In the biggest edition of the World Cup yet, we’ve already seen more goals than ever before \u2014 and we’ve already witnessed some bangers and golazos in just group play.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lionel Messi continued to do what he does best and make history. Kylian Mbapp\u00e9 and Erling Haaland joined the fun. As did Ousmane Demb\u00e9l\u00e9, who was one of the few players to score a hat trick in the group stage.<\/p>\n
From own goals to how well a player hit a penalty kick and then the biggest rockets of the group stage, have you covered. We are here to let you know which are the best of the best.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Here’s every goal from the group play ranked.<\/p>\n
On a night when Lionel Messi scored an astonishing three goals (his first-ever World Cup hat trick), the first one stood out the most.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Algeria gave Messi too much space in the middle of the field, and he made them pay. Argentina’s captain and superstar delivered a magical goal to open his account at the 2026 World Cup.<\/p>\n
Messi picked up the ball in midfield and was able to turn toward the goal. He dribbled forward, put the ball on his left foot and put the ball in the top corner. It was a moment of magic from Messi, who had a goal ruled out for offside in the early minutes of the game.<\/p>\n
Two more goals ensued, but this set up what would be an unforgettable night in Kansas City.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After tying the record for most goals in the history of France’s men’s team, Kylian Mbapp\u00e9 set the new mark in style.<\/p>\n
Mbapp\u00e9 picked up possession after Michael Olise was fouled, but the referee played the advantage. From there, he unleashed a laser past Senegal keeper \u00c9douard Mendy for a record-setting goal. It also put a ribbon on France’s win over a quality Senegal team.<\/p>\n
Sweden got on the board in the seventh minute in its World Cup opener through midfielder Yasin Ayari, who hammered home a shot from just outside the top of the 18-yard box. His first of two goals against Tunisia was a knuckleball that barely moved through the air. It went around the goalkeeper and into the back of the net.<\/p>\n
Balogun’s coming-out party was on June 12 at Los Angeles Stadium against Paraguay, and his second goal of the game for the USA was the cherry on top.<\/p>\n
The AS Monaco striker delivered a dominant first-half performance, imposing his will on Paraguay’s defense. He had already scored when midfielder Malik Tillman put him through on goal. He fought off one defender, dribbled past another and then used his weaker left foot to place a shot perfectly in the top corner.<\/p>\n
Haiti was only playing for pride against Morocco, but that doesn’t mean its goals should count for less. Wilson Isidor scored one of the top goals of group play when his strike from outside the box somehow found the back of the net, perfectly shooting for the top left corner of the net to give Haiti a 2-1 lead over Morocco at the time.<\/p>\n
It only took Ousmane Demb\u00e9l\u00e9 20 minutes to record a brace in France’s win over Norway, with his left-footed shot from outside the box finding the net. It was the type of goal that showed the PSG star’s previous woes at the international level might be behind him, as he buried a pretty impressive shot en route to a hat trick.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kerim Alajbegovic stepped up when his country needed him against Qatar on Match Day 3.<\/p>\n
The 18-year-old attacker, who plays his club soccer for RB Salzburg in Austria, picked up a pass from midfielder Ivan Basic. He dribbled around one Qatar defender and then unleashed an impressive strike from 25 yards out that beat goalkeeper Mahmud Abunada.<\/p>\n
Colombia dominated Uzbekistan for 39 minutes, but it needed a moment of brilliance to finally break through against a stingy defense.<\/p>\n
Colombian star Luis D\u00edaz played a great lofted pass down the field as right back Daniel Mu\u00f1oz made a run into the Uzbekistan box. Mu\u00f1oz, who plays for Crystal Palace, only needed one touch to use the momentum of the pass to carry it past Uzbekistan goalkeeper Utkir Yusupov.<\/p>\n
Sweden was down 1-0 to Japan, a result that would have left its fate uncertain for the knockout rounds.<\/p>\n
Enter, Anthony Elanga. The Sweden winger picked up the ball on the right wing and curled a beauty into the far post with his weaker foot. It was a potentially massive goal.<\/p>\n
The exclamation point at the end of the United States’ win over Paraguay came from Reyna, who put his impressive technique on display in the final minute of the match.<\/p>\n
Reyna, a source of controversy at the 2022 World Cup, came on in the 82nd minute for Tillman. The USA was keeping the ball while seeing out the win over Paraguay when the ball moved up the field down the right wing. Alex Freeman gave the ball to Reyna for what was the 26th pass of the attack, and Gio hammered it home with the outside of his right foot.<\/p>\n
No Lionel Messi? No problem. Giovani Lo Celso buried the free kick outside the box in the first half of Argentina’s match against Jordan as Messi watched from the bench.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rafik Belghali had one of the goals of the tournament when he won a ball off the corner flag before weaving through the Austrian defense and firing a banger that helped Algeria level its match against Austria.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Germans opened their account quickly against Cura\u00e7ao, to the surprise of no one. One of the best teams in the field facing the smallest country in the tournament was always going to be a mismatch, and it only took Germany six minutes to take the lead.<\/p>\n
Midfielder Felix Nmecha picked up the ball just outside the 18-yard box on the left side of the field. He played a pass to star Florian Wirtz \u2014 among the top-25 players in our ranking of the World Cup’s 100 best \u2014 who pushed a slick pass back to Nmecha. The Borussia Dortmund man finished a clever one-two with a beautiful curling finish.<\/p>\n
South Korea controlled its opening match against Czechia but found itself behind in the second half after the Czechs took a first-half lead.<\/p>\n
Hwang In-beom was all over the pitch in this match, but his equalizing goal truly stood out. He was played into the 18-yard box by PSG midfielder Kang-In Lee, then he stopped on a dime, put the ball on his right foot and chipped Czechia goalkeeper Mat\u011bj Kov\u00e1\u0159. It was a brilliant goal that the Koreans needed badly.<\/p>\n
Earlier on Monday, June 22, Lionel Messi scored twice to get to 18 World Cup goals, the most ever. It took Kylian Mbapp\u00e9 hours to respond.<\/p>\n
Michael Olise teed up the France captain on the right wing, and Mbapp\u00e9 put the ball on his weaker foot and hit it brilliantly into the back of the net. It was Mbapp\u00e9’s 15th World Cup goal, which signals he will not stop chasing Messi and maybe take over his lead one day.<\/p>\n
Canada’s fourth goal in its 6-0 win over Qatar proved to be emotional for all gathered in Vancouver as it occurred mere moments after Ismael Kone was carted off the field with a serious leg injury.<\/p>\n
Nathan Saliba, who came on for Canada for Kone, took a bending free kick that landed just inside the woodwork past the Qatar keeper.<\/p>\n
Instead of a usual celebration, Saliba held up the jersey of his teammate in what will be a lasting image of Canada’s World Cup run.<\/p>\n
Ousmane Demb\u00e9l\u00e9’s first goal of his hat trick against Norway was also pretty impressive. The France star junked out a Norwegian defender along the edge of the box before firing a shot to give his team an early 1-0 lead.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Gueye subbed on in the second half of Senegal’s win over Iraq and scored one of the top goals of the group stage just minutes later. He scored on an impressive strike from outside the box, finding the top shelf as he perfectly bended the ball for a goal.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Real Madrid star came into this tournament knowing he needed to be at his best for Brazil. After Morocco took a first-half lead, he stepped up.<\/p>\n
Vini Jr. picked up the ball near the touchline after a pass from midfielder Bruno Guimaraes. He cut inside onto his preferred right foot and nearly put the ball through the net with his finish.<\/p>\n
