Vaibhav Suryavanshi (Photo ANI)

MUMBAI: Young batting sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s wait for his first India cap continued on Sunday as he was left out of the playing eleven for the second T20I against Ireland in Belfast, while the Indian team management stuck to its decision of playing opener Sanju Samson, India’s 2026 T20 World Cup hero, and explosive Abhishek Sharma, who scored 34 against the hosts in the opening T20I on Friday. Had scored a half-century in a spectacular defeat.India’s decision to keep the 15-year-old wonderboy of world cricket on the bench for the time being has sparked debate. Former England off spin legend graeme swann He feels that if he is left out, the destructive opening batsman from Bihar and Rajasthan Royals, described as a “generational talent”, would immediately make his India debut.“Well, if I was the Indian captain or coach, I would have included him immediately. I have said this, I am a big fan of Vaibhav. He is a generational talent and I would say get him in as soon as possible. The way he played in the IPL this year, starting last season and performing incredibly well, again everyone’s heads turned and wondered, who is this kid? I think there was an expectation that his performance this season would decline, drop off. Whatever it was, he got better and better. And that little blip in the middle of the IPL, one or two games where people thought, ‘Oh, if we bowl all the way there’s a weakness there.’ And he got him out with yorkers a few times. He got few marks. He adapted quickly and then scored at a breakneck pace in the next few innings. I think he’s a once in a generation talent, a generational talent that comes along. And I think the sooner India plays him, the sooner they expose him to international cricket. There is no reason why he can’t be the best player in the world for the next 15 years. I think he’s very good,” Swann said in a conversation on Sunday.Batting strongly for Suryavanshi’s inclusion, Swann said he was doing so “keeping in mind the logic of leaving out someone who doesn’t necessarily deserve to be left out,” simply because “Suryavanshi has done better than all of them in the IPL.”“Of course, I understand the sensibilities of singling him out and excluding someone who doesn’t necessarily deserve to be removed. And that’s where India have a bit of a problem at the moment, because when you look at the first XI, you look at the batting lineup, there’s really no one about whom you would say, okay, they deserve to be dropped based on performance. You could argue that, well, Suryavanshi has done better than most of them in the IPL. Let’s face it, their stats don’t lie. He hit more sixes than Chris Gayle. He scored more runs at a better rate than anyone. So, I will build an attack, a batting order around him. And yes, someone will miss out and it will be difficult for them after winning world trophies and everything like that and then potentially missing out. But if you can find a way to get him in and expose him, he can hit the best bowlers in the world all over the park and destroy them. We saw that.Swann cited Suryanshi’s brutal attack on Australian fast bowler Pat Cummins, who gave away 0-64 in four overs during his explosive innings of 97 off 29 balls in Eliminator 1 at IPL-2026 in New Chandigarh to strengthen his point about the exceptional batting skills of the left-handed opener. “The game that stood out for me was against Pat Cummins. He absolutely destroyed Cummins, who is one of the best bowlers on the planet. You know, he has blindsided almost every batsman in world cricket and Suryavanshi really treated him like a net bowler. It was incredible to see for the first time (as a commentator). So, the hype about him is real and it is really deserved.”Swann revealed that there were high expectations for Suryavanshi ahead of the five-match T20 series between India and England, which begins in Durham on July 1.“I go to my golf club in England. And they say, ‘Who is this kid? Have you seen him play?’ This does not happen. People don’t often talk about Indian cricket at Wollaton Park Golf Club. They moan about English cricket! But when I am coming to play golf and people are saying who is this kid who is playing for Rajasthan (Royals)? And who is this kid to destroy our Under-19 team (Suryanshi played a match-winning inning of 175 runs off 80 balls in the 2026 Under-19 World Cup final in Harare on 6 February this year)? It’s exciting to me,” Swann said.‘Washington is a very good bowler’There have been concerns about the form and utility of off-spinner Washington Sundar, who gave 0-19 an over and was out for nine in the first T20I against Ireland and was dropped on Sunday, but Swann, who took 255 wickets in 60 Tests @29.96, praised Sundar’s abilities.“Washington is a very good bowler. For the record, I think he can easily become a world-class spinner in all three formats (of the game). I was very impressed with the way he bowled in the recent Test and (ODI) series against Afghanistan. His seam presentation is exceptional, and the way he controls his line and length is really good. He uses his height well. He gets that flow. Spinners who get the drift and let the ball come laterally in the air are good and you can’t really coach them out, Swann said.Swann felt that Sundar was an asset due to his batting ability and backed the player to perform well in the upcoming white-ball series in England.“He is an all-rounder. So, a lot of the time for India, he will save games coming later as a batsman. And he scored a good (match-saving) century in a Test in England (in Manchester last year). He is a very good fielder, we know that. But if you can bat and bowl, at the end of the day you are a great option for your captain and coach. He is a good cricketer, and will do well in England. England In bowling, it is all about using spin. This white Kookaburra ball can really turn England. And with the lack of pace, you can be very effective as a spinner, stopping the pace, catching people in the deep, trying to hit people against the spin. So I am predicting a good series for Washi,” Swann concluded.(Watch India Tour of England 2026 – England vs India – 1st T20I on July 1, 2026 at 10:00 PM IST on Sony Sports Ten 1 SD & HD, Sony Sports Ten 3 SD & HD (Hindi), Sony Sports Ten 4 (Tamil, Telugu, Kannada), Sony Sports Ten 5 SD & HD, Sony Max).

