The World Cup is reaching its halfway point, with 36 games played and 36 more to go before the knockout stage begins on June 28. A champion will be crowned on July 19.
US Advances to Knockout Round
The US earned its second straight win, beating Australia 2-0 on Friday. The Americans will win their group if Paraguay and Turkey draw or Paraguay wins.
Canada is in excellent shape to qualify for the knockout round after a 6-0 win over Qatar on Thursday. Mexico has already wrapped up the Group A title thanks to its 1-0 win over South Korea.
Netherlands Faces Pressure to Perform
The Netherlands, ranked No. 8 in the world, is under pressure to beat Sweden on Saturday after blowing two leads in its draw against Japan.
Coach Ronald Koeman faced questions about strategy after the Japan game and responded with cryptic replies. Meanwhile, 34th-ranked Sweden put on a show in its 5-1 win over Tunisia, starting its World Cup with a flourish after not qualifying in 2022.
Other Matches
Germany looks to build on its 7-1 win over Curacao, facing Ivory Coast on Saturday. Ecuador faces Curacao, while Tunisia takes on Japan.
The US, Canada, and Mexico are feeling good about themselves after two matches, with the US and Mexico already advancing to the knockout stage.
Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.