Congrats, Ousmane Demb\u00e9l\u00e9. Not only did you score a hat trick in France’s win over Norway, but all three goals also received pretty high placement on this list. His hat trick came in the first half, making it all the more impressive.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Eldor Shomurodov found an ambitious way to score in the 10th minute of Uzbekistan’s match against DR Congo. He was able to get the ball in the box after a good run, getting his left foot on it and somehow elevating it over the pursuing defender. The ball hung in the air for a couple of seconds as well, getting over the outstretched reach of the DR Congo goalie to give his side a 1-0 lead.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ermin Mahmi\u0107 wasted no time making his presence felt for Bosnia and Herzegovina, even with his team down a player and down multiple goals.<\/p>\n
Moments after coming into the game, the substitute slammed a volley past Swiss keeper Gregor Kobel, who had punched the ball right into Mahmi\u0107’s wheelhouse. Even in Bosnia’s eventual loss, this was one of the game’s best moments.<\/p>\n
Egypt entered its first game of the tournament against Belgium as a big underdog, but it got off to an early lead through a fantastic strike from Emam Ashour.<\/p>\n
Ashour, who plays for Al Ahly SC in Egypt, got a pass from birthday boy and Egypt captain Mohamed Salah about 25 yards from goal. Then, he unleashed a powerful strike that went past world-class goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.<\/p>\n
After falling behind because of a Harry Kane penalty, Croatia grew into its matchup against England very well and was rewarded. A long ball was played forward to Petar Sucic, who laid the ball off to Martin Baturina.<\/p>\n
Baturina delivered a great strike that England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford could only get a hand to.<\/p>\n
Uruguay conceded a free kick at least 30 yards from goal, and it didn’t seem like Kevin Pina was going to take aim at goal from that distance. Instead, Uruguay only put two players in the wall, which separated and let Pina’s shot go straight through into the back of the net.<\/p>\n
It was a shocking moment in Miami but a brilliant hit from Pina.<\/p>\n
Canada fell a goal short of forcing a draw against Switzerland to win Group B, but Promise David’s goal in the second half of that match nearly helped Les Rouges win the group. He was able to get his foot out and connected on a difficult cross for a Canadian goal.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Austria midfielder Xavier Schlager lost the ball in midfield, and Jordan immediately began a counterattack. Noor Al-Rawabdeh fed winger Ali Iyad Olwan on the left wing, and he dribbled the ball 50 yards into the 18-yard box before curling a fantastic goal into the far post.<\/p>\n
It was a fantastic way for Jordan to score its first-ever World Cup goal.<\/p>\n
Morocco delivered a brilliant goal to open the scoring in its star-studded matchup with Brazil.<\/p>\n
Real Madrid playmaker Brahim Diaz picked the ball up and found Ismael Saibari in between Brazil center backs Gabriel and Marquinhos, two of the best defenders in world soccer. With his first touch, the Moroccan striker lifted the ball over Alisson, one of the best goalkeepers in the world, for a brilliantly executed opening goal.<\/p>\n
The goal is quintessential Messi \u2013 collecting at the top of the box, a quick shift to the left and letting it rip \u2013 but its significance is what stands out.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Messi doesn’t have many more “firsts” in him, but this goal gave him three on the night for his first hat trick at the World Cup. With 16 goals in his sixth appearance at the tournament, he tied Germany legend Miroslav Klose for the most ever scored at the men’s World Cup.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Austria got a goal at the buzzer to level its match against Algeria, scoring a much-needed goal to help it advance. The score was a result of two headers, with Sasa Kalajdzic getting the goal for Austria.<\/p>\n
Down 1-0 after Virgil van Dijk gave the Netherlands a lead, Keito Nakamura stepped up with a massive goal for Japan.<\/p>\n
And what a hit it was. Nakamura picked up the ball just inside the 18-yard box, got it under control and then unleashed an impressive right-footed hit to beat Dutch goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen. The most impressive part was that Nakamura’s momentum was going away from goal when he struck the ball.<\/p>\n
After missing a penalty in the ninth minute against Austria, it looked like it might not be Messi’s day. He only needed one goal to pass Miroslav Klose and become the World Cup’s all-time leading goalscorer.<\/p>\n
Instead, about 30 minutes later, he delivered a classic Messi goal. Facundo Medina was on the left wing and played a low cross near the penalty box. Messi was right there, ready to pounce, and unleashed a fantastic left-footed shot that beat Austrian goalkeeper Alexander Schlager.<\/p>\n
Ritsu Doan played a one-two in midfield and then found Daizen Maeda through on goal. It was a wonderful team move that saw Japan take a lead against Sweden.<\/p>\n
Yasin Ayari, have a day. The Brighton midfielder and Swedish national star delivered two goals, the second of which got commentator Maurice Edu to proclaim, “Bangers only.”<\/p>\n
Ayari could have represented Tunisia internationally, as his father is from the country. What an occasion for him to score twice.<\/p>\n
Tunisia didn’t stand much of a chance on Saturday night against Japan, especially if Ayase Ueda is going to score goals like he did.<\/p>\n
Ueda delivered a cracker from outside the box that gave Tunisian goalkeeper Aymen Dahmen no chance.<\/p>\n
Iliman Ndiaye knew Senegal needed style points in its win over Iraq, and he gave his side a fifth goal in style.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Coming on as a second-half sub for Switzerland, Johan Manzambi broke open what felt like a stalemate with a brilliant finish.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Swiss midfielder Rub\u00e9n Vargas looped the ball across the net that a Bosnian defender attempted to clear out via a header. Instead, the ball falls right in front of Manzambi, who twists his body past his marker and slams it past an outstretched Nikola Vasilj.<\/p>\n
Cunha’s second goal against Haiti once again set up Vin\u00edcius J\u00fanior, this time on a counter-attack. The Real Madrid star sprinted down the pitch with the ball at his feet to then slide a pass to the Manchester United playmaker, who initially took a wide touch. But Cunha found the narrow angle and slammed it into the roof of the net as he tumbled onto the pitch.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cyrienco Summerville is likely on the move this summer after West Ham United were relegated from the Premier League. His price tag will have gone up after his goal against Japan.<\/p>\n
Ryan Gravenberch found Summerville on the right wing, and he cut in on his weaker left foot and unleashed a curling effort that beat Japan goalkeeper Zion Suzuki. It was a fantastic effort that gave the Netherlands a lead that wouldn’t last.<\/p>\n
Down four goals to the Netherlands, at least Anthony Elanga gave Sweden a brief lifeline. Alexander Isak slipped a wonderful throughball into Elanga from the halfway line. The Newcastle United playmaker raced down the pitch and finished it off with shot past Dutch keeper Bart Verbruggen.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Austria took an impressive lead against Jordan in its first match after a wonderful strike from Romano Schmid.<\/p>\n
Austria kept possession impressively before midfielder Xavier Schlager teed up Schmid from just inside 25 yards out. He delivered a wonderful strike into the top corner, which gave Jordan goalkeeper Yazeed Yazeed Abulaila no chance.<\/p>\n
Ibrahim Mbaye gave Senegal hope in stoppage time against France with a great run down the right wing, which ended with France left back Theo Hern\u00e1ndez on the floor.<\/p>\n
Mbaye drove at Hern\u00e1ndez and cut right so quickly that the defender fell to the ground. From there, he unleashed a powerful finish past France goalkeeper Mike Maignan, who assumed the shot was going toward his far post. Mbaye is only 18 years old and played for PSG in France.<\/p>\n
It didn’t take Morocco long to secure the lead against Scotland. Just 70 seconds into the match, Ismael Saibari scored on an impressive strike to give Morocco a 1-0 lead in the second minute.<\/p>\n
