Area Sports Network  |  USA Soccer News

By Niko Antoun Seattle, WA- The World Cup Round of 32 kicked off in Seattle early Wednesday afternoon, in a clash between Belgium and Senegal that ended in a massive upset for the Belgian Red Devils and a landmark win for African football. The match went into extra time after Belgium came from behind within four minutes to level the match 2-2 by the end of regulation. In extra time, the two sides sat back a little bit more, playing relatively more conservatively. At the 125th

By Cristina Burgos Colombia continued their impressive 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a disciplined 1-0 victory over Ghana, combining attacking efficiency with another outstanding defensive display to secure a place in the quarterfinals. Néstor Lorenzo's side controlled the match from the opening whistle despite suffering an early setback when striker Jhon Córdoba was forced off through injury after just eight minutes. His replacement, Luis Suárez, made an immediate impact

By Alonso Contreras Argentina needed extra time and plenty of resilience to overcome a fearless Cape Verde side, edging a dramatic 3-2 victory in Miami after one of the biggest scares of their 2026 FIFA World Cup title defense. The reigning champions entered the knockout clash as overwhelming favorites, but Cape Verde once again proved they belonged on football's biggest stage, pushing Lionel Scaloni's men to the absolute limit. After a cautious opening, Lionel Messi produced

By Mario Amaya Portugal survived a late scare and produced a dramatic stoppage-time winner to defeat Croatia 2-1 in Toronto, booking their place in the Round of 16 after one of the most thrilling matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The first half belonged largely to Portugal, who controlled possession and repeatedly tested Dominik Livaković without finding a breakthrough. Bruno Fernandes, João Cancelo, Rafael Leão and Cristiano Ronaldo all came close, but Croatia's goalkeeper

By Alonso Contreras Defending world champions Spain delivered one of their most complete performances of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, defeating Austria 3-0 in Los Angeles to book their place in the Round of 16 with authority. After controlling possession from the opening whistle, Spain finally found the breakthrough in the 36th minute. A brilliant move through midfield saw Pedri release Marc Cucurella down the left, and the full-back calmly squared the ball across the face of goa

Fernando Abarca - Area Sports Network, USA SANTA CLARA, CA–– Team USA regresaba al área de la bahía después de mucho tiempo con la misión clara de continuar el sueño mundialista ante una selección de Bosnia que sabía que podía hacer daño. Estados Unidos dirá presente en octavos de final. Bosnia, desde un principio, se vio como un rival bastante pasivo, proponiendo poco, pero dando pequeños avisos… El primero vino de un saque de corner, en el cual pegó el poste. Bosnia jugó má

By Mario Amaya East Rutherford, NJ- France finished the group stages with a perfect record, winning all three games, scoring 10 goals in the process, and entering as a favorite into their Round of 32 matchup against Sweden, who entered this stage of the World Cup as one of the best third-place teams, as favorites to win. France did not disappoint and walked away with the victory and their ticket to the Round of 16, with a commanding 3-0 victory Tuesday afternoon, in front o

By Cristina Burgos Norway booked its place in the Round of 16 with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast, as Erling Haaland struck four minutes from time to cap a thrilling knockout battle at Dallas Stadium. In a match that swung dramatically from end to end, Norway twice took the lead and twice looked destined to be denied before the Manchester City striker once again proved the difference on football's biggest stage. Ivory Coast began brightly and looked the more dangerou

By Alonso Contreras Brazil survived a massive scare and kept their World Cup dreams alive with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Japan, as Gabriel Martinelli's 95th-minute winner completed a stunning second-half comeback in one of the tournament's most entertaining Round of 32 clashes. For much of the evening in Houston, Japan looked poised to deliver another World Cup upset. Disciplined defensively and lethal on the counterattack, Hajime Moriyasu's side frustrated the five-time wo

By Alonso Contreras Paraguay produced one of the biggest upsets of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, eliminating four-time champions Germany in a dramatic penalty shootout after a hard-fought 1-1 draw that stretched through 120 unforgettable minutes at Boston Stadium. The victory sends La Albirroja into the Round of 16, ending Germany's tournament in heartbreaking fashion after goalkeeper Orlando Gill delivered a heroic performance between the posts. Germany dominated possession from