There is a special kind of cruelty reserved for knockout football. You can defend for 90 minutes, throwing bodies in front of every shot, dodging wave after wave of attacks and still accomplish nothing. South Africa found this out the hardest way when their inspiring World Cup campaign came to a heartbreaking end against Canada.

For almost the entire evening in Los Angeles, Bafana Bafana refused to bow down. He frustrated, blocked, tackled and scrambled through relentless Canadian pressure, pulling off the first round of the 2026 Round of 32. FIFA World Cup Right up to the edge of extra time.

Then, with seconds remaining, Stefan Eustaquio finally got the breakthrough.

South Africa vs Canada, FIFA World Cup 2026: highlighted

The Canada captain struck deep into stoppage time to seal a dramatic 1–0 victory that ended South Africa’s dream, while Jesse Marsh’s side were sent to the Round of 16 for the first time in their history. Having already broken new ground by reaching the knockout stages, Canada has now taken another big step forward, an extension of the country’s best-ever World Cup campaign.

For South Africa it was heartbreaking but also immensely proud. Hugo Bruce’s team left the tournament having earned praise throughout the football world, and their defensive resilience against one of the most dangerous attacking sides of the tournament only reinforced why they had become one of the stories of the competition.

Canada enjoyed almost all the starting points but repeatedly faced the yellow wall.

Whenever Jonathan David, Tajon Buchanan or Tani Oluwaseyi found a place, another South African shirt appeared. Ronwen Williams was once again superb between the posts, calmly dealing with crosses and making several important saves. In front of them, Aubrey Modiba produced one of the moments of the tournament with a sensational goal-line clearance to deny Moises Bombito, before Simphiwe Mbokazi followed it up with an outrageous last-ditch block to prevent Jonathan David from almost certain scoring.

Those interventions were not isolated moments either. Khuliso Mudau, Nkosinathi Sibisi and Siyabonga Ngezana defended with remarkable discipline as South Africa’s compact size took every inch of space out of Canada’s attack.

The longer the game remained goalless, the stronger the confidence among the traveling South African supporters grew.

Davis changed the script

Canada continued to dominate but lacked the edge to convert control into goals.

Jesse Marsh eventually decided to give up gambling. Promise David was introduced to freshen up the front row before the biggest excitement of the night came when Alphonso Davies finally entered the tournament.

The Bayern Munich captain missed the entire group stage due to injury, but his arrival immediately transformed the Canadian attack.

Suddenly South Africa’s defensive block had to be widened. Mudeau was repeatedly pulled out of position, gaps began to appear in central areas and the Canadian attacks gained far more pace and purpose.

Still, Bafana somehow survived.

Williams denied David again, Mbokazi continued to throw himself into challenges and every clearance was celebrated like a goal. When five minutes of stoppage time was shown, extra time seemed almost inevitable.

Until it wasn’t.

With virtually the final attack of the match, Stephen Eustakio finally provided the moment Canada had spent all evening looking for, drawing home a thunderous celebration and finally breaking down the South African resistance.