Mohamed Salah picked up the ball on the right wing about 45 yards from goal and could not be stopped. The Liverpool legend, who will be leaving the club this summer, drove toward the 18-yard box and played a 1-2 with Mostafa Ziko, the scorer of Egypt’s first goal. Salah got the ball back and finished very well past New Zealand goalkeeper Max Crocombe to give Egypt a crucial lead.<\/p>\n
T\u00fcrkiye entered its matchup against Paraguay in need of a good start. The Turks needed a win after losing to Australia in their opening match and with their next game coming against the United States.<\/p>\n
Instead, Matias Galarza finished a great move from Paraguay and finished well in the bottom corner from 25 yards out. It was a great finish and shocker to open a crucial game for both sides. It was the fastest goal scored at the World Cup.<\/p>\n
Lionel Messi started Argentina’s match against Jordan on the bench, but he still got on the scoresheet. Messi bagged his 19th career World Cup goal when he scored a free kick to put his side up 3-0 against Jordan.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Two substitutes combined for England for its fourth goal against Croatia. Bukayo Saka seized possession on the right wing and saw Marcus Rashford in acres of space on the left wing. Rashford was composed and faked a shot with his left foot to put it on his favored right.<\/p>\n
From there, the finish was inevitable.<\/p>\n
Gueye scored a brace in Senegal’s 5-0 win over Iraq, doing so after subbing into the match in the second half.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Australia’s second goal over T\u00fcrkiye sealed what will be one of the most notable upsets of the summer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Late in the second half, \u0130smail Y\u00fcksek turned it over in midfield with dire consequences. Connor Metcalfe retrieved it for Australia and ran to the edge of the box, where he shot low and hard inside the bottom right corner to beat keeper U\u011furcan \u00c7ak\u0131r.<\/p>\n
Kylian Mbapp\u00e9 made history during France’s World Cup opener against Senegal after getting on the end of a brilliant pass from Michael Olise.<\/p>\n
Mbapp\u00e9 tied Olivier Giroud for the most goals ever for France’s men’s national team. Olise picked up the ball on the right wing, put it on his favored left foot and played a brilliant ball through to Mbapp\u00e9. From there, France’s captain finished very cleverly past Senegal goalkeeper \u00c9douard Mendy.<\/p>\n
After breaking the record for most goals at a men’s World Cup, Messi didn’t take long to add to it.<\/p>\n
In stoppage time, Messi picked up the ball on the right wing and started a counterattack for Argentina. He picked the ball up again, dribbled around one defender and had a shot saved. He kept going, though, and hammered home his fifth goal of the tournament.<\/p>\n
While Cristiano Ronaldo was the star against Uzbekistan with his two goals, Le\u00e3o came off the bench and delivered the finish of the day.<\/p>\n
A cross was played in from the right wing and cleared toward the top of the 18-yard box, from where Le\u00e3o put his shot in the top bin.<\/p>\n
Croatia had just equalized against England. Step forward, Harry Kane.<\/p>\n
Declan Rice played an out-swinging corner kick in from the right wing right to the penalty spot. From there, Kane met the ball brilliantly and delivered a stinging header past Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic. It was Kane’s second goal of the game and an important one to potentially give England the lead late in the first half, although it didn’t lead at halftime.<\/p>\n
Nestory Irankunda was played in down the left wing by midfielder Paul Okon-Engstler. The Watford attacker cut inside and finished past goalkeeper U\u011furcan \u00c7ak\u0131r very nicely. It was a smooth counter-attack and great finish from Irankunda, who showed great composure in front of goal.<\/p>\n
It was a great moment for Australia, which took one step toward a big upset win over the Turks, who are the favorites in Group D along with the USA.<\/p>\n
Not long after Mbapp\u00e9 converted his one-on-one chance against Senegal, Bradley Barcola did the same.<\/p>\n
Barcola was played through on goal by midfielder Adrien Rabiot, and the PSG playmaker composed himself very well to chip Mendy in the Senegal goal.<\/p>\n
Sebastian Berhalter’s first goal was a pretty impressive strike, helping the USA even its match against T\u00fcrkiye.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The second of Cody Gakpo’s brace in the big win over Sweden was the best of the Dutch’s four-goal performance. The Liverpool winger showed his ability to create space when he took a touch inside from Summerville’s pass and then drilled into the bottom corner.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Everyone at Houston Stadium thought that Cristiano Ronaldo was going to take the free kick for Portugal just outside the box, just like he has so many times before. That included Uzbekistan goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov, who was frozen in his place when Nuno Mendes struck the ball into the back of the net.<\/p>\n
Spain dominated the first half against Saudi Arabia, and it was the star teenager who got La Roja going.<\/p>\n
Lamine Yamal, who was ranked as our No. 1 player in the World Cup entering the tournament, got on the end of a cross from Mikel Oyarzabal and tucked home the finish. It concluded a great move from Spain, which looked more like itself against the Saudis after not scoring against Cura\u00e7ao.<\/p>\n
Erling Haaland’s first of two goals against Senegal started with Martin Odegaard, who led Norway on a counter-attack with Haaland to his left. Bearing down on the penalty area. The Arsenal captain slid a beautiful ball through the lines and past a sliding Kalidou Koulibaly for Haaland, who slipped while dispatching his powerful finish high past the outstretched hand of \u00c9douard Mendy.<\/p>\n
Senegal’s Isma\u00efla Sarr bagged a brace against Norway, including this stoppage-time score.<\/p>\n
Moussa Niakhate whipped a curling cross into the area, which Kristoffer Ajer tried to head away, but he failed to connect. That misjudgment opened up a pocket of space behind him for Jackson, who latched onto the ball and provided a brilliant, first-time square pass to Ismaila Sarr for a close-range finish.<\/p>\n
Ra\u00fal Jim\u00e9nez entered the World Cup ranked third all-time in goals for the Mexican national team, but he had never scored on the biggest stage. That changed against South Africa.<\/p>\n
Mexico winger Roberto Alvarado delivered a fantastic cross to the far post that put the ball on a platter for Jim\u00e9nez, who headed home to give El Tri a 2-0 lead. It was a wonderful moment at Mexico City Stadium for Mexico’s most reliable player in recent memory.<\/p>\n
Croatia trailed England just seconds before the halftime whistle when it got its second equalizer of the game.<\/p>\n
Midfielder Mario Pasalic played a lofted pass to Ivan Peri\u0161i\u0107 in the England 18-yard box. He headed it down to Petar Musa, who plays for FC Dallas in MLS and buried his shot at the home of the Dallas Cowboys.<\/p>\n
Japan impressed in its opening match against the Netherlands, and it continued to do so with some impressive soccer against Tunisia.<\/p>\n
Striker Ayase Ueda had two goals and an assist, and the second goal came in impressive fashion. He headed home after a wonderful team goal that saw the Japanese go up 4-0.<\/p>\n
Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres fed Liverpool’s Alexander Isak in what could prove to be a lethal combination during the World Cup. Isak cut inside from the left wing and doubled Sweden’s lead against Tunisia.<\/p>\n
Tunisia goalkeeper Abdelmouhib Chamakh will think he could have done better with the shot, but Isak’s quickness and ability were on full display.<\/p>\n
Everyone knew that Czechia was going to be a tough team to defend on set pieces, but no one thought it would score its first goal of the tournament on a throw-in.<\/p>\n
Fullback Vladimir Coufal delivered an impressive toss toward the six-yard box, where captain Ladislav Krej\u010d\u00ed rose highest to give the Czechs a lead. South Korea had been in control of the ball and the game up to that point, so it came as a shock. Unfortunately for Czechia, though, it could not maintain the lead.<\/p>\n
Deniz Undav got the needed equalizer against the Ivory Coast when he made the run from deep to volley into the goal off Amiri’s cross into the penalty area. A well-timed finish for one of the World Cup’s rising stars.<\/p>\n
Balogun’s best goal in the USA’s opening win against Paraguay was his second, but his first was nothing to scoff at.<\/p>\n
