World Cup 2026 Live Updates, Scores, Highlights and News for July 2

The last thing Algeria could afford to do was the first thing they did after halftime: concede a second goal via some really casual defending.

Dan Ndoye took advantage when he finished off a 46th-minute chance to double the lead and more or less put the game to bed.

His opportunity came after Algeria twice failed to deal with pressure in their own end, first getting caught off guard by Denis Zakaria's backpress, then driving a poorly angled clearance attempt directly to Ndoye's feet.

While it was certainly a painful moment for everyone in Algeria (and Lawrence, Kansas), it was also a useful demonstration of this Swiss side's strengths.

Algeria arguably worked more consistently into dangerous positions over 90 minutes and held a slight advantage in possession. But the Swiss were far superior in generating real danger from their chances, creating 2.54 expected goals from their 11 shot attempts and five efforts on target.

In the bigger picture, this is yet another loss for Africa after the success of the group stage. Of the six knockout qualifiers that have already played, only Morocco have progressed. And of the three who play in Friday's final day of round of 32 fixtures, only Egypt will be favored in their match with Australia.

Switzerland will get the winner of Colombia vs. Ghana next. And you have to like their chances against either on this evidence.

Well that didn't take long. Algeria has a mountain to climb.

It was a choppy first half, but Johan Manzambi continued making his case for the World Cup's FIFA Young Player Award with his exceptional work down the left wing to set up Breel Embolo's opening goal.

The 20-year-old Manzambi has now scored three goals and assisted two more for a Swiss side that is arguably the most underrated team in the tournament. And that's despite beginning the tournament on the outside of Murat Yakin's starting XI, only to earn his way into the side after his heroics in a 4-1 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Algeria aren't out of this by any means. They struggled for a bit in the aftermath of Embolo's opener against the run of play, but had a strong finish to the half and certainly look capable of finding a leveler.

Manzambi that assist though

Winner plays Ghana or Colombia

Vancouver hosts final Round of 32 game on Thursday.

The end for Croatia's Golden Generation. Cristiano Ronaldo lives another day.

Roberto Martinez bravely took off Ronaldo in the 81st minute with the match still level. Thirteen minutes later, that bravery was rewarded when Gonçalo Ramos met Rafael Leão's cross with a goalbound header to send Portugal through to a mouth-watering round of 16 fixture with Spain.

Croatia's Josko Gvardiol thought he had a miracle leveler in the 13th (!!!) minute of added time, only for the sequence to be ruled off following a video review in which referee Espen Eskås found that Igor Matanovic made slight contact with his head during the sequence, playing Mario Pasalic offside.

Ronaldo had leveled the match from the penalty spot in the 68th minute, not long after he had appeared to score a sensational leveler from open play, only to be ruled fractionally offside. That followed Ivan Perisic's 53rd-minute opener for Croatia that instantly transformed what had been a relatively unremarkable match into arguably the game of the tournament.

Who knows how much longer Ronaldo's World Cup journey goes. But maybe we saw a slightly different version of CR7 than we're used to when he was summoned to the sideline by Martinez? Still, he was clearly frustrated at the move. But he also accepted it. And he was one of the first off the bench to congratulate the match-winner Ramos.

Might it finally be that the greatest player Portuguese player of all-time accepts that sometimes, for his team, he needs to step aside? That could make this group very dangerous.

An emotional CR7 after Portugal's win

YOU be the judge

Substitute Ramos with the stoppage-time header

His night is done after scoring the equalizer

Another goal called offside

This game has well and truly picked up

Just LISTEN to that crowd pop

Almost a first World Cup knockout goal for CR7

Rafael Leão almost scored a banger

Ivan Perišić with the vintage finish

Portugal was in the ascendancy for most of the first half, with Croatia offering sporadic but credible threats on the counter. 

That's probably how most people expected this match to play out, including the teams themselves. There don't appear to be a ton of surprises out there, and while both sides have made genuine efforts at attacking, it has rarely felt like the opposing defense is in serious trouble.

The question is who this game state currently favors. Portugal certainly have more depth to make impact changes off the bench in the second half and beyond. Croatia have the considerably better record of managing the late stages of World Cup knockout-round matches.

Legends of the game

Took a Trionda right in the triondas 😖

Quick start to the game

Portugal. Croatia. SOMEONE is going home

Ronaldo and Modrić both start, PSG midfield for Portugal

No one loved Spain's win more than Lamine's little bro

Incredible streak of clean sheets for Unai Simón

Spain's shocking scoreless draw with Cape Verde that began their World Cup campaign feels like ages ago, doesn't it?

It feels that way not just because dozens and dozens of games have taken place across North America since Spain's opener, but also because this Spanish team is operating near its peak in the knockout rounds. It didn't look as if they even had to get out of first gear in Thursday afternoon's resounding win over Austria.

Striker Mikel Oyarzabal opened the scoring in the 36th minute, while right back Pedro Porro added a goal of his own in the 66th minute to double the lead. In the game's dying moments, Oyarzabal secured his brace to lock in a 3-0 win. In possession, Spain used their effective movement on and off the ball to play through the lines of Austria's 4-4-2 setup. They exploited gaps with ease and punished Ralf Rangnick's side along the way. Defensively, Spain looked sharp, too. With aggressive pressing and counter pressing, they virtually never allowed Austria to gain a foothold in the match.

It was, then, a disappointing showing from Austria, who just couldn't find a way into the game even after shifting to a more attack-minded personnel grouping partway through the second half. Their lack of attacking difference-makers came back to bite in the knockouts – at their first World Cup in 28 years, Austria leave the tournament without a standout result. 

Spain, for their part, advance to the Round of 16 where they'll take on the winner of Portugal and Croatia.

Great ball from Cucurella

Pedro Porro all alone in the box... he's a right back!

Up by a goal at the break, things looked incredibly easy for Spain in their first 45 minutes against Austria.

Having allowed just two shots and having spent almost the entire match in the opposing half, this has been Spain near their best. Luis de la Fuente's team has mixed clever ball movement in possession with aggressive pressing and counter pressing, a part of their approach that doesn't get nearly enough credit. The opener, scored by Mikel Oyarzabal, stemmed from Spain forcing Austria to play a hopeful long ball out of the back. 

Another encouraging development for Spain has been the performance of Lamine Yamal. The teenage right winger has looked sharper than at any other point this summer, seemingly recovering well from the injury that once put his status for this World Cup into question. With Spain firing, it might be a long second half for Austria.

Free kick hits crossbar and goalie denies Yamal

Oyarzabal finishes calmly for the opener

Questionable foul called against the Spanish

They are abnormally good

Vamoooooooos

Now THAT is a look

Looking strong against Austria

Will Spain star show up today?

England supporter didn't know what else to do after Kane winner

Of course this is what they did

Leo can't stop laughing

Can Ronaldo and Portugal progress?