From The Sports Desk: 4 World Cup video games, 4 tightly contested attracts on Monday

The final time 4 World Cup matches on the identical day led to a tie, Pelé was the 17-year-old breakout star and Frenchman Just Fontaine went on to attain a tournament-record 13 targets. That was 1958. Iran didn’t enter that competitors however started its troubled 2026 World Cup marketing campaign with a kind of ties, 2-2 towards New Zealand. Iran’s coach mentioned his staff was ordered to depart the U.S. and return to its coaching base in Mexico only some hours after the match.

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Looking forward, if there’s a modern-day equal to Fontaine, it could be the prolific Kylian Mbappé. The Real Madrid star, who scored a hat trick within the final closing, opens his marketing campaign when France faces Senegal as we speak.

World Cup Recap

For the entire give attention to geopolitics earlier than Iran-New Zealand, on the pitch, the Group G matchup was a back-and-forth curler coaster, with Team Melli displaying spirit to rally twice from behind in entrance of fierce Los Angeles help. Nonetheless, coach Amir Ghalenoei will likely be dissatisfied to tie towards a staff ranked 65 locations decrease in FIFA’s rankings. Elijah Just, who performs for Motherwell within the Scottish Premiership, netted a brace, turning into the primary New Zealand participant to attain a couple of purpose in a World Cup recreation.

If Iran’s opener was essentially the most newsworthy recreation of the World Cup to date, then Cape Verde-Spain was essentially the most stunning. World Cup debutants Cape Verde, a nation of 10 volcanic islands off the coast of Africa with a inhabitants of simply over 500,000, had 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha to thank for holding the reigning European champions — who included Pedri, Rodri and Ferran Torres — at bay. Not even teen sensation Lamine Yamal, who got here on as an alternative after 70 minutes, may break the impasse.

Elsewhere, a lackluster Belgium drew 1-1 with Egypt. It was the identical rating line between Saudi Arabia and Uruguay.

World Cup Preview

When Senegal beat then-defending champions France 1-0 within the 2002 opener, it was one of many largest World Cup shocks of all time. The two meet once more this afternoon, with France boasting arguably the strongest squad within the competitors and a daunting entrance line that would embrace Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué and Mbappé. Les Bleus enter the Senegal recreation ranked second on this planet behind Argentina — who tackle Algeria tonight — and this 12 months are tipped by many pundits to go one higher than their runners-up end 4 years in the past.

Norway makes its World Cup return after 28 years and can hope its goal-scoring machine of Erling Haaland leads them to victory over Iraq. Argentina begins its title protection with Lionel Messi and Co. enjoying Algeria.

At midnight, Austria — managed by onetime interim Manchester United coach Ralf Rangnick — performs Jordan, which is making its World Cup debut.

Men in Blazers

With apologies to the traditional Greeks, the time period “herculean effort” has formally been changed by “Cape Verdean effort.” Cape Verde’s goalkeeper, Vozinha, had a very busy afternoon in Atlanta, making seven large saves and including upward of 6 million Instagram followers over the course of the sport. Men in Blazers founder Roger Bennett chatted with the now-world well-known, 40-year-old Vozinha after the historic outcome about what this implies for Cape Verde and his journey to the World Cup stage. Check that out here.

Today is completely stacked with intrigue because the World Cup’s two most up-to-date champions each start their quests to boost the trophy as soon as once more. First, 2018 winner France takes on Senegal at 3 p.m. ET at New York/New Jersey Stadium in a rematch 24 years in the making. Then, present titleholder Argentina, led by Lionel Messi in his sixth journey to the event, battles Algeria in Kansas City, Missouri, at 9 p.m. ET. For the total match schedule, head here.

For extra World Cup protection despatched straight to your inbox each morning, subscribe to the Men in Blazers newsletter. We’ll be protecting each match, each purpose and each joyous second that soccer’s largest spectacle is bound to carry.

What We’re Watching

World Cup! All the video games are on Telemundo and Peacock, and all occasions are Eastern:

• 3 p.m.: France vs. Senegal
• 6 p.m.: Norway vs. Iraq
• 9 p.m.: Argentina vs. Algeria
• 12 a.m.: Austria vs. Jordan

That’s it for now! We’ll be again tomorrow.