BAKU — Argentina and France became the latest teams to advance to the knockout phase of the 2026 FIFA World Cup following dominant performances late Tuesday.
Lionel Messi starred for Argentina in a 2-0 victory over Austria in Group J, scoring both goals to send the reigning world champions into the Round of 32. His second goal, scored in stoppage time, elevated his World Cup career total to 18, surpassing former Germany striker Miroslav Klose.
France likewise punched its ticket to the next round after defeating Iraq 3-0 in Group I. Kylian Mbappé struck twice, while Ousmane Dembélé also found the back of the net in a comfortable win.
Norway joined France in securing qualification after overcoming Senegal 3-2. Erling Haaland delivered a match-winning brace as the Scandinavian side maintained its unbeaten record.
With two wins from two matches, Argentina sit atop Group J with six points. France and Norway have also secured progression from Group I with perfect records.
In other matches, Spain cruised to a 4-0 victory over Saudi Arabia, while Egypt recorded a historic milestone by defeating New Zealand 3-1 for its first World Cup win.
(Sourced online via Azertac/elamigo/xf)