The striker finished a great move by the Americans, which started with a pass from left-back Antonee “Jedi” Robinson that played Christian Pulisic in behind the Paraguayan defense. Balogun delayed his run to create space, and Pulisic found him at the penalty spot for an emphatic finish.<\/p>\n
This is one of the higher tap-in goals on our list, but for good reason. Fiston Mayele’s impressive accuracy on his tap-in gave DR Congo a 2-1 lead against Uzbekistan, putting it in a spot to advance to the knockout stage.\u00a0<\/p>\n
We couldn’t separate these two goals for DR Congo. Wissa helped seal DR Congo’s 3-1 win over Uzbekistan with his strong strike from the edge of the box.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cura\u00e7ao coughs it up in the midfield and German playmaker Deniz Undav pokes a through-ball to a racing Kai Havertz, who deftly chips it past beleaguered keeper Eloy Room for Germany’s final act of that game. In the end, it was two goals at opposite ends of the highest-scoring game for the Arsenal star.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Virgil van Dijk is one of the best defenders in the world, and his quality is often on display at both ends of the field. In the Netherlands’ game against Japan, he showed it in attack to open the scoring.<\/p>\n
The Liverpool star was at the end of a cross from club teammate Ryan Gravenberch to deliver a header at the far post for the first Dutch goal. It was especially impressive because van Dijk was moving away from where the cross was coming from.<\/p>\n
Cristiano Ronaldo opened his 2026 FIFA World Cup account with a goal vs. Uzbekistan. Jo\u00e3o Cancelo found a roaming Ronaldo in the box, and the 41-year-old striker drilled it home with a first-time shot toward the near post.<\/p>\n
England midfielder Jude Bellingham was played a long ball down the right wing, and he was never challenged before scoring his first goal of the tournament.<\/p>\n
Elliot Anderson played the long ball to Bellingham, who had a Croatian defender in front of him. That player chose to cover the middle of the field in case the Real Madrid man opted for a pass. He didn’t, though. Bellingham carried the ball all the way into the box, where he didn’t hit the ball cleanly \u2013 but it didn’t matter.<\/p>\n
It didn’t take long for Ecuador to equalize. Nilson Angulo picked up the ball near the top of the 18-yard box and curled in a brilliant shot to beat Manuel Neuer in the German goal. Ecuador needed the goal because it needed a win to have any chance of advancing to the round of 32.<\/p>\n
Marko Arnautovic was able to somehow get the long pass and keep possession before tapping the ball in the net to give Austia a much-needed goal against Algeria.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ousmane Demb\u00e9l\u00e9 scored his first World Cup goal in his third tournament appearance after he linked up with Michael OIise for France’s fourth goal against Iraq.<\/p>\n
The two linked up for an attempt at goal that was saved earlier in the match, but the duo made sure they would not be denied twice.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Substitute Brandon Thomas-Asante burst down the left wing and skipped past a defender. He dribbled into the 18-yard box and played a low cross into the path of 20-year-old midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi. He tapped in one of the easier finishes he’ll ever have.<\/p>\n
It was a great moment in a game that looked destined to finish 0-0.<\/p>\n
History for the Caribbean squad! German defender Nico Schlotterbeck tried to clear the ball in his defensive 18-yard box, but the ball only went as far as Cura\u00e7ao striker Jurgen Locadia. From there, Livano Comenencia picked it up and made World Cup history.<\/p>\n
The shot took a deflection off Germany captain Joshua Kimmich, but it was a magical moment in Arlington. The crowd went wild as the smallest nation ever to compete at a World Cup showed it\u2019s there to compete.<\/p>\n
Junya Ito was put through by Japan striker Ayase Ueda, who finished with two goals and an assist in the win over Tunisia. It was a clever flick that put winger Junya Ito through on goal, and Ito made no mistake with his strike.<\/p>\n
For the second time, Elijah Just gave New Zealand the lead.<\/p>\n
Just drove toward the 18-yard box and played a pass to Chris Wood, who got him the ball back. Then, Just finished strongly. It was a great move that gave New Zealand its second of the game.<\/p>\n
Bruno Fernandes brilliantly set Cristiano Ronaldo up for his second goal of the tournament, with Ronaldo’s low-driven shot sneaking the past the goalkeeper.<\/p>\n
Brazil got its third against Haiti when Luis Paqueta caught the backline sleeping, which allowed Vin\u00edcius Jr to slip behind and charge toward the 18-yard box. He found himself one-on-one with Haiti keeper Johny Placide and knocked a simple curler into the far corner.<\/p>\n
Manuel Ugarte picked up the ball in midfield and found Maxi Ara\u00fajo making a run into the 18-yard box on the left wing. Ara\u00fajo headed the ball to the center of the six-yard box, where Agust\u00edn Canobbio slotted home right under Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha. It was Uruguay’s second goal in eight minutes to give it a lead entering halftime.<\/p>\n
The goal that opened the tournament.<\/p>\n
Mexico’s Juli\u00e1n Qui\u00f1ones was the Saudi Pro League’s leading goalscorer this past season, and he kept his prolific record going against South Africa. Midfielder \u00c9rik Lira found the attacker around the penalty spot, which is a dangerous place for a goalscorer like Qui\u00f1ones. Mexico never looked back from there.<\/p>\n
Against Cura\u00e7ao, Germany right back Joshua Kimmich found Bayern Munich teammate Jamal Musiala in a perfect position and played a pass to the midfielder. Musiala picked it up and netted a beautiful goal in the back-left corner, past diving goalkeeper Eloy Room.<\/p>\n
This was Musiala’s first World Cup goal ever, but his 10th overall for Germany in 43 appearances at the time.<\/p>\n
Canada dominated play against Bosnia and Herzegovina in its World Cup, but the co-hosts found themselves behind after a well-executed corner. Then, on came Cyle Larin.<\/p>\n
The 31-year-old former No. 1 overall pick in the MLS SuperDraft was making his 91st appearance for Canada. He picked up the ball from fellow substitute Promise David, and he hit his shot well enough that it took a deflection to deliver a fantastic moment in Vancouver. Canada came away from a strong performance with at least its first World Cup point ever.<\/p>\n
After an hour of scoreless football against Panama, Jude Bellingham broke through for England.<\/p>\n
Bukayo Saka whipped in a corner that fell perfectly into Bellingham’s lap, he contorted his body to hook his left leg around the ball, to send his shot straight into the bottom corner.<\/p>\n
Ecuador only gave up five goals in 18 games during World Cup qualifying, so breaking through against that defense was always going to be a difficult task.<\/p>\n
It took almost 90 minutes, but Ivory Coast did it. Center back Wilfied Singo made an impressive run down the right wing and played a ball toward the top of the 18-yard box. It found Diallo, who slotted his shot just inside the post for the win.<\/p>\n
Ramin Rezaeian had a great game against New Zealand in Iran’s World Cup opener. He scored the first goal and then delivered a fantastic cross for the second.<\/p>\n
The ball came in from the right wing and found Mohammad Mohebi, who headed home very well to tie the game at 2.<\/p>\n
Lionel Messi continued to put on a show in Kansas City when he nabbed his second goal of the night by doing what he does best \u2013 finding himself in the best spot at the right time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Alexis Mac Allister took aim at the goal from outside the box, only to see Algeria’s Luca Zidane parry the shot right toward Messi, who knocks in the ball past the keeper into the bottom corner.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mikel Oyarzabal is going to be a key player for Spain this summer, and his two goals and assist in the first half against Saudi Arabia were a good start for his tournament after the reigning European champions were shut out against Cura\u00e7ao.<\/p>\n
Left back Marc Cucurella was played a cross at the far post. He played the ball with his first touch to midfielder Dani Olmo, who headed it to the far post. From there, Oyarzabal had one of the easier finishes he’ll ever have.<\/p>\n
Ivory Coast midfielder Ibrahim Sangare played a great ball through to Pepe, who finished very well for his second goal of the game and of the tournament. It sealed Ivory Coast’s win over Cura\u00e7ao, which meant it finished second in Group E.<\/p>\n
