Key events
Today’s fixtures
We’ve got Groups G + H in action on World Cup Sunday.
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Spain v Saudi Arabia, Atlanta (noon local time, 5pm BST, 2am AEST)
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Belgium v Iran, Los Angeles (noon local, 8pm BST, 5am AEST)
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Uruguay v Cape Verde, Miami (6pm local, 11pm BST, 8am AEST)
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New Zealand v Egypt, Vancouver (6pm local, 2am BST, 11am AEST, 1pm NZST)
A convenient kick-off time for fans of the All Whites – well, maybe not if you’re at work or school. Let us know how you’re getting on with the match schedule in your country.
“Not sure when you compiled the Sans-Stars list, but there’s no space and you’ve left Room!” writes Chris on email. “Not as good as the Lebowski/Room/Rug one last night, admittedly. But at least it’s an ethos.”
Yes, it may not surprise you that we didn’t write that in the wee hours of this morning in the UK. Poor Vozinha – yesterday’s man, now.
It’s not a World Cup without Japan fans/players cleaning up after themselves …
Japanese fans celebrated their team’s 4-0 victory over Tunisia in the 1,000th match in World Cup history by staying behind at Monterrey’s stadium to collect rubbish from the stands. The practice, known in Japan as gomi hiroi, reflects an emphasis on taking responsibility for shared spaces.
Ken Okawa, 30, said he was happy to bring this tradition to his very first World Cup match as he stooped down to collect discarded cups and other rubbish from the floor around his seat. “We are guests in Mexico,” he said. “I have been treated wonderfully, so this is my way of showing my appreciation.”
The practice is instilled from a very young age in Japan, where schoolchildren are taught to clean up their own classrooms. Miku Takeya, 41, said that the habit of tidying up after herself has become second nature. “It’s a natural part of our culture,” she said. “We do this to ensure that everything we use is left clean so that the next person can use it comfortably.”
Images of Japanese fans cleaning up in stadiums after matches during this year’s World Cup have gone viral. Ahead of Saturday’s match, the Nuevo León governor, Samuel García, said he had arranged for 20,000 bin bags to be distributed in the stadium during the match, as well as at Fanfest and other tourist sites, following requests from Japanese fans, according to local media.
While this practice has captured global attention, many Japanese fans say it is nothing out of the ordinary for them. “It’s common sense in Japan,” said Ichiro Oyo, 27. Still, Ryo Matsuoka, 32, said he was proud to bring this part of Japanese culture to the world stage. “I think it is a matter of great pride that this is being showcased in a stadium like this, where people from all over the world are watching,” he said. Reuters
World Cup team of the tournament so far: John Brewin, Marcus Christenson and I have compiled some of the best performers of the opening 10 days … with one rule – no superstars.
Move over Messi, Mbappé and Haaland – this is about Laryea, Just and Quiñones:
Group F: It was Premier League power in the Netherlands v Sweden match. Well, almost – Crysencio Summerville of Championship West Ham the only goalscorer not to currently ply his trade in England’s top flight. There were doubles for Sunderland’s Brian Brobbey and Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo, while Newcastle’s Anthony Elanga got Sweden’s consolation in a 5-1 defeat.
“The scoreline’s a little harsh on us, but sometimes that happens in football, especially with the quality of the opponent we face,” said Sweden’s Graham Potter.
“We got off to not a good start, which then puts you behind in the game and then affects the mood. After the first break, we thought we did really well. We adjusted things a little bit, which made it better for us.”
You’d expect Ronald Koeman’s Dutch side to top the group from here, with Sweden maybe looking for a draw in their final game against Japan that should see them through as a best third-place team.
“We needed this,” Koeman said. “When you start a tournament, you want to start well. It gives you peace of mind. There was also a bit more pressure on us to win. Otherwise, everything would come down to the final group match, and you don’t want that.”
Tony Mason was one of those up at the crack of dawn in the UK this morning: “After last night’s and this morning’s shenanigans things are starting to get a tiny bit clearer. I’m predicting a blockbuster round of 32 match between Brazil and Japan. Curaçao may have done a huge favour to teams finishing 3rd as both them and Ecuador will now struggle to get more than 2 points. This Sunday morning I’ve watched a full football match, the highlights of another, been for a run and had breakfast and it still isn’t 9 o’clock.”
We are all slackers in comparison.
Group F: Here in the UK anybody up with the lark was able to watch Japan sweep aside Tunisia in Monterrey. Crystal Palace fans would not have been surprised to see goalscorer Daichi Kamada play so well in an advanced position, filling in for the injured Takefusa Kubo in the Japan attack.
“Daichi has mostly been deployed as a defensive midfielder recently, but considering our current team situation, we had him shift to the shadow striker position today,” said Japan’s head coach, Hajime Moriyasu. “The idea was to bring out his strengths and have him control the team’s offence and defence from that advanced position.”
Tunisia, meanwhile, have joined Turkey in booking their flights home. Herve Renard replaced the sacked Sabri Lamouchi in the dugout and, well, didn’t make much of a difference. Last up for them: the Dutch.
