Belgium win 5-1, Senegal crush Iraq 5-0 and France triumph 4-1; Uruguay Eliminated
Toronto/Vancouver: Several exciting matches were played on Day 16 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Saturday, with many of them ending in convincing victories. The biggest story, however, came from tiny Cape Verde. The island nation, with a population of barely 500,000, created history by securing a 0-0 draw against Saudi Arabia and qualifying for the Round of 32.
Cape Verde will now compete in the knockout stage alongside football giants such as Argentina, Spain, Brazil, Germany and France, marking a historic achievement for the small African nation.
Dembele’s Hat-Trick Powers France to Victory
France defeated a strong Norway side 4-1. Ousmane Dembele stole the show by scoring a first-half hat-trick. Norway’s only goal came through Osgard in the same half.
France added another goal in stoppage time when Doue found the net in the 94th minute to complete an impressive 4-1 victory.
France captain Kylian Mbappe failed to score in the match, but he played a key role in creating several chances and setting up his teammates.
Senegal Thrash Iraq 5-0
Underdogs Senegal also booked their place in the knockout round with a dominant 5-0 victory over Iraq on Saturday.
Substitute Pepe Gueye was the star performer, scoring two of Senegal’s five goals.
Belgium Beat New Zealand 5-1
Already through to the knockout stage, Belgium defeated New Zealand 5-1. Leandro Trossard scored twice for the Belgian side.
The defeat ended New Zealand’s campaign and knocked them out of the tournament.
Spain Win, Uruguay Eliminated
In another match, Spain defeated Uruguay 1-0, resulting in the elimination of the former world champions from the tournament.
Meanwhile, Egypt and Iran played out a 1-1 draw. The result was enough for Egypt to secure a place in the knockout round.
Also Read: India Thrash Pakistan 7-1 in FIH Pro League Clash
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