Jun. 26, 2018, 9:23 a.m.
Peru has won its first game at the World Cup since 1978 with a 2-0 victory over Australia on Tuesday in the last match of Group C play.
Veteran striker Paolo Guerrero assisted on the first goal when Andre Carrillo volleyed the cross and beat Australia goalkeeper Mat Ryan in the 18th minute. Guerrero then got a goal of his own in the 50th minute, finishing a deflected cross from Christian Cueva. It was Peru's first win since beating Iran in the 1978 tournament. They were winless in their previous eight World Cup matches but had not been in the tournament since 1982.
The Peruvians are going out on a high note this time, though, delighting the thousands of fans who made the trip from South America and flooded every city and stadium where they played. Carrillo's goal started Peru's party, and it only became louder and more joyful after Guerrero found the net.
Jun. 25, 2018, 1:11 p.m.
Cristiano Ronaldo's missed penalty cost Portugal first place in its World Cup group on Monday.
Portugal finished second in Group B after a 1-1 draw with Iran. The 2016 European champions will next face Uruguay on Saturday in the round of 16.
Instead of Ronaldo, it was Ricardo Quaresma who scored for the Portuguese. The 34-year-old midfielder responded to his first start of the tournament by producing one of the more aesthetically pleasing goals of group play.
Jun. 25, 2018, 11:45 a.m.
It has been a difficult tournament so far for reigning champion Germany, which lost its opener to Mexico then needed a goal deep in stoppage time to beat Sweden, keeping alive its hopes of reaching the knockout round.
Now it needs another win if it hopes to continue a streak of never exiting a World Cup in group play, although with the right circumstances, it could also advance with a draw.
Winless South Korea also has a path — albeit a narrow one — open to the second round. The easiest way through would be for the South Koreans to win and Sweden to lose, creating a three-way tie for second that would be broken on goal differential. If Sweden loses and South Korea beats Germany by two or more goals, the Koreans finish second.
Jun. 25, 2018, 9:21 a.m.
Saudi Arabia edged Egypt 2-1 after Salem Aldawsari scored with almost the final kick in a contest where both teams were trying to avoid the last spot in their World Cup group.
Saudi Arabia ends Group A in third place with three points and Egypt finishes with three losses.
Aldawsari scored from a tight angle inside the Egypt penalty area after poking past 45-year-old goalkeeper Essam El Hadary, who became the oldest person to take the field in a World Cup.
Jun. 25, 2018, 9:15 a.m.
Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani scored a goal each and Uruguay went on to defeat Russia 3-0 on Monday, finishing undefeated in group play and handing the host nation its first loss of the World Cup.
Both teams were already assured of spots in the knockout round, but Uruguay's victory put it at the top of Group A and looking toward a match in Sochi on Saturday against the second-place finisher from Group B.
Uruguay, which also benefited from an own-goal in the first half, had its third straight shutout of the tournament after consecutive 1-0 victories over Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
Jun. 25, 2018, 7:13 a.m.
Hundreds of Iranian fans spent several overnight hours surrounding the hotel where Portugal's national team is based, making loud noises in an attempt to disrupt their opponents' sleep before a decisive World Cup match later Monday.
Superstar Cristiano Ronaldo was filmed by Portuguese TV RTP late at night by the window using gestures to ask the Iranian fans to be silent, but Monday morning there were still a few dozen of them playing loud music near the hotel in the Saransk city center.
Iran can only advance to the next stage of the World Cup if it beats the European champions. Portugal only needs a draw, but also aims to take the top position in Group B ahead of Spain.
Jun. 24, 2018, 9:54 p.m.
Jun. 24, 2018, 3:30 p.m.
Through the first 32 matches of this World Cup, there have been 85 goals scored, an average of 2.7 per game, matching the 2014 tournament in Brazil.
Jun. 24, 2018, 2:39 p.m.
Maybe Vitaly Milonov was right. Maybe all the jokes and sarcastic songs and abuse heaped on the Russian national team heading into the World Cup were misplaced.
Jun. 24, 2018, 2:32 p.m.
Despite goal celebrations seen as inflaming political tensions with Serbia, the head of Switzerland's soccer federation said Sunday he doesn't expect FIFA to suspend his players.
FIFA has added a third Swiss player — captain Stephan Lichtsteiner — to an investigation of both scorers in a 2-1 win who made hand gestures of a two-headed eagle that is an Albanian national symbol. Lichtsteiner also made the gesture during the match.
Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri have ethnic Albanian heritage linked to Kosovo, a former Serbian province that declared independence in 2008. Serbia doesn't recognize that independence.