Qatar was down 2-0 and looking like it was on its way out of the tournament. Then, it responded very well with a strong team move.<\/p>\n
A cross came in from the right wing, where Edmilson Junior put it right back in front of goal for Hassan Al Haidos to tap home.<\/p>\n
The stoppage time goal by Algeria captain Riyad Mahrez against Austria would’ve been ranked higher had the goal stood as the game-winning score. Still, it was impressive and meaningful enough to place it in the top 100.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Portugal got on the board early thanks to its 21-year-old midfield dynamo. Jo\u00e3o Neves got on the end of a cross from Chelsea winger Pedro Neto and sent it impressively into the far corner. It gave Portugal a lead that only lasted about 30 minutes against DR Congo.<\/p>\n
New Zealand is the lowest-ranked team in the World Cup at 85th in the FIFA Rankings. Naturally, it opened the scoring in its first match.<\/p>\n
Striker Chris Wood got the ball in the 18-yard box and gave a slight touch to winger Elijah Just. The 26-year-old, who plays for Motherwell in the Scottish Premier League, controlled the ball very well and set himself up for a quick finish.<\/p>\n
Iraq equalized against Norway with a well-constructed move down the left wing. Midfielder Amir Al-Ammari was played into the 18-yard box and played a great left-footed cross into the penalty spot. From there, Ayman Hussein headed home for his 27th international goal.<\/p>\n
Perfect corner, perfect strike. Auston Trusty gave the USA a 1-0 lead in the third minute as he buried a goal off a corner kick.<\/p>\n
A superb effort in stoppage time for Germany’s win over the Ivory Coast. Felix Nmecha picks out Deniz Undav with a powerful pass through traffic and Undav uses his first touch to fire it past keeper Yahia Fofana.<\/p>\n
A well-executed play created by Breel Embolo who turns just enough off his defender to feed the ball to Rub\u00e9n Vargas. A cool clinical finish glides into the net to give Switzerland a second goal in its win over Bosnia.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Czechia got on the scoreboard early its second group-stage match on a goal that caught South Africa’s defense off guard.<\/p>\n
Adam Hlo\u017eek motored to the corner to chase down the long throw, and delivered the ball to the edge of the 18-yard box. Michal Sad\u00edlek and Alexandr Sojka exchanged passes to cross up South Africa’s defenders before Sadilek delivered a low shot and into the net.<\/p>\n
Canada started its World Cup opener well, creating chances and controlling play against Bosnia and Herzegovina. All of that was undone by a well-executed corner kick, though.<\/p>\n
Sead Kola\u0161inac got on the end of a corner kick at the near post and flicked it on into the six-yard box, where striker Jovo Luki\u0107 was perfectly placed to head home the game’s opening goal. It wasn’t flashy, but it was an impressive goal that did not involve the ball touching the ground following the corner kick.<\/p>\n
Deniz Undav scored the SIXTH<\/i> goal for Germany in its 7-1 blowout win over Cura\u00e7ao. With the game already in hand, the tempo took on a training session feel. In this buildup, Joshua Kimmich lays the ball to Undav, who finds himself right in front of the net. The youngster gets enough power on it to drill the ball past three defenders on the line.<\/p>\n
Leroy San\u00e9 finished very well after getting a pass from Florian Wirtz near the top of the 18-yard box. It looked like there may have been a foul in the build-up, but no whistle was blown and the Germans took an early lead.<\/p>\n
Petar Su\u010di\u0107 gave Croatia the lead against Ghana after he collected the ball roughly 25 yards out and unleashed a low drive that megged a defender and was beyond the reach of a diving Benjamin Asare, as it nestled into the bottom corner of the net.\u00a0<\/p>\n
On his way to a hat trick against Qatar, Canada’s Jonathan David banked his first with a nifty volley off an attempt by Tajon Buchanan that deflected off a defender. David latched onto it as the ball came down. No question there.<\/p>\n
A beautiful Austrian possession ended in a goal for Marcel Sabitzer as he received a pass at the edge of the box before shooting it into the net to give his side a 2-1 lead over Algeria.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After failing to clear the ball before Cura\u00e7ao\u2019s opening goal, Schlotterback made a strong impact on the other end of the pitch.<\/p>\n
The German defender from Borussia Dortmund\u2019s run and leap was found by Nathaniel Brown\u2019s corner kick, and his header found the back of the net. The goal restored Germany\u2019s lead over Cura\u00e7ao, which looked like it might be on the verge of a shocking result with its first-ever World Cup goal.<\/p>\n
Thapelo Maseko’s goal in the 63rd minute of South Africa’s match against Korea might not have been the most impressive as he put the ball between a defender’s legs on a shot that might have been saveable. However, it carried major importance, as the goal was the difference maker in South Africa’s 1-0 win over Korea, giving it second place in Group A.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Erling Haaland secured his second brace in consecutive World Cup matches against Senegal.<\/p>\n
Haaland’s second against Senegal came as he calmly guided a side-footed volley from the penalty spot past a diving \u00c9douard Mendy. Patrick Berg picked up the assist after he won possession inside the penalty area, capitalizing after Kalidou Koulibaly lost his footing following a heavy touch to set up Haaland.<\/p>\n
Isma\u00efla Sarr’s second World Cup goal cut the deficit and provided life back into a trailing Senegal against Norway.<\/p>\n
Idrissa Gueye delivered a pass to Sadio Man\u00e9, who received it with his back to goal 20 yards out. With a deft first touch, Man\u00e9 flipped the ball over the top of the defense into the path of Ismaila Sarr. Racing onto the pass ahead of David M\u00f8ller Wolfe, the winger used his strength to hold off the full back before drawing \u00d8rjan Nyland off his line and scooping a finish past the goalkeeper just as he went to ground.<\/p>\n
Tr\u00e9z\u00e9guet gave Mo Salah his first World Cup assist and Egypt a huge third goal. Salah played in a corner from the left wing, and Tr\u00e9z\u00e9guet finished very well at the near post.<\/p>\n
A clinical run and finish for Crysencio Summerville, who gathers the ball deep in Sweden’s territory and then brilliantly places the ball into the bottom-left corner.<\/p>\n
After Portugal opened the scoring with a header, DR Congo answered a half hour later.<\/p>\n
After playing a short corner, Arthur Masuaku delivered a high left-footed cross toward the far post. Newcastle attacker Yoane Wissa leaped highest and beat Portugal keeper Diogo Costa. It was a great moment that showed DR Congo is at this tournament to compete.<\/p>\n
World Cup sensation Tim Payne got in on the action early in New Zealand’s game on Sunday against Egypt. He picked up the ball on the left wing and swung in a perfect cross that found the head of Finn Surman, who thumped home an impressive finish.<\/p>\n
Soufiane Rahimi scored the goal that proved to be the difference in Morocco’s win over Haiti, making a shot off a corner kick as he had to turn around with no momentum in order to find the net.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After that New Zealand goal, Egypt was on the attack, looking for an equalizer. It found that goal when Mohamed Hany’s cross was headed home by Mostafa Ziko. New Zealand goalkeeper Max Crocombe got a hand to it but couldn’t keep the thumping header out.<\/p>\n
Thelo Aasgaard made Norway’s match against France interesting for a moment with his strike along the edge of the box, cutting France’s lead to 2-1.<\/p>\n
Harry Kane doubled England’s lead against Panama on a header assisted by Jude Bellingham.<\/p>\n
With this goal, Kane officially became England’s highest-scoring player in World Cup history.<\/p>\n
The third Colombia goal featured a great header but was all about the work that went into it from Cucho Hern\u00e1ndez. He fought for the ball on the right wing and won the ball after falling to the ground.<\/p>\n
From there, he delivered a great cross to the far post, where Jaminton Campaz headed home to seal Colombia’s win.<\/p>\n
A total-team effort here as Crysencio Summerville delivered a deft pass into Denzel Dumfries, whose delivery across allows Cody Gakpo has the simplest of tap-ins at the back post.<\/p>\n
