- Dembele hits hat-trick as France beat Norway 4-1 to top Group I.
- Spain edge Uruguay 1-0; Cape Verde advance as Uruguay crash out.
- Senegal thrash Iraq 5-0 to keep last-32 qualification hopes alive.
France and Spain finished top of their Fifa World Cup groups with victories , while two-time champions Uruguay suffered a shock group-stage exit.
Ousmane Dembele starred with a hat-trick as France cruised past Norway, Senegal boosted their slim qualification hopes with a five-goal rout of Iraq, Spain edged Uruguay to secure first place in Group H, and World Cup debutants Cape Verde advanced to the knockout stage after holding Saudi Arabia to a draw.
Dembele hat-trick powers France past Norway
Ousmane Dembele 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 deficit for Norway, but Dembele restored France’s two-goal advantage before Desire Doue added a stoppage-time fourth. Norway also squandered a chance to get back into the contest when Jorgen Strand Larsen missed a second-half penalty.
The victory ensured France progressed to the last 32 as Group I winners.
Senegal keep knockout hopes alive
Senegal revived their World Cup campaign with an emphatic 5-0 victory over Iraq to collect their first points of the tournament.
The convincing win significantly improved Senegal’s goal difference, but the West Africans must now rely on results in other groups to determine whether they qualify as one of the best third-placed teams.
Spain edge Uruguay to finish top 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 allowed his shot to slip through his hands just before half-time. Spain remained unbeaten in 34 competitive matches and have yet to concede a goal at the tournament, although their performances have yet to match those of several other title contenders.
Uruguay eliminated as Cape Verde reach last 32
Uruguay’s defeat confirmed the two-time world champions’ exit from the tournament, making Marcelo Bielsa’s side the highest-ranked team eliminated in the group stage.
The loss also secured World Cup debutants Cape Verde a place in the last 32 after they held Saudi Arabia to a goalless draw. Cape Verde finished second in Group H and advanced to a knockout meeting with defending champions Argentina, while Uruguay’s disappointing campaign ended after two draws and a defeat.
