Friday July 3 recap — Salah's penalty nerve, Messi and Argentina living dangerously

Friday July 3 and the night into Saturday — the last night of the Round of 32, and it delivered on every front. A brazen penalty, a world champion sweating until the final whistle, and a routine win to wrap things up. With these three results, the entire last-16 bracket is now set.

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Australia 1-1 Egypt (2-4 pens) — Salah’s Panenka

(Facts — sources: ESPN, Outlook India, AP, Opta Analyst.)

Emam Ashour opens the scoring in the 13th minute, meeting a perfect Karim Hafez cross. Then came the improbable: Mohamed Hany, already the scorer of an own goal against Belgium in the group stage, put through a second one in the same World Cup (55’) — the first time that’s ever happened in tournament history. Locked at 1-1 after extra time, it went to penalties. And Mohamed Salah stepped up for the decisive kick with total composure: a Panenka, in a knockout shootout, to send the Pharaohs through.

3 key numbers:

• 13th minute — Ashour’s goal, off a pinpoint Hafez cross.
• Twice — Mohamed Hany becomes the first player in World Cup history to score two own goals in the same tournament.
• 4/4 — Egypt score every one of their penalties against a less composed Australia side (2/4).

Gunners spotlight: no Gunners in this one.

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Argentina 3-2 Cape Verde (AET) — the champions on the brink

(Facts — sources: ESPN, FotMob.)

The tournament’s smallest nation gave the defending champions a real fright. Messi opens the scoring at 29’, but Duarte levels at 59’. In extra time, L. Martínez restores Argentina’s lead (92’) — before Lopes Cabral scores an equaliser that will live long in Cape Verdean football history (103’). It took one last Messi corner, deflected into his own net by a Cape Verde defender, to finally seal Argentina’s win at 111’.

3 key numbers:

• 2.16 to 0.45 xG in Argentina’s favour — dominant on paper, never comfortable in practice.
• Twice pegged back — Cape Verde never let go of the game, all the way through extra time.
• 111th minute — the winning own goal, off a Messi corner.

Gunners spotlight: no Gunners in this one.

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Colombia 1-0 Ghana — a win without a scare

(Facts — sources: ESPN, FotMob.)

No drama needed from Colombia. Jhon Arias makes the difference inside 14 minutes, and from there Colombia never let anything slip. Ghana had the ball late on but never really threatened.

3 key numbers:

• 61% possession for Colombia, to Ghana’s 39%.
• 8 shots on target to 0 — Ghana never really tested the Colombian goalkeeper.
• 14th minute — Arias’s goal, settling things inside the first quarter of an hour.

Gunners spotlight: no Gunners in this one.

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Bracket update — the last-16 draw is complete

(Source: official FIFA bracket, verified via ESPN / FotMob.)

With these three results, the Round of 32 is fully wrapped up and all eight last-16 ties are now known:

• Paraguay – France, Saturday July 4 in Philadelphia.
• Canada – Morocco, Saturday July 4 in Houston.
• Brazil – Norway, Sunday July 5 — Gabriel up against Haaland.
• Mexico – England, Sunday July 5 — Saka, Rice, Eze and Madueke all involved.
• Portugal – Spain, Monday July 6 in Dallas — Raya, Merino and Zubimendi against Ronaldo.
• USA – Belgium, Monday July 6 in Seattle — Trossard involved.
• Argentina – Egypt, Tuesday July 7 in Atlanta.
• Switzerland – Colombia, Tuesday July 7 in Vancouver.

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The GG take

(Opinion.)

A fitting way to close out the Round of 32.

Egypt keep proving they have the mentality for this — a second shootout survived this World Cup, and a Salah who has the nerve for a Panenka at the tensest possible moment. That tells you everything about the belief inside that squad.

Argentina, on the other hand, delivered the opposite of what you’d expect from a defending champion. Dominant on paper, they needed a fortunate bounce after being pegged back twice. Not the most reassuring way to walk into a tie against an Egypt side that just showed it never cracks in the biggest moments.

Colombia, by contrast, produced the calmest performance of the night — no feeling-out period, no arm-wrestle, just an early goal and flawless game management.

With this final round wrapped up, the last-16 bracket is finally complete from top to bottom. Heavyweight fixtures everywhere, and plenty of Gunners in action from this weekend.

#WorldCup2026 #COYG