Matheus Cunha got Brazil rolling against Haiti with a close-range goal and his first in World Cup action.<\/p>\n
Vin\u00edcius J\u00fanior got the play going when he dribbled into the box and then curled in a shot that Haiti keeper Johny Placide spilled to Cunha, who blasted the ball into the net. \u00a0<\/p>\n
Norway got on the board in its World Cup opener against Iraq, and it was exactly who you’d expect to score. Erling Haaland met a cross from left back David M\u00f8ller Wolfe at the far post and tapped in.<\/p>\n
The goal gave Haaland 55 goals in 51 appearances for Norway, which is an unbelievable record at the international level.<\/p>\n
Algeria went tit-for-tat with Austria in its group finale, with Riyad Mahrez scoring an equalizer on a tap-in goal for Algeria.<\/p>\n
Japan took control immediately against Tunisia, with Keito Nakamura making a run to the touchline and playing a low ball into the box. Kamada, who plays for Crystal Palace, tapped in and gave Japan an early lead.<\/p>\n
Kevin De Bruyne’s first goal of this World Cup not only sealed a Belgium victory over New Zealand, but it also helped his nation win its group as he was able to convert on a strike from outside the box.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mateo Ch\u00e1vez was able to open the scoring in the second half of Mexico’s win over Czechia, running by the opposing defense before chipping a shot into the net.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Gyokeres assisted Isak’s goal in the first half of Sweden’s matchup against Tunisia, and they swapped roles in the second half.<\/p>\n
After Sweden won possession in its attacking third, Isak dribbled the ball forward before a touch put it right into Gyokeres’ path. From there, a goal was inevitable.<\/p>\n
Rub\u00e9n Vargas helped Switzerland get out to a 1-0 lead against Canada in a match it had to win in order to secure Group B, draining a shot off a cross early in the second half.<\/p>\n
Arda G\u00fcler’s first World Cup goal might have come later than he and T\u00fcrkiye would’ve liked, but his strike was still impressive and helped his side level the match against the USA early.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Daichi Kamada scored a huge goal to make it 2-2 in Japan’s game against the Netherlands, but he did not know much about it.<\/p>\n
Japan had a corner kick in the 89th minute that found the head of defender Koki Ogawa, who headed it downward toward goal. The ball immediately bounced off Kamada’s head and found the back of the net, which gave the Crystal Palace midfielder his first World Cup goal.<\/p>\n
Ismael Saibari helped Morocco level its match against Haiti when he nailed a shot with perfect accuracy toward the post on a cross.<\/p>\n
Paraguay was dominated on Friday night in Los Angeles, but it did have a nice second-half move that resulted in its first World Cup goal since 2010.<\/p>\n
Paraguay got possession after U.S. defender Chris Richards couldn’t win a long ball. Playmaker Julio Enciso picked up possession and played Mauricio through on goal, and he delivered a composed finish past USA’s goalkeeper Matt Freese.<\/p>\n
\u00c1lvaro Fidalgo put an exclamation point on Mexico’s 3-0 win over Czechia when he scored a top-shelf goal in stoppage time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Marcus Pedersen pushes himself into the area before firing a shot that bounces through Senegal keeper Edouard Mendy and ends up in the roof of the net!<\/p>\n
Yan Diomand\u00e9 picked up possession in the 18-yard box after a mistake from Cura\u00e7ao and quickly found Nicolas P\u00e9p\u00e9, who slotted home for a straightforward finish.<\/p>\n
Vin\u00edcius J\u00fanior became the latest star to record a brace at the World Cup when he got his head on a cross for a goal to put Brazil up 2-0 against Scotland.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After Hwang’s moment of brilliance got South Korea on the board, Oh Hyeon-gyu used sheer willpower to win the game.<\/p>\n
Oh came into the game in the 69th minute in place of Son Heung-min, who is Korea’s all-time-leading goalscorer. It was a bold decision that paid off. Hwang added to his goal earlier in the half with a great pass from the left wing that found Oh in the middle for a crucial finish that ultimately gave Korea the win.<\/p>\n
The build-up was better than the actual goal in Germany’s fifth against Cura\u00e7ao. Deniz Undav uses a crafty back-heel pass to Nathaniel Brown, with the German-American defender having slipped behind the backline and guiding it into the far corner. A quick VAR check and Germany kept the momentum going.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After scoring a brace against Haiti, Matheus Cunha added a goal to his World Cup total when he buried a shot on a cross in Brazil’s win over Morocco.<\/p>\n
Ghana had equalized just 10 minutes earlier against Croatia, but Nikola Vla\u0161i\u0107 responded with a header than was assisted by Luka Modric on a corner kick.<\/p>\n
Brian Brobbey put in the work for his first goal against Sweden. He first wins an aerial ball, lays it off to Tijjani Reijnders, who quickly moves it wide to Cody Gakpo on the left. The ball is sent into the for Brobbey to side-foot into the net.<\/p>\n
Scotland\u2019s first World Cup goal since 1998 wasn\u2019t exactly a beauty.<\/p>\n
Winger Ben Gannon-Doak played a cross into the box that was cleared toward the top of the 18-yard box, where McGinn picked up possession. He did not strike his left-footed shot very cleanly, but he fortunately got a massive deflection before nestling in the back of the net. They all count the same, so Scotland won\u2019t care how the goal came.<\/p>\n
Jonathan David’s second goal of his hat-trick performance was a definite fox-in-the-box effort.<\/p>\n
Canada’s Cyle Larin forced\u00a0Qatar keeper Mahmud Abunada into a stunning save at the near post. But Canada’s striker is there to finish it off into an empty net.<\/p>\n
Algeria needed to get going late when a corner was played in by Riyad Mahrez. It was headed in by Nadir Benbouali to make it 1-1.<\/p>\n
Tunisia got on the board against Sweden with a well-executed cross and header in the first half. Burnley midfielder Hannibal Mejbri swung in a ball from the right wing that center back Omar Rekik headed home.<\/p>\n
Matthias Svanberg scored on his first touch of the game after coming on as a substitute against Tunisia.<\/p>\n
A free kick was played in and flicked on by Isak. Svanberg pounced and scored within 30 seconds of coming on.<\/p>\n
Jordan’s second-ever goal in the FIFA World Cup came from Nizar Al-Rashdan, who gave them their first lead of the tournament against Algeria.<\/p>\n
The World Cup debutants put themselves ahead after Mousa Tamari carried the ball down the flank before cutting it back towards Mahmoud Al-Mardi. Following a missed kick from Mousa Tamari, the ball fell perfectly into the path of Nizar Al-Rashdan, who drilled a first-time effort into the bottom corner.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mahmoud Saber nutmegged the opposing goalie to help give Egypt an early 1-0 lead in its match against Iran before the match ended in a draw. It was also Saber’s first international goal.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Some nifty passing against a tired defense sees Switzerland’s Johan Manzambi become the youngest sub ever to score twice in a World Cup game.<\/p>\n
Granit Xhaka connected with Rub\u00e9n Vargas, who then cuts the ball back for Manzambi. The 20-year-old finds himself with plenty of space and just enough time for the finish.\u00a0<\/p>\n
T\u00fcrkiye was able to salvage three points at the World Cup thanks to its goal in stoppage time against the USA, with Kaan Ayhan putting one in the back of the net after some chaos.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Switzerland’s Johan Manzambi scored in the second half of his team’s 2-1 win over Canada, burying a shot from the top of the box after his teammate did much of the heavy work.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The first in Canada’s six-goal win over Canada began when Jonathan David put some heat on a ball from outside the penalty box. Qatar keeper Mahmud Abunada gets his gloves on it, but the ball bounces right toward Cyle Larin, who prods it in from close range.<\/p>\n
