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Arab teams at World Cup 2026: Saudi Arabia and Iraq knocked out after last game in the group stage

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia exited the World Cup at the group stage for the third tournament in a row, after a goalless draw with Cabo Verde at Houston Stadium on Friday. Cape Verde (0-0-3, 3 points) are now the smallest nation ever to reach the second phase, finishing second in the group above Saudi Arabia (0-1-2, 2 points) and Uruguay (0-1-2, 2 points), who lost 1-0 in Friday night’s other group game to Spain (2-0-1, 7 points). Saudi Arabia failed to advance for a sixth consecutive World Cup appearance after reaching the last 16 in their maiden tournament in 1994. Before Friday, Ghana and Ukraine were the last tournament debutants to progress from their group in 2006. Nuno ‌da Costa ran onto a throughball over the top from ‌in his own half, drove at two Saudi defenders, then laid the ball to his right into the path of Laros Duarte’s surging run. Goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais charged off his line and kept Duarte’s first-time effort out just barely with his ‌trailing leg. Cape Verde continued to threaten through da Costa in particular.

Dembele hat-trick as France swat Norway, Senegal stay alive

LOS ANGELES: Ousmane Dembele scored a first-half hat-trick as France powered past Norway 4-1 to clinch top spot in World Cup Group I on Friday as Senegal kept their hopes of a last-32 spot alive with a thumping victory over Iraq.Paris Saint-Germain’s reigning Ballon D’Or winner Dembele scored in the 7th, 20th and 32nd minutes as France maintained their 100 percent start to the tournament with another dazzling attacking display.The pre-match hype around Friday’s game at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, outside Boston, had focused on a duel between France striker Kylian Mbappe and Norwegian counterpart Erling Haaland.But that much-anticipated showdown never materialized after Norway opted to leave Manchester City star Haaland on the bench.Instead it was left to Dembele to grab center-stage from team-mate Mbappe, in a potent example of France’s fearsome offensive arsenal.Norway, who needed a win to leapfrog France into first place, threatened a comeback when Thelo Aasgaard scored after 21 minutes.But Dembele’s third goal restored France’s two-goal cushion, and although Jorgen Strand Larsen missed a penalty in the 50th minute for Norway, the 2022 World Cup runners-up never looked like surrendering control.Dembele’s PSG team-mate Desire Doue bagged France’s fourth in stoppage time to complete the scoring.Dembele later played down the significance of his quick-fire hat-trick, turning his attention to the bigger challenges awaiting in the knockout rounds.“It’s a unique and important moment for me but I preferred my performances against Senegal or Iraq,” Dembele said.“I think I was much more influential in those games.

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Iraq Sport News

Arab teams at World Cup 2026: Saudi Arabia and Iraq knocked out after last game in the group stage

Dembele hat-trick as France swat Norway, Senegal stay alive

10-man Iraq depart World Cup after 5-0 drubbing by Senegal

Iraq should be proud of World Cup display despite early exit, says coach Arnold

Senegal's quiet man Sarr becomes his nation's leading World Cup scorer

Gueye double helps five-star Senegal keep World Cup hopes alive and send Iraq home

Senegal coach says team can improve after 5-0 mauling of Iraq

Ousmane Dembélé's first-half hat trick sees France win group - ESPN