History continues for Canada

The final whistle brought two completely different emotions.

The Canadians were breathing a sigh of relief after escaping a defensive masterclass that threatened to take them for more than 90 minutes. South Africa’s players collapsed on the field despite knowing that they had been forced into extra time.

It was a cruel end to an excellent defensive performance, but it should not detract from what Bafana Bafana have achieved throughout this tournament. Williams, Modiba, Mbokazi and the entire back line turned survival into an art form for almost the entire evening, before a final miss proved decisive.

Meanwhile, another page of history has been written for Canada.

They had already recorded their best performance in a World Cup by progressing from the group stage. Now Jesse Marsh has also guided them to their first knockout win, with confidence continuing to grow in a team who look increasingly comfortable on the biggest stage.

Their reward is a round of 16 meeting with the winners of Netherlands vs Morocco. Whoever comes out of that match will know that they are facing a Canadian team that is still making history.

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South Korea head coach Hong Myung-bo resigned on Sunday after the team’s disappointing performance in the FIFA World Cup group-stage, ending his second stint in charge of the national team. The announcement was made at the team’s training camp in Guadalajara after South Korea failed to advance to the knockout round as one of the best third-place teams of the tournament.

Hong took full responsibility for his early exit and apologizedHe told supporters that despite a promising start to the campaign, it was a major disappointment.

“I want to sincerely apologize to the citizens who have loved Korean football and have always supported the national team,” Hong said, quoted by Reuters.

He said, “Today, I would like to step down as head coach of the South Korean national football team. Accepting this role was never an easy decision for me. However, once I made this decision, I did not consider any other reason. I believed that my only job was to fulfill the responsibility assigned to me to the end. I failed to deliver the results expected by the public. The responsibility rests entirely on me.”

Hong was appointed in July 2024 as the long-term successor to Juergen Klinsmann, who led South Korea to its 11th consecutive World Cup. Expectations were high from a team led by captain Son Heung-min and featuring key players Like Lee Kang-in and Kim Min-jae. South Korea started their campaign with a 2–1 win over the Czech Republic, but consecutive defeats against Mexico and South Africa left them on the brink of elimination. Their fate was sealed when Congo’s 3–1 win over Uzbekistan confirmed their exit from the tournament.

President Lee criticizes team formation after shock exit

The early elimination caused a strong reaction in South Korea, with President Lee Jae Myung sharply criticizing the national team leadership and football administration.

“As a former honorary professional football club president and a member of the Red Devils at heart, I feel not only surprise but deep shock at this unexpected result,” Lee said in a statement on his social media account.

He questioned the decision-making structure behind Hong’s appointment, saying, “Once again, it has been proven that personnel decisions determine everything. If loyalty and factionalism are given more importance than merit and an incompetent person is appointed as the leader, the outcome is as predictable as fire.”

The President also called on the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to review the national team’s performance and broader football administration.

Lee said, “I sincerely apologize to the public for the deep disappointment caused by this absurd situation. We will move quickly to reform sports governance to ensure that this does not happen again.”

Hong’s resignation marks another painful World Cup campaign for South Korea, which also oversaw a group-stage exit at the 2014 edition in Brazil. Despite 11 consecutive World Cup appearances and reaching the semi-finals as co-hosts in 2002, the latest failure has intensified scrutiny on the direction of South Korean football.

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Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues join in for sharp glances (screengrabs)

New Delhi: India must win the Women’s T20 World Cup against Australia, but emotions were running high among close friends. Smriti Mandhana And jemima rodrigues They were involved in a heated exchange after an expensive mix-up.Openers Smriti Mandhana (38) and Shafali Verma (34) gave a solid start to India by making a partnership of 66 runs. However, after Shafali was dismissed, a communication error between Mandhana and Jemimah led to the former being run out at a crucial stage of the innings.The incident occurred in the 12th over when Jemima played a reverse sweep towards short third man off the bowling of Georgia Wareham. Mandhana called for a quick single and got set immediately, but Jemimah was watching the ball and did not respond in time. Australia immediately took advantage of the opportunity and Mandhana was run out after a direct throw reached the bowler.As soon as Mandhana returned to the pavilion, both the players looked disappointed and started expressing anger at each other. Watch:Although Mandhana later apologised, the incident briefly led to a tense situation between the two teammates, who share a close bond off the field.

