent, because I think that’s something that we always have to take into account. And of course, we need to think about the idea that we want to score against them tomorrow.”
–Ian Nicholas Quillen, Field Level Media
Sports
France's Aurelien Tchouameni not in Starting XI vs. Paraguay
July 3, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.; France’s Aurelien Tchouameni with teammates during training. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images France midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni is out of manager Didier Deschamps’s starting XI for Saturday’s round of 16 clash with Paraguay with a reported groin issue.
Meanwhile, Paraguay will see center back Omar Alderete return to manager Gustavo Alfaro’s back five after missing the round of 32 with a knee injury.
Tchouameni has played in three of France’s four matches, going the full 90 minutes in all three of his appearances. According to French sports newspaper L’Equipe, he left Friday’s training session early.
In the Real Madrid midfielder’s absence, Manu Kone and Adrien Rabiot were manning the double-pivot for Deschamps. Rabiot has played 270 minutes and Kone logged 180. Deschamps has rotated most of his squad during the tournament.
Alderete suffered his injury in Paraguay’s group stage finale against Australia. He missed the dramatic win over Germany on penalties last Monday and had not participated in full team training most of the week, Alfaro said Friday.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Host Mexico looks to make history vs. England
June 30, 2026; Mexico City, Mexico; Mexico’s Julian Quinones is thrown in the air in celebration by teammates after the match as Mexico qualify for the round of 16 stage of the World Cup. Mandatory Credit: Eloisa Sanchez-Reuters via Imagn Images A plethora of challenges face England as they battle host Mexico on Sunday night in what will surely be a raucous atmosphere at Mexico City.
The World Cup group of 16 match will be played at 7,200-foot altitude in possible treacherous weather that nearly led to the match being pushed up six hours.
There also is fear of not getting a good night’s sleep as Mexico fans staged a crazy noisy scene complete with fireworks outside Ecuador’s hotel the night before Mexico’s 2-0 victory on Tuesday.
Then there’s this: Mexico’s national squad is 70-2-17 all-time at Estadio Azteca since it opened in 1966.
“It is maybe one of the most beautiful fixtures, the most exciting fixtures that you can have, to play against Mexico in the Azteca,” England coach Thomas Tuchel said. “And there will be a lot of obstacles waiting for us, not to mention the altitude will be, of course, a big disadvantage because we cannot physically adapt to it in four days. It’s just impossible.”
England is coming off a tightly-contested 2-1 win over DR Congo on Wednesday in Atlanta. The Three Lions are taking aim at reaching at least the quarterfinals for the third straight World Cup.
Mexico have their sights on reaching the quarterfinals for just the third time. They also advanced that far in 1970 and 1986.
But after outscoring opponents 8-0 over four World Cup matches, El Tri are optimistic the familiar surroundings can be the deciding asset.
“It’s a match everyone dreamed of — facing England in the Round of 16 in this stadium,” Mexico midfielder Alvaro Fidalgo said. “It’s probably one of the biggest games we are ever going to experience as players. We know they have good players; we know how they play. Their midfield is highly physical, above all. They have great players in every position. They are going to be great opponents.”
The Mexico defense will have to be keenly aware of Harry Kane’s whereabouts at all times.
The English star forward has scored five goals in this World Cup, tied for third with Norway star Erling Haaland entering play on Saturday. Argentina’s Lionel Messi leads the way with seven and France’s Kylian Mbappe is second with six.
Kane is aware the pursuit of victories only gets tougher the deeper you advance in the World Cup. He said it’s time for the club to dig down deep.
“There are still things to work on for sure and these rounds are just about getting through,” Kane said. “We are in the part of the tournament when you have to grind wins out, and that’s what we have done.”
Midfielder Jude Bellingham (two goals, one assist) is also enjoying a strong tournament.
Mexico doesn’t have a megastar like Kane but forwards Julian Quinones (three goals, one assist), Raul Jimenez (two goals) and Roberto Alvarado (three assists) are leading El Tri’s strong run.
“Our team is complete and competitive,” Quinones said. “We know what our goal is and we believe we can do it.”
Mexico coach Javier Aguirre sharply criticized officials on Friday for considering moving up the time so he’s surely happy that the night-time kickoff stayed put.
But Tuchel and his club still need to worry about getting some sleep on Saturday night amid a possible loud congregation.
“We will expect that but what can we do?” said Tuchel, indicating earplugs will be part of the sleeping regimen.
The winner faces either Brazil or Norway in the quarterfinals.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Twins blast 6 HRs, as Yankees continue skid
Jul 4, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; Minnesota Twins designated hitter Josh Bell (56) hits a two run home run in the eighth inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images Kody Clemens lifted a three-run homer with nobody out in the first inning for the Minnesota Twins, who raced out to a six-run lead and hit six homers in their 11-4 victory over the host New York Yankees on Saturday afternoon.
On a 95-degree day, the Twins hit three of their homers off New York rookie spot starter Brendan Beck.
Clemens homered for the fifth time in eight games when he followed a walk by Trevor Larnach and a double by Byron Buxton with a drive to right-center off Beck’s full-count slider.
Luke Keaschall and Alex Jackson hit back-to-back homers in the second. Keaschall slugged a 2-2 fastball to right-center and Jackson ripped a 2-2 slider into the left field seats.
Larnach hit a 2-1 sinker into the right field seats off Tim Hill in the fourth. Josh Bell homered in consecutive at-bats to left off Ryan Yarbrough and Camilo Doval in the seventh and eighth.
Minnesota won for the eighth time in its past 11 road games and hit six homers for the first time since Sept 4, 2023. The Twins also slugged six homers against the Yankees for the second time in franchise history and first instance since June 26, 2016.
Minnesota starter Zebby Matthews exited with two outs in the fifth because of a lacerated right foot. He exited following a walk to Ben Rice and allowed four runs on three hits in 4 2/3 innings.
Taylor Rogers (4-3) worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth and was awarded the win.
Jasson Dominguez hit a solo homer in the fourth, and Max Schuemann hit a two-run homer in the fifth. Cody Bellinger added an RBI double in the fifth but the Yankees lost for the eighth time in nine games and allowed six homers for the first time since Aug. 15, 2019 against Cleveland.
Beck was promoted from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre to fill in for Carlos Rodon (left elbow inflammation) and allowed five runs on five hits in 3 2/3 innings.
–Field Level Media
France's Aurelien Tchouameni not in Starting XI vs. Paraguay
Host Mexico looks to make history vs. England
