The World Cup is the most-watched sporting event in the world, and it’s in full swing with the Round of 16 underway.
The United States is ready to play in the Round of 16 on Monday against Belgium after beating Bosnia-Herzegovina in the Round of 32 on Wednesday, 2-0. America is making its fourth Round of 16 appearance since 2000 with the win. It’s the first time the United States has won three World Cup games in the same tournament, and it’s only the second time America has won a knockout game.
It looked like the United States would be without one of its best players, forward Folarin Balogun, who was sent off with a red card in the 64th minute. However, Balogun’s 1-game suspension was overruled by FIFA, allowing him to play in the Round of 16.
But what’s going on with the rest of the World Cup? There are plenty of important games for bettors, fans and interested viewers looking to learn more about the beautiful game. The knockout games have been fantastic. The first five games of the Round of 32 were decided by a goal or less, with two of the games going to penalty kicks.
More recently, Argentina survived a massive upset against Cape Verde in one of the last games of the Round of 32. Morocco and France began the Round of 16 with wins to advance to the quarterfinals.
Every couple of days, there will be a non-USA World Cup roundup recapping the tournament. This is the eighth installment of that series.
Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
What happened: Egypt struck first in the 13th minute. A short cross came in from the right side toward the back post, where Emam Ashour was waiting. He delivered a diving header into the lower left corner to give Egypt a 1-0 lead.
Australia avoided going down 2-0 in the first half and equalized the match early in the second half. The Aussies had a free kick from the left side that was curled into the 18-yard box with a crowd of Egyptian and Australian players. The ball found the back of the net thanks to an own goal, with the header coming from the back of an Egyptian player. The match was level at 1-1 in the 55th minute.
Both squads had good looks at taking the lead, including a phenomenal stop by the Australian keeper on a header from close range in the second half. But after two periods of extra time, the match went to penalty kicks to decide the winner.
Australia’s first attempt was blasted over the goal, while Egypt finished into the left side of the net for the 1-0 PK lead. Both teams made their next two kicks and Egypt led going into the fourth kicks, 3-2. But Australia’s next kick was too high and hit the crossbar, and Egypt finished its fourth in the lower left corner for the 4-2 win.
Ramifications: Egypt advanced to the Round of 16 with the win and will play Argentina on Tuesday. Australia’s World Cup is over.
Where: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
What happened: One of soccer’s great players of all time gave Argentina the early lead. Lionel Messi timed his run perfectly as a ball was played over the top from the midfield. Messi controlled the ball beautifully deep on the right side and hit the ball over the keeper and into the roof of the net from close range. Argentina led 1-0 in the 29th minute.
Cape Verde, which was a massive underdog to win before the game started, had the surprising equalizer in the 59th minute. Cape Verde moved the ball inside the box and found Deroy Duarte deep on the right side. He placed his shot around his defender, across the goal and into the lower left corner for the equalizer.
Neither team could score before the end of the second half, so the game went into extra time. Argentina took the lead early in extra time on a corner kick. The ball was swung in from the left side and headed to the far post where Lisandro Martínez was waiting. He had time to settle the ball before firing it into the top of the goal from close range for the 2-1 Argentina lead in the 92nd minute.
Cape Verde had the response in the 103rd minute. Sidny Lopes Cabral had one of the goals of the tournament, taking a touch inside the top left corner of the box and curling the ball into the top right corner for the 2-2 tie. Argentina’s goalkeeper didn’t move and Lopes Cabral’s teammates couldn’t believe it.
Argentina got the best of Cape Verde in the 111th minute for the 3-2 lead and eventual victory. Messi played a cross into the box and Cape Verde’s Diney Borges headed the ball into his own net for the own goal.
Ramifications: Argentina and Messi survive the upset and are alive to repeat as World-Cup champions. Argentina will play Egypt in the Round of 16 on Tuesday. Cape Verde’s excellent tournament is over.
Where: GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
What happened: Colombia took the lead early in the first half. A beautiful cross was played from the right side to the far post. Jhon Arias was waiting and had a beautiful one-touch finish into the lower right corner. Columbia led 1-0 in the 14th minute.
The South American squad continued to create chances, including one that ended with the ball in the back of the net. A cross from the right side ended up in a sliding goal on the left side, but the goal scorer was called offside. Columbia should’ve scored two or three goals with its 8-0 shots on goal advantage and 61% of the possession, but Columbia came away victorious.
Ramifications: Colombia wrapped up the Round of 32 and advanced to take on Switzerland in the Round of 16 on Tuesday.
Where: NRG Stadium, Houston
What happened: Canada was the aggressor early in the game, putting the Morocco goalkeeper and defense on its heels, but Morocco did enough to keep the match at 0-0 going into the second half.
Morocco found the back of the net in the 50th minute to take a 1-0 lead. Morocco had a free kick deep on the right side, and the ball was played to Azzedine Ounahi, who took a one-touch shot on the ground, through the crowd and into the lower right corner of the net from about 20 yards out.
Ounahi found the back of the net again in the 82nd minute on a counterattack. He was played a short pass and finished from about 15 yards out into the top right corner. Soufiane Rahimi nearly scored on a header that hit the crossbar, but he found the back of the net on another Moroccan counterattack. This time he finished from the left side into the lower right corner.
Ramifications: Morocco advanced to the quarterfinals to play France on Thursday. Canada’s best World Cup in its history is over, and Canada becomes the first host nation to be eliminated.
Where: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
What happened: France dominated Paraguay, but couldn’t find the back of the net, despite creating a ton of chances. But France’s Désiré Doué tried to dribble his way to the goal in the box, but he was fouled, giving France a penalty kick.
Superstar forward Kylian Mbappé took the penalty for France in the 70th minute and converted into the lower right corner for a 1-0 lead. Mbappé had two other great chances late in the match, but despite controlling 76% of possession and having a 5-1 shots on goal advantage, the French squad left the pitch after a 1-0 victory.
Ramifications: France, one of the pre-tournament favorites, advanced to the quarterfinals, where it will play Morocco on Thursday. Paraguay’s tournament is over.