‘It’s part of the game. We moved forward very fast’: Mandhana

Despite middle-order struggles, the captain Harmanpreet Kaur Played a sensational innings and scored 56 runs in just 27 balls, taking India to 170/4. Her explosive batting in the final over, which included three consecutive sixes off Australian captain Sophie Molineux, helped India score 36 runs in the last two overs.Reflecting on the innings and run-out, Mandhana downplayed the incident. She said, “Yeah, I mean, it happens. It’s part of the game. We moved on too quickly.”With their semi-final hopes hanging in the balance, India will now look to defend a competitive total against the six-time champions.

The race for the two semi-final spots from Group A has come down to the final league match of the Women’s T20 World Cup. India’s clash against Australia at Lord’s Cricket Ground will decide which two teams from India, Australia and South Africa will advance to the semi-finals.

Before the India-Australia match, South Africa defeated Bangladesh by four wickets at Lord’s. The win took the Proteas to eight points, level with Australia, while India slipped to third on the table. So, what does India need to do to qualify?

India vs Australia, Women’s T20 World Cup: Update | Achievement:

The equation is simple: India must beat Australia. A win will take India to eight points and level with South Africa, but India will advance on the basis of better net run rate. However, a defeat will leave India with six points and elimination from the tournament.

Australia are almost certain to reach the semi-finals due to their excellent net run rate of +4.724. Meanwhile, South Africa’s qualification fate is no longer in their own hands.

Who came for India?

India has made one change in the team that defeated Bangladesh by including fast bowler Kranti Gaur in place of Nandini Sharma. Kranti have faced a tough tournament so far and have not got any wickets in their two matches.

Meanwhile, Australia welcomed back Phoebe Litchfield after her recovery from a quad injury. The left-handed player returned to the playing eleven at number 3 in place of leg spinner Alanna King.

Litchfield, who scored a brilliant century against India in the Women’s ODI World Cup semi-final in Navi Mumbai last year, will take fond memories into the competition. She will be hoping for another match-winning innings.

India have won only two of their seven matches against Australia in the Women’s T20 World Cup. Their last win came in Sydney in 2020, when Poonam Yadav’s four-wicket haul gave them a memorable win.

Playing XI for India Women vs Australia Women

Australia Women (Playing XI): Beth Mooney (w), Georgia Woll, Phoebe Lichfield, Ellyse Perry, Ashley Gardner, Georgia Wareham, Annabel Sutherland, Nicola Carey, Sophie Molyneux (c), Kim Garth, Lucy Hamilton.

India Women (Playing XI): Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia, Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (W), Deepti Sharma, Radha Yadav, Sri Charani, Renuka Singh Thakur, Kranti Gaur.

Many more to follow…

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Vaibhav Suryavanshi (PTI photo)

Former England captain michael vaughn He believes that teenage sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi has already changed the way teams approach T20 batting, but believes the 15-year-old still has to polish one aspect of his game before he can establish himself across all formats. But I am saying Ajinkya RahaneSpeaking on his YouTube channel ahead of India’s five-match T20 series against England starting July 1 in Durham, Vaughan suggested that England should take advantage of the physical demands of fielding by asking India to bowl first whenever they win the toss. According to him, Suryavanshi’s biggest challenge at the international level will be to spend the entire innings on the field before opening batting. “One thing he will have to face is his fielding. There is no influence where he can sit on the bench. If I were England, I would have asked India to field first because by the time Suryavanshi came to bat, he would have been tired,” Michael Vaughan said on Ajinkya Rahane’s YouTube channel. Vaughan’s observation follows Rajasthan Royals Suryavanshi was frequently used as an impact player during IPL 2026, limiting his time on the field. The move reportedly took the youngster by surprise, with one of the franchise’s coaches revealing that Suryavanshi is very proud of his fielding abilities. Despite Vaughan’s concerns, Suryavanshi has shown a desire to spend longer periods in the field. During the U19 World Cup and the recent Tri-A series, the youngster fielded extensively, although India A batted first in each of those matches. Apart from highlighting the fielding aspect, Vaughan was full of praise for the left-handed batsman’s fearless approach, claiming that Suryavanshi has redefined expectations in T20 cricket. “There’s only one name being talked about, and that’s a 15-year-old kid. I think T20 cricket, especially because of Vaibhav Suryavanshi, has taken the game to scores as high as 230. I think it’s the norm now; teams are looking to score over 230. The openers are getting tougher than ever. It’s almost as if the 15-year-old has sent a message to the rest of the world that T20 cricket Can move to another level,” said the former England captain. Suryavanshi did not participate in India’s opening T20 match against Ireland on Friday. Abhishek Sharma And sanju samson Preferred at top of order. The teenager is still awaiting his international debut and could become India’s youngest-ever T20I debutant if the team management decides to rotate the squad during the England series. The 15-year-old has enjoyed a stellar 2026, scoring a match-winning 175 in the U19 World Cup final and following that up with 776 runs for Rajasthan Royals during a successful IPL campaign.

