By Kingsley Emmanuel
Three more nations booked their place in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 after a dramatic Round of 32 fixtures.
Norway 2-1 Ivory Coast
Norway edged Ivory Coast in a hard-fought clash to secure a Round of 16 spot. The Norwegians took an early lead and stayed composed under pressure from the African side.Erling Haaland proved decisive again with the winning goal. Amad Diallo’s late strike gave Ivory Coast hope, but Norway held on. Norway will now face Brazil in the Round of 16, bringing an end to Ivory Coast’s impressive World Cup campaign.
France 3-0 Sweden
France progressed in style with a dominant 3-0 victory over Sweden. Didier Deschamps’ men controlled possession from start to finish and created numerous chances.Captain Kylian Mbappé starred with a brace, while Bradley Barcola added the third to seal a comfortable win. France will face Paraguay in the Round of 16 as they continue their pursuit of another World Cup title.
Mexico 2-0 Ecuador
Hosts Mexico delighted their fans with a 2-0 win over Ecuador to book their place in the next round. First-half goals from Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez put Mexico in command. Ecuador’s task became harder after Piero Hincapié received a red card. Despite playing with 10 men, Ecuador fought until the final whistle but couldn’t break Mexico’s defence. Mexico now await the winner of England vs DR Congo, while Ecuador exit the tournament.
