Xuân Đăng, Thanh Hà

Egypt win in World Cup knockout round debut 

Egypt made history reaching the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 for the first time after defeating Australia 4-2 on penalties following a 1-1 draw after extra time on July 4 at the Dallas Stadium, in Arlington, US.

Egypt's forward Mohamed Salah (centre) fights for the ball with Australian players. AFP/VNA Photos

Egypt, who were making their debut in the knockout round of the World Cup, went ahead in the 13th minute.

Mohamed Salah tapped a free kick to his right for Emam Ashour, to shoot from a tight angle. His effort was blocked but the ball broke to Karim Hafez whose cross found  Ashour in acres of space to head home.

After the break Australia piled on the pressure and levelled in the 55th minute when Mohamed Hany headed into his own net.

The two teams were all square in rest of the match and 30 minutes of extra time. 

Egypt scored all four of their spot kicks while Harry Souttar and Lucas Herrington missed attempts for Australia.

Egypt will next play Argentina in the last 16 match on July 7 in Atlanta.

Argentina edge brave Cape Verde after extra time

Defending champions Argentina survived a major scare before edging World Cup debutants Cape Verde 3-2 after extra time to reach the FIFA World Cup 2026 last 16.

Lionel Messi scored his 20th World Cup goal as Argentina eventually ended Cape Verde's remarkable fairytale, setting up a last-16 meeting with Egypt in Atlanta.

Argentina defender Cristian Romero (centre) heads Lionel Messi's corner, with the ball deflecting off Cape Verde defender Diney Borges for an own goal that sealed Argentina's 3-2 extra-time victory in their FIFA. AFP/VNA Photo

The defending champions made the brighter start and took the lead through Messi in the first half. The Argentina captain controlled Lisandro Martínez's pass superbly before lifting his finish beyond Vozinha for his 20th World Cup goal, his seventh strike in four matches at the tournament and an eighth consecutive World Cup game on the scoresheet.

Cape Verde again showed why they had been one of the tournament's biggest surprises. Deroy Duarte fired home in the 60th minute after being picked out by Ryan Mendes, forcing the match into extra time.

The drama continued after the restart as Lisandro Martínez restored Argentina's advantage two minutes into extra time. However, Sidny Lopes Cabral responded in the 103rd minute with a stunning effort into the top corner to level the score once more.

Argentina finally found the winner in the 111th minute. Messi's in swinging corner was met by Cristian Romero, with the ball taking a decisive deflection off defender Diney Borges and into his own net to seal a hard-fought 3-2 victory.

Head coach Lionel Scaloni admitted his side had been pushed to their limits in his 100th match in charge.

"It would have been madness" to lose, Scaloni said after the final whistle.

"It was a very tough match. This team never gives up. We have to congratulate our opponents because they proved once again there are no easy teams at this World Cup."

Cape Verde coach Bubista had described the tie as "the game of our lives", and his players lived up to that billing with another fearless display that left Argentina under pressure until the closing seconds.

Goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez preserved the victory with a crucial late save to deny Lopes Cabral after another powerful effort, allowing Argentina to breathe a sigh of relief and continue their title defence.

Colombia edge Ghana to claim final last 16 place

Colombia secured the final place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 last 16 after edging Ghana 1-0 in a bruising Round of 32 encounter on Friday (local time).

Jhon Arias scored the only goal of the match in the 14th minute to send the South Americans through after a contest disrupted by injuries, heavy challenges and frequent fouls.

Colombia's Jhon Arias (right) fires past Ghana goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi to score the only goal in Colombia's 1-0 victory in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 in Kansas City. AFP/VNA Photo

The game began at a lively pace before both sides suffered early setbacks. Colombia striker Jhon Córdoba was forced off after picking up an injury during a physical challenge, while Ghana defender Marvin Senaya also had to leave the pitch following a collision with Luis Díaz.

Colombia quickly turned adversity into an advantage. In the 14th minute, Luis Suárez surged down the right flank and delivered a pinpoint cross that evaded the Ghana defence, allowing Arias to finish unmarked from close range.

The early goal handed Colombia control of the match as they dictated possession with their trademark technical play. While captain James Rodríguez struggled to make an impact and was substituted at half-time, Díaz proved a constant threat down the left wing.

The Bayern Munich winger thought he had doubled Colombia's lead in the 57th minute, only for the effort to be ruled out for offside.

Ghana struggled to create clear-cut chances and relied heavily on goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi to keep the scoreline close. The shot-stopper produced a string of impressive saves to deny Johan Mojica, Díaz and Davinson Sánchez as Colombia searched for a second goal.

The contest grew increasingly physical in the closing stages, with repeated fouls and confrontations disrupting the flow of the game. Referee Clément Turpin was kept busy as he attempted to calm tempers between the two sides.

Ghana introduced Fatawu Issahaku and Ernest Nuamah in the second half in an attempt to revive their attack, but Colombia's disciplined defence stood firm.

After eight minutes of stoppage time, the final whistle confirmed Colombia's narrow victory and secured the last remaining place in the Round of 16, where the South Americans will continue their bid for a first World Cup title. VNS