Group J took a final turn on Saturday as Lionel Messi made history, Argentina completed a perfect campaign and Austria grabbed a stoppage-time equalizer that sent both themselves and Algeria through to the round of 32, ending Iran’s World Cup hopes.

When the final whistle blew, Argentina were on top with three wins from three, Austria had survived thanks to Sasa Kalajdzic’s dramatic late equaliser, Algeria had gone ahead as one of the best third-placed teams and Iran were heading home.

While the battle for qualification went on elsewhere, Messi added another World Cup record to his remarkable career.

Jordan vs Argentina, FIFA World Cup 2026: Highlights

The Argentina captain became the first player to score in seven consecutive World Cup matches as the defending champions completed a flawless group-stage campaign by beating Jordan 3-1 in Dallas.

With qualification already secured, coach Lionel Scaloni rested several regular starters, making nine changes to the team that defeated Austria. Even with a much-changed eleven, Argentina controlled the game from the start.

Giovani Lo Celso opened the scoring with a spectacular free-kick in the 19th minute, becoming the first Argentine player other than Messi to score at this World Cup. Lautaro Martínez doubled the lead from the penalty spot after his initial effort came off the crossbar.

Messi arrived just after the hour. Twenty minutes later, he was on the scoresheet once again.

His composed performance in the 80th minute took his tally of goals in the World Cup to 19 and his total in the tournament to six. The strike made him the first player to score in seven consecutive World Cup matches, moving him ahead of France’s Just Fontaine and Brazil’s legendary Jairzinho.

Jordan pulled one back late but it did not spoil Argentina’s evening as the defending champions secured their third consecutive win. They will now face Cape Verde in the round of 32 on Friday in Miami.

If Argentina’s progress was routine, the battle for the other two qualification spots was anything but.

Austria, Algeria play out epic draw

Austria and Algeria tied one match of the tournament at 3–3, which went to and fro before giving a final twist in stoppage time.

Marko Arnautovic gave Austria an early lead before Rafik Belghali equalized before the break. Marcel Sabitzer restored Austria’s lead early in the second half, only for Riyad Mahrez to equalize again and keep Algeria in the contest.

The closing minutes turned into pure knockout football.

Mahrez looked to have sent Algeria through with a winner in the third minute of stoppage time, a goal that would have also knocked Austria out. But with almost the last kick of the match, Sasa Kalajdzic scored in the 96th minute to rescue a point and lead to celebrations for both teams.

The draw was enough for Austria to finish second in Group J and set up a round of 32 meeting with Spain. Algeria advanced as one of the best third-place teams and will face Switzerland.

For Iran, whose hopes were pinned on Austria dropping points, Kalajdzic’s late equalizer ended their World Cup campaign in the most brutal manner.

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Danny Wyatt-Hodge (Getty Images)

England ended New Zealand’s reign as Women’s T20 World Cup champions with a stunning nine-wicket win at the Oval on Saturday.The defending champions were eliminated from the group stage after losing three of their five matches.Earlier in the day, New Zealand got an unexpected boost as Ireland beat West Indies by six wickets in Bristol, keeping the Kiwis’ semi-final hopes alive.Ireland’s victory also ended their 12-year-long 21-match losing streak in the five Women’s T20 World Cups.New Zealand veteran Sophie Devine quips, “Some of us are half-Irish now.” “(Our) destiny is in our hands.”However, New Zealand still have to beat an unbeaten England team to reach the semi-finals ahead of West Indies.