The Belgium legends showed out in its victory over New Zealand. Romelu Lukaku, who helped Belgium score in its draw against Egypt, got a nice header to help his side extend its lead en route to a victory.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ecuador needed to beat Germany to advance to the round of 32, and it got the goal it needed in the 77th minute. Kevin Rodriguez flicked on a corner kick that was headed straight toward Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer’s arms, but striker Gonzalo Plata’s leg got just in front of him to poke a massive goal home.<\/p>\n
Uruguay was knocking on the door the entire second half against Saudi Arabia. Finally, in the 80th minute, the two-time World Cup champions broke through.<\/p>\n
Striker Federico Vinas unleashed a shot right at Saudi Arabia goalkeeper Mohammed Al Owais. It was saved right into the path of Maxi Araujo, who slotted home with his left foot to tie the game.<\/p>\n
Mexico was able to go up 2-0 against Czechia when Juli\u00e1n Qui\u00f1ones won a scramble for the ball in front of the net.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Brian Brobbey’s second goal on the day against Sweden saw him stretch out to get enough of his boot on the ball and push it past the keeper. A lovely first-time cross from Denzel Dumfries to set it up.<\/p>\n
Tunisia’s second and final goal of the tournament came off an impressive header from Hazem Mastouri, finding the post following a corner kick.<\/p>\n
Saudi Arabia took a surprising lead over Uruguay off a corner kick. Abdulhamid headed a shot right at Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera, who parried the shot right into the path of Abdulelah Al Amri. He tapped home and gave Saudi Arabia the lead.<\/p>\n
Eli Just got his third goal of the tournament off a corner, firing a shot with pristine accuracy for a goal in New Zealand’s loss to Belgium.<\/p>\n
Leo \u00d8stig\u00e5rd had been on the field for a couple of minutes when he scored Norway’s third goal against Iraq. Martin Odegaard played in a corner kick from the right wing, and \u00d8stig\u00e5rd headed home from about four yards out.<\/p>\n
Mousa Al-Tamari got the first goal against Argentina in this tournament when he broke through the Argentina defense and scored on a tap-in, helping Jordan cut the lead to 2-1.<\/p>\n
Orkun K\u00f6k\u00e7\u00fc happened to be the man who had his foot at the right place at the right time, tapping in a cross that gave T\u00fcrkiye a lead in the first half.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A long ball was played down the right wing toward Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera, who had multiple defenders near where he attempted to clear the ball. Instead, he whiffed and gifted the ball to Cape Verde attacker H\u00e9lio Varela, who controlled the ball with his chest and shot the ball into the net before it hit the ground.<\/p>\n
Qatar put a brief scare into Bosnia and Herzegovina. But Ermin Mahmi\u0107 put an end to that, scoring a goal that put Bosnia and Herzegovina ahead 3-1 and on the precipice of securing a spot in the round of 32.<\/p>\n
D\u00e9sir\u00e9 Dou\u00e9 helped secure the dagger for France in its win over Norway, scoring on a header from the middle of the box.<\/p>\n
Isma\u00efla Sarr only had to put his foot on the ball on a cross to help give Senegal a 2-0 lead over Iraq.<\/p>\n
\u00c1lex Baena gave Spain a 1-0 lead in its crucial group-finale match against Uruguay, but he had some help from goalkeeper Fernando Mulsera. Baena’s shot bounced and Mulsera let it slip through his hands, giving Spain a 1-0 lead.<\/p>\n
Brian Brobbey’s third goal of the group stage was probably his easiest score yet. However, Brobbey became just the third player on record (since 1966) to score a goal on each of his first three shots at a World Cup with his goal against Tunisia.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Milad Mohammadi’s work was arguably the most impressive part of this goal, somehow making room for himself to get open before firing a shot. That shot was saved, but Ramin Rezaeian was right there to bury the rebound and level the match in Iran’s match against Egypt.<\/p>\n
His third and final goal in Canada’s 6-0 win over Qatar, Jonathan David was able to control the ball after it landed at his feet following David Saliba’s attempt. David swiveled around and booted it past the keeper.<\/p>\n
Rodrigo Bentancur’s header went off the post and went right at Maxi Ara\u00fajo, who tapped in an equalizer against Cape Verde.<\/p>\n
Trossard’s two goals in Belgium’s win over New Zealand were scored in a very similar fashion. He was able to get his foot on a loose ball in front of the net on multiple occasions, like he did here.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Like we said, Troassard’s second goal was very similar to his first. The ball bounced to him, and he was able to regain control and fired a shot off right in front of the net to give Belgium a 2-0 lead against New Zealand.<\/p>\n
Achraf Hakimi was right at the goal line when a ball went toward the net, helping Morocco level its match against Haiti.<\/p>\n
Iran tied its game against New Zealand at 1-1. Right back Ramin Rezaeian found possession after a scrappy sequence and finished past goalkeeper Max Crocombe for the finish.<\/p>\n
Yan Diomande flashed some brilliance with a cross to Amad Diallo, whose effort is somehow blocked by Germany’s Nathaniel Brown, before the ball falls to Franck Kessi\u00e9, who makes no mistake and fires it past Manuel Neuer.<\/p>\n
Saudi Arabia entered its game against Spain with a low margin of error. Naturally, it gifted the reigning European champions their second goal.<\/p>\n
A ball was played into the box by Dani Olmo and was flicked on by Aymeric Laporte. As a Saudi defender tried to clear the ball, Oyarzabal pounced for his first goal of the tournament.<\/p>\n
Iraq equalized 10 minutes after Haaland’s first goal, and then it gifted the Norway superstar his second goal of the game.<\/p>\n
Iraq defender Zaid Tahseen played a weak pass back to goalkeeper Jalal Hassan, who overestimated how hard the pass was played. Instead of the ball making it to his feet, Haaland pounced and tapped in to give Norway another lead.<\/p>\n
Algeria kept its tournament alive when Armine Gouiri popped up in the box to poke a shot home that gave it a 2-1 win over Jordan.<\/p>\n
Haiti thought the ball went out of play for a goal kick, but Morocco kept its head up and made a play to help extend its lead to 4-2. It won the ball along the line, before 20-year-old Gessime Yassine scored on a cross.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Senegal got some bounces to go its way on a corner kick early in its match against Iraq.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Switzerland was in control on Saturday afternoon against Qatar. The Swiss had 26 shots to Qatar’s six and had 68% of the ball, and they led for 77 minutes of game time.<\/p>\n
Then, an unfortunate mishap by Swiss defender Miro Muheim provided a surprising equalizer for Qatar. Left back Homam Elamin delivered a great cross to the back post as Qatar captain Boualem Khoukhi put pressure on Muheim, who unbelievably headed the ball past Switzerland goalkeeper Gregory Kubel. Qatar was thrilled with the tie, and Switzerland was left shell-shocked for not winning a game it had dominated.<\/p>\n
The goal that sealed Croatia’s win over Panama was as easy as it gets \u2014 at least for Ante Budimir. Josip Stanisic, on the other hand, had to be clinical with his pass to the opposite goal post to set up Budimir’s left-footed finish.<\/p>\n
Luis D\u00edaz was played through down the left wing with Colombia on the counterattack and in need of a goal after Uzbekistan’s ugly equalizer. It wasn’t the smoothest finish, but Uzbekistan goalkeeper Utkir Yusupov couldn’t do much with it. The keeper will think he should have done better as he watched the ball trickle in.<\/p>\n
Derrick Luckassen scored the 200th goal of the tournament, which briefly equalized for Ghana against Croatia, as he connected with Ernest Nuamah’s free kick.<\/p>\n
Alexis Saelemaekers put an exclamation mark on Belgium’s win over New Zealand, giving his side its fifth goal.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Substitute Dostonbek Khamdamov was sent a cross at the far post and was able to put a shot on frame while moving away from goal. He put a shot on goal that deflected off Colombia goalkeeper Camilo Vargas and hit the post. The ball then went up in the air to the far post, where Abbosbek Fayzullayev headed home.<\/p>\n
For a few moments, it appeared USA defender Alex Freeman’s third international goal wouldn’t count.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In the 43rd minute of the USA’s Group D match against Australia, Freeman was able to connect on a header following a deflection on a set piece. It was initially ruled that Freeman was offside, disallowing the goal. However, a VAR check determined that Freeman was onside before heading the ball in the net, giving him the goal and the USA a 2-0 lead.<\/p>\n
