Sport
Friday’s Matches: South Korea advance, Portugal win group
In a thrilling finish to Group H play on Friday, South Korea stunned Portugal 2-1 on Hee-Chan Hwang’s goal in stoppage time to advance to the knockout stage at the World Cup at Al Rayyan, Qatar.
South Korea and Uruguay finished with the same record (1-1-1) in Group H, but South Korea advanced on goals scored (4-2).
Portugal, which won the group despite the loss to South Korea, got on the board first on Ricardo Horta’s goal in the fifth minute. Young-Gwon Kim evened it at 1-1 in the 27th minute. In a tightly contested match, both teams had 13 shots, including six apiece on target.
South Korea advanced from group play for the first time since 2010 and only the third time in its history. The team will play Group G winner Brazil.
Uruguay 2, Ghana 0
Competing with South Korea for the second spot in Group H, Uruguay needed to extend its two-goal lead in the final minutes, but it did not score again and was eliminated along with Ghana at Al Wakrah, Qatar.
Giorgian de Arrascaeta scored in the 26th and 32nd minutes for Uruguay, which failed to advance past group for the first time in four World Cup appearances.
Uruguay totaled 12 shots (seven on target), while Ghana finished with 10 shots (four on target). Ghana hasn’t advanced to the knockout round since 2010.
Switzerland 3, Serbia 2
Remo Freuler scored the go-ahead goal in the 48th minute to allow Switzerland to defeat Serbia in Doha, Qatar, and advance to the Round of 16 for the third straight World Cup.
Switzerland finished second in Group G, tied with Brazil with six points but behind on the goal differential tiebreaker.
The Chicago Fire’s Xherdan Shaqiri struck first for the Swiss with a goal in the 20th minute, but Serbia fought back to take a 2-1 lead thanks to goals by Aleksandar Mitrovic and Dusan Vlahovic.
Breel Embolo tied the match 2-2 for Switzerland in the 44th minute before Freuler’s score three minutes after halftime.
Vanja Milinkovic-Savic made four saves for Serbia, which placed last in the group with one point.
Cameroon 1, Brazil 0
Vincent Aboubakar’s goal in the second minute of second-half stoppage time was enough to hand Cameroon a 1-0 win over favorite Brazil in Lusail, Qatar.
Due to Switzerland’s victory, it wasn’t enough for Cameroon (four points) to advance to the Round of 16.
Brazil, which won Group B despite the result, outshot Cameroon 21-7, including 7-3 in shots on target. But Cameroon goalkeeper Devis Epassy stopped all seven shots he faced.
Aboubakar was shown his second yellow card of the day for excessive celebration after his goal and was sent off.
Where to watch
Afghan fans need not miss out on any of the excitement of this year’s tournament which is being broadcast live and exclusively by Ariana Television in Afghanistan.
For the full broadcast schedule CLICK HERE
Sport
Japan, Saudi Arabia and Tajikistan qualify for FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026
Japan, Saudi Arabia and Tajikistan have secured qualification for the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026 after strong performances at the AFC U-17 Asian Cup.
The three Asian sides join hosts Qatar as confirmed representatives from the Asian Football Confederation for the expanded 48-team tournament later this year.
Japan booked their place after defeating Qatar and then beating China 2-1 in Group B. Anthony Motosuna and Maki Kitahara scored the goals that sealed a second straight victory and guaranteed qualification.
Saudi Arabia also advanced from Group A after a 2-0 win over Thailand. Marwan Al Yami opened the scoring early before Hassan Al Okrush added a late second goal, giving the Saudis six points from two matches following their opening win against Myanmar.
Tajikistan joined them after edging Myanmar 1-0 thanks to a first-half goal from Asadbek Makhtumov. The victory followed Tajikistan’s opening 2-0 win over Thailand and secured their place in Qatar 2026.
More teams could qualify on Sunday as the second round of matches in Groups C and D continues, with the final group-stage fixtures set to take place on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Sport
Afghan cricket delegation travels to China for technical cooperation
A delegation from the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has traveled to China following an official invitation from the Chinese government, in a move aimed at strengthening sports diplomacy and expanding technical cooperation in cricket between the two countries.
The delegation includes national coach Nawroz Mangal and players Qais Ahmad, Zahir Khan, Faisal Shinozada, and Wahidullah Zadran.
Before their departure, ACB Chief Executive Officer Naseeb Khan met with the delegation, reaffirming the board’s commitment to developing and globalizing Afghan cricket. He also referenced previous international engagement efforts, including a memorandum of understanding signed with the Uzbekistan Cricket Federation focused on cricket development and technical collaboration.
Naseeb Khan highlighted existing economic and industrial ties between Afghanistan and China, expressing optimism that sports cooperation—particularly in cricket—could further strengthen bilateral relations. He emphasized that knowledge-sharing, technical exchange, and joint development initiatives would support the growth of the sport in both countries.
During their visit, the Afghan delegation is expected to hold discussions on cricket development, community engagement, and the role of sport in society. The program also includes participation in workshops, attendance at a cricket match organized by Chinese cricket authorities, and visits to sports technology and innovation exhibitions.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board has increasingly pursued regional partnerships in recent years. Last year, it signed a cooperation agreement with the Uzbekistan Cricket Federation covering technical exchange, capacity building, development programs, and educational workshops aimed at expanding cricket infrastructure and expertise in the region.
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