The FIFA World Cup 2026™ Round of 32 is set. England tops their group after two goals by Jude Bellingham and the Three Lions’ captain Harry Kane against Panama. Croatia are also through to the knockout stage after a 2-1 win over Ghana. Colombia and Portugal played out a nil-nil draw. DR Congo reaches the elimination phase for the first time, after emerging triumphant over Uzbekistan 3-1. It's their first ever World Cup victory - 52 years after their only previous appearance at the tournament. Algeria drew 3-all against Austria in a dramatic finish. Algeria’s captain Riyad Mahrez produced a moment of brilliance in the 94th minute - scoring a double in the match. Not long after, Austria's Sasa Kalajdzic equalised. Argentina delivered another statement performance with a comfortable 3-1 win over Jordan, Lionel Messi came off the bench to score the third goal. Australia now turns its attention to Egypt in Dallas next Saturday. Join your host Haylena Krishnamoorthy for this episode of World Cup Daily | The 90+ Podcast, as she looks into the DR Congo’s historic comeback. Does Austria and Algeria's dramatic match affect Iran? And, will the Egyptian king be fit to face Australia?
The Round of 32 is set.
England finish top of their group, but who will they face in the knockouts?
Did Portugal and Colombia secure their spot past the group stage?
The Democratic Republic of the Congo makes a historic comeback.
Does Austria and Algeria's dramatic match affect Iran?
And, will the Egyptian king be fit to face Australia?
This is SBS News’ World Cup Daily: The 90+ Podcast, where we bring you the stories from on and beyond the pitch. I’m your host, Haylena Krishnamoorthy.
England wrapped up a two-nil win over Panama to top their group.
Jude Bellingham opened the scoring in the second half before the Three Lions' captain Harry Kane became his country's all-time top scorer.
Speaking after the match, Bellingham says England are focused on managing tired bodies after a long club season.
But insists they'll be ready for whoever comes next.
"At the minute it's only.., I think a couple lads had to be looked after today, but it's completely normal after the long season that everyone's had, obviously Dec (Declan Rice) didn't play today, he's just been to a Champions League final. And I think he played something ridiculous, like nearly every game, so it's normal that he's going to be a little bit tired now, when you're in camp you have to look after each other, for me it's tough going out there in the end, but it's the call that the manager makes to try and protect our legs, and for the opponent, it can't matter really, we have to go through all the best teams, all the teams that deserve to be in the next round, we have to try and go through them as if they had the same thing so we respect 100 per cent whoever we play against, but we also understand that to play in a World Cup we're going to have to play against a tough team."
Croatia are also through to the knockout stage after a 2-1 win over Ghana.
Nikola Vlašić's late header was enough to send the Croatians into the last 32, despite Ghana already having secured qualification.
Elsewhere, Colombia and Portugal played out a nil-nil draw despite Colombia creating the better chances.
But the story of the day belongs to the DR Congo
Reaching the elimination phase for the first time, after emerging triumphant over Uzbekistan 3-1.
It's their first ever World Cup victory - 52 years after their only previous appearance at the tournament.
Trailing at halftime, they came back in the second half with a Yoane Wissa penalty, before substitute Fiston Mayele scored the second goal, just ten minutes later.
Wissa second goal.
Wissa then sealed the famous win in stoppage time after 90 with his second goal of the match.
Uzbekistan coach Fabio Cannavaro says his side simply ran out of energy.
"The first half we did an amazing performance, we prepared the game on this way, I knew we spent a lot of energy, I knew we were running too much and I was afraid for the second half. I tried to push them in the half time but of course at this level if we make small mistakes, this World Cup for us is some experience, I'm proud because even if they suffer in the meantime they show what they can do."
And one of the most dramatic finishes of the tournament so far belonged to Algeria with their 3-all draw against Austria.
Captain Riyad Mahrez produced a moment of brilliance in the 94th minute - scoring a double in the match.
Breaking in behind Austria's defence, Mahrez controlled the ball with his first touch before calmly drilling his finish into the bottom corner..
sparking wild celebrations from the Algerian players and fans.
But about a minute after, Austria's Sasa Kalajdzic equalised on added time.
This was one of the most extraordinary games of the tournament so far.
As both teams progress, Iran were left watching their campaign come to an end - as they narrowly missed their advancement past the group stage.
Meanwhile, Argentina delivered another statement performance with a comfortable 3-1 win over Jordan.
Lionel Messi came off the bench to score the third goal.
The leading goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history added a 19th goal to his tally.
Elsewhere, Australia now turns its attention to Egypt in Dallas next Saturday.
The biggest question is whether Egyptian legend Mohamed Salah will be fit after picking up an injury in his side's draw against Iran yesterday.
Australia assistant coach Hayden Foxe says, with or without Salah, Egypt presents a huge challenge.
"They’re a very good side, a very good side, they have some real natural technical talent, play kind of fearlessly which is a typical African-Arab way of playing football. A lot of their players play in their local league, but their local league is strong, they know each other they’ve been together for a long period of time so they play as a team and a unit, and as we’ve shown when you play as a team and a unit you’re difficult to beat. So it’ll be an almighty challenge, but certainly on the basis of turkey, Paraguay and the 2nd half of the US we’ll go in with a lot of confidence.”
Foxe says Australia won't become fixated on one player, even if Salah is declared fit.
“It didn’t look good for him to come off in such an important game, 1-1 at that moment, so you think there might be something there, but he’s a player of enormous talent, and I’m sure he’ll be doing everything he can to play in this game. To try and combat these types of players, you don’t put too much emphasis, but you have to acknowledge there are some talented players, and you might try to force him into an area where he’s not getting too much of the ball.”
The knockout stages will begin with South Africa facing Canada tomorrow at 5am AEST.
To watch that match, as well as to catch up on all the latest highlights, you can head on to SBS ON Demand.
Stay tuned for the latest at the World Cup Daily | The 90+ Podcast.
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