26/06/2026

SPORTS FRIDAY | JUNE 26, 2026

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2026 WORLD CUP Belgium need to find quick scoring fix

Bring it on! Unbeaten Spain ready for whatever Uruguay throw at them, says Laporte S PAIN have gone 33 matches unbeaten and faced opponents employing every conceivable tactical approach during that run, which is why defender Aymeric Uruguay, coached by the famously intense Bielsa, need a win to be certain of reaching the knockout rounds after disappointing draws against Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde. showcased the quality that has made them one of the tournament favourites.

BELGIUM head into their final World Cup Group G match against New Zealand tomorrow (11am) knowing they can no longer afford to waste chances after two frustrating performances left one of the tournament favourites facing an unexpected battle to reach the knockout rounds. Expected by many to comfortably top the group, Belgium instead find them selves third with two points from their opening two matches. Egypt lead Group G with four points after their historic victory over New Zealand, while Iran are second on goal difference, also with two points. The equation for Belgium is straight forward. Victory over New Zealand would almost certainly send them through to the Round of 32, while any thing less could leave their fate out of their own hands. Belgium’s biggest problem has not been creating opportunities but convert ing them. In their opening 1-1 draw against Egypt, they dominated large spells and fashioned several good chances but lacked precision in front of goal. The concerns deepened in their sec ond match against Iran, where they reg istered 23 attempts, including seven on target, yet still failed to score in a goalless draw. Much of the attention has focused on striker Romelu Lukaku, who continues to search for top form after injury issues disrupted his build-up to the tournament. The veteran forward has looked short of sharpness and has yet to make the decisive impact Belgium supporters expect from their all-time leading scorer. Coach Rudi Garcia, however, insists there is no sense of panic within the squad. “We’re still firmly in this tournament. “Of course, we would have hoped to have already won one or even two matches, but now the situation is clear,” Garcia told reporters. “We have to beat New Zealand, and we will beat New Zealand. We’ll then have five points and will qualify, no mat ter what. There’s pressure, but no panic.” Belgium could receive a timely boost with the return of winger Jeremy Doku. One of the side’s most dangerous attacking weapons, Doku missed the Iran match after suffering breathing diffi culties during training. The Manchester City player then trav elled back to England to be present for the birth of his first child before returning to join the squad ahead of the decisive encounter. New Zealand, meanwhile, remain alive despite sitting bottom of the group with one point. The All Whites have shown consider able resilience during the tournament, taking the lead in both of their matches. They earned a 2-2 draw against Iran and were ahead against Egypt before eventually falling 3-1. To progress, New Zealand must beat Belgium and hope Iran fail to overcome Egypt in the other Group G fixture. Forward Elijah Just believes Belgium’s difficult start only makes them more dangerous opponents. “You can look at it one way, where the draws are maybe not so flattering to Belgium when they’re probably favour ites to win the group,” Just told Reuters . “And then, at the same time, we know how hungry they’re going to be. “They need to beat us to get out of the group, so yeah, we’re definitely not underestimating them because of the draws.” – Reuters/Agencies

Laporte admitted the players were as disap pointed as anyone by the opening stalemate. “We weren’t happy internally either,” he said. “We’re the ones most keen to win, especially against a team that was supposed to be weaker – or is weaker. But anyway, it’s understandable. We get frustrated too when things don’t go our way.” The Manchester City defender believes the emphatic victory over Saudi Arabia offered a far more accurate reflection of Spain’s true level. “What we saw in the second match is more representative of us,” he said. “But in the first one we had possession and lacked the goal.” Adding another layer to tomorrow’s encoun ter is Laporte’s long-standing admiration for Bielsa, who handed him his senior debut at Athletic Bilbao. Asked about the veteran Argentine coach, Laporte said he had “only good words” for the man who helped launch his career. With Spain seeking to preserve their remark able unbeaten run and Uruguay fighting for sur vival, the clash promises to be one of the stand out matches of the final round of group-stage action. – Reuters/Agencies

The South Americans have shown flashes of their attacking quality but have been under mined by defensive lapses and missed chances. Laporte expects Uruguay to attack from the opening whistle. “We’re well aware they’ll be going all out, just as we would if we were in their position,” he said. “But it’s down to us; we know what we have to do. We’ll both be going all out.” The defender also dismissed suggestions that Spain might be tempted to settle for a draw if it proves sufficient to qualify. “Our idea is to finish first. We don’t play to lose or draw,” Laporte said. “We focus on our selves, regardless of who we might face next.” Spain’s tournament began with an unexpect edly frustrating 0-0 draw against Cape Verde, a result that prompted criticism despite La Roja dominating possession and creating numerous chances. The performance contrasted sharply with their second outing, a commanding 4-0 demoli tion of Saudi Arabia that restored confidence and

