- Dembélé scored a hat-trick as France beat Norway 4-1 to top Group I.
- Spain beats Uruguay 1-0; Cape Verde advances while Uruguay falls.
- Senegal beat Iraq 5-0 and kept alive their hopes of qualifying for the round of 16.
France and Spain finished top of their FIFA World Cup groups with victories, while two-time champions Uruguay suffered a shock elimination in the group stage.
Ousmane Dembélé scored a hat-trick as France beat Norway, Senegal boosted their slim qualification hopes with a five-goal rout of Iraq, Spain beat Uruguay to secure first place in Group H, and World Cup debutant Cape Verde advanced to the knockout stage after drawing with Saudi Arabia.
With Dembélé’s hat trick, France beats Norway
Ousmane Dembélé produced a first-half masterclass, scoring in the seventh, 20th and 32nd minutes as France defeated Norway 4-1 to maintain their perfect record in Group I.
Thelo Aasgaard briefly reduced the lead for Norway but Dembélé restored France’s two-goal lead before Desire Doue added a fourth in stoppage time. Norway also missed a chance to get back into the game when Jorgen Strand Larsen missed a penalty in the second half.
The victory ensured that France advanced to the round of 16 as winners of Group I.
Senegal keeps its knockout hopes alive
Senegal revived their World Cup campaign with a resounding 5-0 victory over Iraq to claim their first points of the tournament.
The convincing victory significantly improved Senegal’s goal difference, but the West Africans must now rely on results from other groups to determine whether they qualify as one of the best third-placed teams.
Spain defeats Uruguay and finishes leader of Group H
Spain secured first place in Group H with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Uruguay in Guadalajara.
Alex Baena scored the only goal after veteran goalkeeper Fernando Muslera let his shot slip out of his hands just before half-time. Spain were unbeaten in 34 competitive matches and have yet to concede a goal in the tournament, although their performances have yet to match those of other title contenders.
Uruguay eliminated and Cape Verde reaches the round of 16
Uruguay’s defeat confirmed the two-time world champion’s exit from the tournament, making Marcelo Bielsa’s team the highest ranked team eliminated in the group stage.
The defeat also secured World Cup debutants Cape Verde a place in the round of 32 after a goalless draw with Saudi Arabia. Cape Verde finished second in Group H and advanced to a knockout match with defending champions Argentina, while Uruguay’s disappointing campaign ended after two draws and one loss.
