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MIAMI, July 2 : Coach Bubista said Cape Verde's fearless approach to their first World Cup would not change against Argentina on Friday with the African outsiders focused only on getting through to the last 16 at the expense of the reigning world champions.
July 2 : For a country that has long worshipped the collective, Spain are discovering the delicious awkwardness of having an 18-year-old who keeps making individual brilliance look like a team principle, with Lamine Yamal shining as they beat Austria 3-0.
MIAMI, July 2 : Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni struck a measured and respectful tone on Thursday ahead of his side's World Cup last-32 clash against Cape Verde, rejecting suggestions that the tournament debutants would be easy opponents for the reigning champions.
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LOS ANGELES: European champions Spain cruised into the last 16 of the World Cup on Thursday with a dominant 3-0 win over Austria to set up a potential showdown with Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal. Two goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and a Pedro Porro header sealed victory for the Spaniards, who produced their most complete performance of the tournament to advance to the next round. Spain opened their World Cup campaign with a faltering 0-0 draw against Cape Verde, but have subsequently built momentum with each match. With Spanish movie stars Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem in the 70,492 crowd at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium on Thursday, Spain were always in control against a limited Austrian side who failed to register a single shot on goal. Oyarzabal fired Spain into the lead in the 36th minute, sweeping in a low finish to crown a slick passing move, and more deft inter-play set up Porro to head home the second in the 66th minute. Real Sociedad striker Oyarzabal grabbed his second in the 89th minute, coolly tucking away a low finish from Marc Cucurella’s pinpoint cross.
MIAMI: Few imagined that three years after making the move to Miami, Lionel Messi would be leading Argentina’s charge to defend the title and smashing records at his sixth World Cup. The 39-year-old returns to the Florida city he now calls home for a last 32 clash against the surprise package of the tournament Cape Verde on Friday after scoring six times in the group stages. In doing so Messi became the all-time top scorer in World Cup history with 19 and is on a record seven-game scoring streak in the competition. Many believed the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner was headed for semi-retirement when he swapped top level European football for Major League Soccer after ending his long to wait to win the World Cup in Qatar. But Messi has defied expectations, both with his impact on soccer Stateside and his ability to continue deciding games at international level. Inter Miami, co-owned by David Beckham and only formed in 2018, had never won a trophy prior to his arrival. Messi’s arrival instantly made one of MLS’s newest franchises a go-to destination for European stars. Aided by his former Barcelona teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, Messi led Inter to victory in the Leagues Cup, a knockout competition between clubs in the MLS, Mexican and Canadian leagues, in his first season. Last year Messi and Miami went one better in securing the club’s first MLS title.
Spain and Austria meet in their 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 match on Thursday, July 2, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. ET from Los Angeles Stadium.
LOS ANGELES: European champions Spain and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal aim to book their places in the last 16 of the World Cup on Thursday as Algeria look to salvage some pride for African football. Spain take on Austria in Los Angeles, where a win will keep them on course for a potential meeting with Portugal in the next round. Portugal play Croatia in Toronto in a game that could mark the final career World Cup match for either Ronaldo or his former Real Madrid team-mate and veteran Croatian midfielder Luka Modric. The late match sees Algeria aim to revive African fortunes after a rocky start to the knockout rounds for teams from the continent. Ivory Coast, Senegal and the Democratic Republic of Congo have all fallen at the first knock-out hurdle in the last 32 after advancing from the group stage. Algeria, who squeezed into the last 32 with a thrilling 3-3 draw against Austria on Saturday, face Switzerland in Vancouver. After arriving at the World Cup as one of the favorites, Spain have made a relatively low-key start to the tournament. A shock 0-0 draw with Cape Verde was followed by a 4-0 rout of Saudi Arabia before an attritional victory over Uruguay. But Spain coach Luis de la Fuente maintains his team are on an upward curve and are exactly where they want to be as they reach the business end of the tournament. “This squad is used to breaking records and overcoming rough patches; we are determined to keep moving forward,” De la Fuente said on Wednesday. “From the time we arrived here up to the Uruguay match, we’ve seen the team begin to regain the automatic movements and patterns they had in the past. Now we have to deliver; there is no margin for error.”