- Dembele scores a hat-trick as France beat Norway 4-1 to top Group I.
- Spain edges Uruguay 1-0; Cape Verde advance as Uruguay crash out.
- Senegal beat Iraq 5-0 to keep qualification hopes for the last 32 alive.
France and Spain finished top of their World Cup groups with wins, while double champions Uruguay suffered a shock exit from the group stages.
Ousmane Dembele starred with a hat-trick as France cruised past Norway, Senegal boosted their slim qualification hopes with a five-goal haul in Iraq, Spain pipped Uruguay to secure top spot in Group H and World Cup debutants Cape Verde progressed to the knockout stages after holding Saudi Arabia to a draw.
Dembele hat-trick propels France past Norway
Ousmane Dembele produced a first-half masterclass, scoring in the seventh, 20th and 32nd minutes as France defeated Norway 4-1 to maintain their perfect record in Group I.
Thelo Aasgaard briefly reduced for Norway but Dembele restored France’s two-goal advantage before Desire Doue added a stoppage-time fourth. Norway also wasted a chance to get back into the game when Jorgen Strand Larsen missed a penalty in the second half.
The win ensured France progressed to the last 32 as Group I winners.
Senegal keep knockout hopes alive
Senegal revived their World Cup campaign with an emphatic 5-0 win over Iraq to collect their first points of the tournament.
The convincing win significantly improved Senegal’s goal difference, but the West Africans must now rely on results in other groups to determine whether they qualify as one of the best third-placed teams.
Spain edge Uruguay to finish top of Group H
Spain secured top spot in Group H with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Uruguay in Guadalajara.
Alex Baena scored the only goal after veteran goalkeeper Fernando Muslera let his shot slip through his hands just before the break. Spain remained unbeaten in 34 competitive games and are yet to concede a goal in the tournament, although their performances are yet to match that of several other title contenders.
Uruguay were knocked out as Cape Verde reached the last 32
Uruguay’s defeat confirmed the two-time world champions’ exit from the tournament, making Marcelo Bielsa’s side the highest-ranked team eliminated in the group stage.
The loss also secured World Cup debutants Cape Verde a place in the round of 16 after they held Saudi Arabia to a goalless draw. Cape Verde finished second in Group H and advanced to a knockout meeting with defending champions Argentina, while Uruguay’s disappointing campaign ended after two draws and a defeat.
