World Cup Drama: Portugal Advances, Spain Dazzles, England Prepares for Knockout Stage
The World Cup 2026 knockout stage sees Portugal survive late drama against Croatia, Spain impress with a dominant win, and England prepare for their next challenge.
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The FIFA World Cup 2026 knockout stage is off to a dramatic start with several key nations advancing. Portugal secured a thrilling 2-1 comeback victory over Croatia in the Round of 32, marked by a late winner from Gonçalo Ramos and a historic penalty goal from Cristiano Ronaldo, making him the oldest player to score in a World Cup knockout match. The match also featured a disallowed Croatian equalizer in a wild finish.
Meanwhile, Spain delivered a dominant performance, comfortably defeating Austria 3-0 to secure their spot in the Round of 16. Mikel Oyarzabal netted two goals, and Pedro Porro added another, showcasing a strong display that sets them up to face the winner of the Portugal-Croatia clash.
England is also actively preparing for their own knockout stage challenge, set to face DR Congo in Atlanta. Having topped their group, the Three Lions are focused on their upcoming match, with preparations reportedly including practice for potential penalty shootouts.
What each outlet emphasizes
- CNN: Ronaldo and Portugal's victory over Croatia, facing Spain next
- BBC: VAR call's impact on Ronaldo and Modric, Portugal's tribute to Jota, Spain's hero Oyarzabal
- AJ: various match scores and outcomes
- The Guardian: Portugal's advance, Ronaldo's knockout goal, Spain's dominant performance, England's tactics and security
- AP: the role of red cards and 'Country Roads' as a US team anthem
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si.com ↗ foxsports.com ↗ sportsnet.ca ↗ aljazeera.com ↗ indiatimes.com ↗