“The score is heavy but it reflects the difference between the two teams tonight,” said Renard. “Even if we are eliminated we still have a third game to play. We are in a World Cup, and we must remain focused. It is important to get ready to fight for this third game against the Netherlands.”
Elsewhere in Group E Germany sealed progression from a World Cup group stage for the first time since they won the damn thing in 2014, coming from behind after Côte d’Ivoire had a half-time lead.
“We showed great character today,”said Deniz Undav, channelling his inner Brendan Rodgers. The Stuttgart striker came off the bench to score twice and netted a late winner, making it nine goals in 11 international caps.
Undav’s role is a curious one under Julian Nagelsmann. The coach has previously criticised the striker for his performances in a Germany shirt, even if he scored goals. Undav has also not been particularly happy to just be an impact sub.
“I could have him in the starting lineup,” Nagelsmann said yesterday. “I think that every player would love to be in the starting lineup, but I think he’s very happy as it is right now.”
Comments won’t be on until a little bit later – sorry about that – but in the meantime don’t forget you can email us to share your thoughts.
“I think I need a statue in Curaçao now,” said Eloy Room after keeping Ecuador at bay and earning his country’s first World Cup point – his clean sheet particularly significant after that 7-1 hammering by Germany in the first game. The Miami FC goalkeeper was just one off Tim Howard’s record of 16 saves (for USA v Belgium in 2014) in a World Cup match.
“A little bit annoyed that I don’t have the record from Tim Howard, but I think he was sweating in front of the TV because I was close,” Room said.
double quotation mark It’s going to be an insane memory. You don’t think about it when you do it but of course it’s going to be something you look back to. For me as a goalkeeper, this is almost a perfect game. It’s unbelievable. And I cannot do it alone. I did it with the team and my defenders and the midfielders, strikers. We did it as a team.
The draw means Curaçao can still (and probably will) progress from Group E if they beat Côte d’Ivoire in their final fixture.
Results and reports
Here’s what happened on Saturday at the World Cup …
Sweden followed up their 5-1 opening win over Tunisia with a thumping by the same scoreline by the Netherlands, with Sunderland’s Brian Brobbey on the scoresheet twice in Houston. Nick Ames was there:
Deniz Undav kept up his remarkable scoring record for Germany with both off the bench, including a late winner, against an impressive Côte d’Ivoire in Toronto. Leander Schaerlackens was there:
Curaçao earned their first point at a World Cup by holding Ecuador, with a heroic Eloy Room making a a ridiculous 15 saves in Kansas City. Ed Aarons was there:
And Herve Renard’s first game in charge of Tunisia was just as poor as Sabri Lamouchi’s final match, with Japan racking up the goals in Monterrey. Jonathan Wilson was there:
Iran’s Ghalenoei bemoans lack of support from other 47 managers
Ben Fisher
Iran’s head coach, Amir Ghalenoei, expressed his disappointment at the lack of support from the other 47 managers at the World Cup amid further chaos on the eve of their crunch match against Belgium.
Iran arrived in Los Angeles from their base in Tijuana, Mexico, soon after midday on Saturday, less than 24 hours before their second Group G game. Iran had requested to arrive in LA two days before the match but were not permitted to do so and have voiced their frustrations to Fifa’s president, Gianni Infantino, about feeling the “most oppressed” team at the tournament. Belgium, meanwhile, arrived on Friday to prepare for the match.
“I haven’t heard anything from other coaches and I’m sure they’re busy with preparing their own teams and we never expect them to show any reaction,” Ghalenoei said. “But if I had seen another team being treated the way we’ve been treated, I would have [done it].
“I have not seen any reactions from anyone but it seems like the honourable coach of Belgium [Rudi Garcia] has said we are here for football, not politics, and I’m saying exactly the same thing. Our grievances are to do with the way [Fifa] have behaved towards us.”
Ghalenoei detailed how Iran waited in limbo on Friday evening after being given encouragement by Fifa that Iran may be able to travel earlier to LA than initially permitted. Ghalenoei said the team were ready to leave their base in Tijuana but the evening passed without Fifa giving them the green light.
“They [Fifa] phoned me and said: ‘Are you ready if we get you a flight at 6pm?’ I welcomed that but we sat and waited and waited,” Ghalenoei said. “We waited until 7pm, nothing happened. ‘OK, sorry, we weren’t able to do that.’ That’s going to affect us mentally, especially me as a head coach … I know Fifa is trying its best, I thank them for that but it doesn’t mean they have succeeded.”
Ghalenoei confirmed they have been granted permission to fly to Seattle two days before their final Group G match against Egypt on Friday, but questioned why they have been prevented from doing so for their other matches in the US. “Why didn’t they let us come earlier for the first two games as well?” the 62-year-old said. “They’ve allowed us to make our own decisions with regards to planning the travel but unfortunately for the first two games others made these decisions for us.”
Preamble
Tunisia are out, after a thumping defeat against Japan in Group F. Curaçao are still in there fighting, after a heroic 0-0 draw against Ecuador in Group E … Germany and the Netherlands, meanwhile, appear to be moving ominously through the gears. Let’s talk about the World Cup.
