WORLD CUP DAY 18 ROUND-UP Updates on heartbreaking tears after the first knockout clash, a mess of Thomas Tuchel's own making and contrasting injury news for Manchester United and Arsenal stars
It's goodbye to the group stage and hello to the knockouts at the World Cup and there was last gasp, late drama in the first do or die tie out in North America.
Stephen Eustaquio's stoppage-time stunner secured co-hosts Canada a 1-0 World Cup triumph over South Africa and progression to the last 16. The co-hosts' skipper Eustaquio fired home from the edge of the area in the second minute of injury time at the Los Angeles Stadium to book Jesse Marsch's men a round of 16 clash with Morocco or the Netherlands in Houston next weekend.
England, meanwhile, had wrapped up top spot in their group with a hard fought 2-0 triumph over Panama on Saturday in New Jersey, with Jude Bellingham and record breaker Harry Kane finding the net in the second half. Next is Wednesday's encounter with DR Congo in Atlanta at 5pm UK time as the Three Lions have learned their potential path to the final . Here's all you need to know in our daily morning World Cup round-up.
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Canada hero in tears
Eustaquio was left in floods of tears after his injury-time winner clinched a famous win for Canada. In a match short on quality, the 29-year-old Los Angeles midfielder fired home late on to cement his name in Canadian legend.
Speaking afterwards, Eustaquio was visibly emotional as he paid tribute to his parents following his mum's death in 2023 after battling brain cancer, with his father dying a year later from a heart attack.
"Everything I do is for my family, for my parents, for my girlfriend, for my daughter," a clearly emotional Eustaquio said. "For my friends back home. For everyone."
He added: "I think we worked a lot to get this victory. We really wanted to give this win to all of the Canadians. We just kept believing, kept pushing and I couldn't have imagined it any other way.
"I think it was an amazing goal but when I shot, I felt everyone shot with me. They put a little bit of power on it and it went into the back of the net. So I am very happy."
"Now, we're going to get Morocco or the Netherlands and who knows, on a good day we can make things happen. Probably the quality is not going to be there, but if we keep believing and keep working, things might go our way."
Speaking afterwards, manager Marsch said: "They are Canadian heroes, that's what I told them at the end. They are now Canadian heroes. I am so happy for them."
England right-back mess
England's right-back jinx struck once more with an injury to Jarell Quansah, presenting Thomas Tuchel with a selection dilemma for the upcoming match against DR Congo.
The Bayer Leverkusen defender limped off with a problem during the second half versus Panama. The former Liverpool star, who is not a natural right-back and has not impressed there, becomes the third player in the position, following Newcastle's Tino Livramento and Chelsea skipper Reece James, to suffer injuries.
The German manager gave an update on Quansah after the clash. He said: "A classic ankle twist and he is in pain. He said he had it before and it is a matter of days. He has his leg up high and in ice."
Asked if he's anxious about the squad's reduced options at full-back, Tuchel added: "Naturally of course, we have another injury in the position. It will be a tight race for Reece James and a tight race for Jarell Quansah but it is our job to find solutions and we will do."
Djed Spence is now England's preferred right-back. Chelsea's Trevoh Chalobah - who replaced Livramento when he flew home injured - and Aston Villa centre-half Ezri Konsa are capable of slotting in there too.
But the decision not to take Real Madrid star Trent Alexander-Arnold to the World Cup has again reared its head, with Tuchel forced to select less creative players in the fullback position after choosing injury prone options like James instead.
Manchester United hammer blow
Manuel Ugarte faces a long spell on the sidelines after suffering a suspected anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture during Uruguay's last World Cup fixture against Spain.
The Manchester United midfielder, 25, fell awkwardly moments before the half-time whistle in Friday's 1-0 defeat before going off on a stretcher, as Uruguay were knocked out at the group stage.
The devastated star is now expected to be out injured for an extended period. The club have since issued a statement confirming Ugarte has a knee ligament problem, but not specifying if he had torn his ACL.
It was thought the Β£50m flop, who joined United from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2024, could be offloaded this summer to bolster manager Michael Carrick's transfer kitty. But that now appears unlikely.
Ugarte only started eight Premier League games last season for United and hasn't featured since the home loss to Leeds in mid-April.
He took to social media on Sunday, confessing that enduring "the most serious injury a footballer can face" had left him feeling at "rock bottom".
Arsenal star's injury update
Arsenal defender William Saliba is anticipated to return to France's starting XI for their Round of 32 encounter against Sweden in New Jersey.
Saliba missed training before Les Bleus' final group match against Norway, which France secured 4-1 thanks to a first-half hat-trick from Ousmane Dembele in Boston.
He's been dealing with a back issue in recent months and sat out the Norway fixture.
Crystal Palace's Maxence Lacroix delivered an impressive performance in his place, but Didier Deschamps remains set to restore Saliba to the starting lineup against the Swedes, where he'll face Arsenal colleague Victor Gyokeres.
Saliba's condition is being monitored cautiously to prevent France from aggravating the problem.