Wyatt-Hodge enabled England to chase the target with ease

After New Zealand scored 163/6, England chased the target easily, reaching 164/1 with 16 balls remaining.Opener Danny Wyatt-Hodge scored an unbeaten 89 off 53 balls with 15 fours and a six in front of 21,018 spectators, the highest ever attendance for a Women’s T20 World Cup group-stage match.The remaining two semi-final places will be decided on Sunday, with Australia, South Africa and India still in the race.

Wyatt-Hodge breaks tournament record

Wyatt-Hodge continued his excellent tournament after scoring a century in England’s opening match. He now has two fifties and one century to his name in the competition.With 282 runs, she is the leading run-scorer in the tournament. She also broke the Women’s T20 World Cup record for most runs in a single edition, surpassing Beth Mooney’s record of 259 runs in 2020, with potentially two more matches left to play.England’s opening batsmen survived on two early occasions. He was dropped behind the stumps before even opening the account and was given another life when he missed a stumping opportunity on 13.His half-century was completed in just 33 balls. She made a match-winning partnership of 128 runs in 80 balls with Sophia Dunkley, who remained unbeaten on 49 runs in 38 balls with the help of nine fours. Dunkley is England’s second-highest run-scorer in the tournament with 120 runs.

Despite a solid start, New Zealand fell behind

New Zealand chose to bat first and made a strong start with an opening partnership of 70 runs between Isabella Gaze and Mellie Kerr.But the momentum of the innings was lost when Gage, Kerr and Izzy Sharp were out within four balls. Brooke Halliday and Sophie Devine added 74 runs before being dismissed in the same over.Maddy Green and Suzie Bates tried to finish strongly, but New Zealand’s total proved far short of the total required against England’s powerful batting line-up.

End of an era for New Zealand

With this defeat, the international careers of Sophie Devine, Suzie Bates and fast bowler Lee Tahuhu also came to an end.The trio signed after making almost 900 international appearances combined for New Zealand.

Harry Kane became England’s leading goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history after scoring his 11th goal of the tournament during the Three Lions’ 2-0 win over Panama on Sunday.

England captain scored in the 67th minute Following Jude Bellingham’s surging run and accurate cross, the result put Panama ahead and sole possession of the record shared with Gary Lineker. Lineker scored 10 World Cup goals in the 1986 and 1990 editions, but Kane now has one better after appearing in three tournaments.

The goal also moved Kane ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gabriel Batistuta in the World Cup’s all-time leading scorers. Only six players have scored more goals than the Bayern Munich striker, who is now one behind Brazilian great Pele’s 12 goals.

Kane’s World Cup goals have come in three editions of the tournament. He scored six times to win the Golden Boot in Russia in 2018, added two goals in Qatar four years later and now takes his goal tally to 11 with three strikes in the ongoing World Cup.

Panama vs England, FIFA World Cup 2026: highlight

The latest goal capped another remarkable season for the England captain. According to Opta, it was his 70th goal for club and country in 2025–26, surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo’s best single-season return of 69 goals in 69 matches for Real Madrid and Portugal during the 2011–12 campaign.

Kane achieved this milestone in just 60 matches. Among the current generation, Erling Haaland’s best return is 61 goals in 61 games during the 2022–23 season, while Kylian Mbappe’s highest tally is 54 in 56 matches. Only Lionel Messi has had a better campaign, scoring 82 goals in 69 matches for Barcelona and Argentina in 2011–12.

The 32-year-old has enjoyed one of the best seasons of his career. He helped Bayern Munich complete a domestic double, claim a third consecutive Bundesliga Golden Boot and become the highest-scoring English footballer in history, surpassing Jimmy Greaves earlier this year.

Kane’s record-breaking strike also came at a crucial moment in England’s campaign. After a goalless first half, Jude Bellingham broke the deadlock in the 62nd minute, before Kane doubled the lead five minutes later, sealing victory and England’s place in the Round of 32 as Group L winners.

With the knockout rounds looming, Kane has another achievement within reach. Another goal would bring him level with Pele on the World Cup scoring charts, while England will hope their captain’s form can mount a serious challenge for the title.

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