Jan Paul van Hecke was able to get his head on a Netherlands corner to score a goal late in its 3-1 win over Tunisia, although the ball went off a Tunisian player and went in.\u00a0<\/p>\n
That was a tough break for South Korea keeper Kim Seung-gyu, who gifted Mexico the goal that helped the co-hosts clinch the group in Guadalajara.<\/p>\n
It started when Mexico’s Raul Jimenez nodded the ball up into the air inside the box. That prompted Kim to come off his line to collect the ball, but he ended up coughing it up over the back of Lee Gi-hyuk. Luis Romo was there to chip it into the empty net.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Crystal Palace right back Daniel Mu\u00f1oz is on a hot streak with one goal in each of Colombia’s first two games. This one against DR Congo took a deflection on its way in.<\/p>\n
If you ever needed to know the definition of “When Turning Out The Back Goes Wrong,” just refer to this play. You can’t gift a team like France with someone like Kylian Mbapp\u00e9 roaming something like this.<\/p>\n
Vin\u00edcius J\u00fanior gave Brazil an early 1-0 lead against Scotland by keeping his head up when his teammate stole the ball, making a chip shot.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Embolo did his job on the penalty kick that gave Switzerland a golden chance to score its opening goal. Qatar goalkeeper Mahmud Abunada dove the wrong way, and Embolo calmly slotted the penalty well to his left.<\/p>\n
Deep into the game against Czechia, South Africa’s Teboho Mokoena knocks in the ball from the penalty spot with a whipping shot into the bottom-left corner, sending\u00a0keeper Mateji Kovar the wrong way. A confident attempt for Mokoena who helped South Africa rescue a point.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lautaro Mart\u00ednez scored his first World Cup goal in Argentina’s win against Jordan as he drained a penalty kick to make it 2-0 at the time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Germany’s Kai Havertz made the most of stoppage time before the half against Cura\u00e7ao. About two minutes into extra time, a Cura\u00e7ao trip opened the door for the PK, which Havertz planted perfectly in the back of the net, giving Germany a 3-1 halftime lead.<\/p>\n
Austria was awarded a penalty deep into second-half stoppage time, and its all-time-leading goalscorer stepped up. Marko Arnautovi\u0107 slotted the penalty home for his 48th career international goal.<\/p>\n
Yoane Wissa’s second goal to complete his brace against Uzbekistan, but DR Congo needed his penalty kick goal to help even the match.<\/p>\n
The final act in Switzerland’s 4-1 rout of Bosnia and Herzegovina in a game that saw five goals in a span of 16 minutes. A foul in the 18-yard box deep into stoppage time gave the Swiss the penalty. Instead of Johan Manzambi getting a chance at a hat trick, it was team captain Granit Xhaka who converted the shot.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It was an own goal, but Lenny Joseph helped Haiti score its first goal of the tournament when he happened to be at the right place at the right time on a cross, giving his nation a 1-0 lead against Morocco.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The first own goal of the tournament isn’t ranked last on this list because of the play that caused it.<\/p>\n
Christian Pulisic was unplayable in the first half for the USA against Paraguay. For the game’s opening goal, he dribbled past two defenders and then found a pass around two more to Weston McKennie. The midfielder then tried to lay it off to Folarin Balogun, but the ball instead went off Paraguay midfielder Dami\u00e1n Bobadilla.<\/p>\n
40-year-old Bosnian legend Edin D\u017eeko created an own goal against Qatar when he received a cross at the back post and hit it back in front of goal, only for defender Sultan Al Brake to have it deflect off him and into the net.<\/p>\n
Marc Cucurella’s volley was saved, but it was saved onto a defender and went right into the Saudi Arabian net.<\/p>\n
After scoring twice in the USA’s opening win over Paraguay, Folarin Balogun helped create another goal in the opening minutes of its match against Australia.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As Balogun attacked, he delivered a cross as he neared the net. His pass to Ricardo Pepi was intercepted by Australia’s Cameron Burgess in front of the net. However, Burgess wasn’t able to gain full control of the ball, directing it into his own net to give the USA a 1-0 lead in the 11th minute.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Romelu Lukaku came on and was in the thick of the action right away.<\/p>\n
Belgium midfielder Youri Tielemans played right back Thomas Meunier in down the right wing. Meunier played a low cross into the box toward Lukaku, whose presence was enough to force Egypt defender Mohamed Hany to put the ball into his own net.<\/p>\n
Austria just had a goal chalked off due to a handball that was spotted by VAR. Not long after, Marcel Sabitzer whipped in a corner kick that was headed into the Jordan goal by Yazan Abu Al-Arab. It wasn’t spectacular, but Austria will take it.<\/p>\n
It wasn’t Qatar’s day in Vancouver and giving up an own-goal against Canada didn’t help matters.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Jacob Shaffelburg takes an attempt inside the box on a first-time volley. It looks to be heading wide of the upright but gets diverted by Mohamed Al Mannai into his team’s net.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Earlier in the match against Norway, Aymen Hussein’s goal had canceled out Erling Haaland’s opener. But in the closing moments of the game, he gifted one back to the Norwegians when it mistakenly bounced off his chest while trying to clear out a cross.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bruno Fernandes played a low cross into the box that Jo\u00e3o F\u00e9lix flicked on in the Uzbekistan six-yard box. From there, Khusanov had it go off him after goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov got a touch, and then it went back off the goalkeeper for the final touch<\/p>\n
It doesn’t get much worse than this. In the opening minutes of the Netherlands’ match against Tunisia, the Eagles of Carthage put one in the back of their own net when defender Ellyes Skhiri accidentally redirected a ball the wrong way.<\/p>\n
Harry Kane was a lucky boy against Croatia. After Noni Madueke won a penalty, Kane stepped up and had his first attempt saved by Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic. Unfortunately for Croatia, VAR reviewed Livakovic’s positioning and determined both of his feet were off the goal line.<\/p>\n
With that, Kane was allowed to retake the penalty and scored to give the Three Lions a lead. Needing two bites at the apple to score is not ideal.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
POPULAR SEARCHES BROWSE BY In the biggest edition of the World Cup yet, we’ve already seen more goals than ever before \u2014 and we’ve already witnessed some bangers and golazos in just group play.\u00a0 Lionel Messi continued to do what he does best and make history. Kylian Mbapp\u00e9 and Erling Haaland joined the fun. As […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":5698,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5699","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-soccer"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/play-live.eu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5699","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/play-live.eu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/play-live.eu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/play-live.eu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5699"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/play-live.eu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5699\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/play-live.eu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5698"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/play-live.eu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5699"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/play-live.eu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5699"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/play-live.eu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5699"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}