Laporte is not losing sleep over what Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay might bring to their decisive World Cup Group H clash tomorrow (8am Malaysian time). The European champions head into the final round of group matches knowing their fate remains firmly in their own hands. Spain top Group H with four points, two ahead of both Uruguay and World Cup debu tants Cape Verde, while Saudi Arabia have one point. A victory would guarantee Luis de la Fuente’s side top spot and confirm their status as one of the favourites for the title. Laporte said Spain’s focus must remain on their own game rather than becoming con sumed by Uruguay’s desperation for a result. “We’ve gone 33 matches without losing, teams have played us in every possible way,” Laporte told reporters at Spain’s training camp in Chattanooga. “It depends a lot on us, on how we’re playing. If we’re on form, it’s very difficult to beat us.”

‘Darlings’ Cape Verde have all to play for

Bubista

Georgios Donis

in a symbolic show of support. Saudi Arabia, however, have ambi tions of their own. A victory, coupled with a favourable result elsewhere, could send them into the knockout rounds for only the second time in their history. Their hopes were dented by a heavy 4-0 defeat to Spain, but coach Georgios Donis urged observers not to judge his side solely on that result. “I’m proud of everything the players do every day. I am not going to lose my pride in the players after a poor result,” Donis said. The Greek coach is expected to recall influential midfielder Mohamed Kanno after he surprisingly started on the bench against Spain and only entered the match at half-time. Saudi Arabia’s performance in a 1-1 draw with Uruguay demonstrated they are capable of troubling stronger opponents, and Donis believes his play ers can respond positively to adversity. The Saudis are seeking to emulate their famous run at the 1994 World Cup in the United States, when they reached the last 16 before being eliminated by Sweden. For Cape Verde, meanwhile, qualifi cation would represent the greatest achievement in the nation’s football his tory. With a place in the knockout rounds within touching distance, the Blue Sharks have the chance to turn an already memorable debut into something truly historic. – Reuters/Agencies

the numbers. “Since the beginning, what we’ve been saying is that we would like to compete at the highest possible level, and that’s what we’re trying to do,” he told reporters. “That’s what we’ve been doing in these two matches, and more important than the result is to be able to show our identity as a team, our strength, our unity, and also our resilience. “We’re here to compete to try to achieve a new dream, which is to qualify for the second round and I think it’s legiti mate to think that way.” The 47-year-old coach has repeat edly spoken of his desire for Cape Verde to earn respect on the world stage, and his players have embraced that challenge. Midfielder Deroy Duarte said after the draw with Uruguay that the squad had proved they could compete with estab lished football nations. “We have shown that we are not here by accident,” Duarte said. “We have quality, we work hard for each other and we believe in what we are doing.” Cape Verde’s growing popularity has also been evident away from the pitch. At their training base in Florida, local sup porters have adopted the Blue Sharks as a second team, attracted by their underdog story and fearless approach. On Wednesday, Tampa Bay Rowdies head coach Dominic Casciato visited the squad, observing training before exchanging jerseys with players and staff

SAUDI ARABIA and Cape Verde will both be chasing a victory that could secure a place in the World Cup Round of 32 when they meet in their final Group H match tomorrow (8am), with the tournament debutants hoping to continue one of the most captivating stories of the competi tion. Few expected Cape Verde to be in contention for a knockout place when the tournament began, but the tiny island nation has defied expectations with a series of spirited performances that have earned admiration far beyond their own supporters. Group H remains finely balanced heading into the final round of matches. European champions Spain lead the standings with four points, while Uruguay have two. Cape Verde are also on two points following draws against both Spain and Uruguay, while Saudi Arabia sit bottom with one point after their defeat by Spain. That means all four teams still have a chance of progressing, ensuring a tense evening of football in Houston. Cape Verde have already shown they belong on the biggest stage. After frustrating Spain in a goalless draw, they produced another resilient display in a 2-2 draw with Uruguay, twice coming from behind and displaying the fighting spirit that has become their trademark. Coach Bubista said his team had arrived in North America determined to compete rather than merely make up