This past week, the opening World Cup match on each day gave us the most fireworks. 

The Netherlands struck four goals against Sweden on Saturday, a feat equaled by Spain in its win over Saudi Arabia. On Monday, Lionel Messi set the record for most World Cup goals scored, while on Tuesday Cristiano Ronaldo reminded the world of what he’s still capable of.

Today, it was Ecuador that brought the chaos with a late win over Germany that saw the South American side qualify for the round of 32.

Among the opening matches on Friday? Norway vs. France. Get your popcorn – or kettle corn – ready.

Here’s the best of Match Day 15 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup:

BEST OF THE DAY

Moment Of The Day

After getting one point from its first two matches in Group E against the Ivory Coast and Curaçao, Ecuador had to beat Germany to advance to the round of 32.

So, naturally, the Ecuadorians conceded in the second minute. Leroy Sané gave Germany an early lead, but it only lasted seven minutes before Nilson Angulo equalized with a great goal.

Tension was building when Ecuador got a corner kick in the 77th minute. Kevin Rodríguez headed the cross right toward Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, but Plata got his left foot on the ball first to poke home the goal Ecuador needed.

With it, Ecuador is into the knockout stages.

Goal Of The Day

Sweden needed to win or draw against Japan, which got the opening goal on Thursday at Dallas Stadium. The Swedes are known for their strikers – Viktor Gyokeres (Arsenal) and Alexander Isak (Liverpool) – but it was another playmaker who stepped up.

Elanga picked up possession on the right wing and unleashed a beautiful curling effort that snuck into the far post of Japan goalkeeper Zion Suzuki. Sweden held on for the draw to book a spot into the round of 32 thanks to the Newcastle winger’s effort.

Assist Of The Day

Ivory Coast was in control the entire time against Curaçao, and it doubled its lead in the second half after a decisive pass from Sangaré.

The Nottingham Forrest midfielder picked up the ball and played Nicolas Pépé in very well, with his pass barely eluding a Bosnian defender. From there, Pépé’s second goal of the game was inevitable.

Save Of The Day

A draw was enough for both Sweden and Japan to advance to the round of 32, but neither team played for a draw.

The best chance of a scoreless first half was right before halftime, when Japanese winger Keito Nakamura had a shot saved by Zetterstrom after a tidy bit of play at the edge of the 18-yard box. The Derby County keeper dove to his left and made sure the game remained scoreless after 45 minutes.

Sweden’s Jacob Widell Zetterström comes up with SPECTACULAR save vs. Japan | 2026 FIFA World Cup™

Ecuador vs. Germany

• This is the second time that Ecuador has qualified for the World Cup knockout stage. The first time was in 2006, when it lost 1-0 to England in the round of 16.
• Nilson Angulo, who scored the first Ecuador goal, became the fourth Sunderland player to have scored at the 2026 World Cup. Only two-time reigning UEFA Champions League winner PSG has more (six).
• Germany’s starting XI against Ecuador was its oldest in a World Cup match since the 1998 quarterfinal against Croatia (30 years and 170 days).
• Germany has gone its last nine World Cup matches without a clean sheet, the first time the nation has gone that long since a stretch spanning the 1966 and 1970 tournaments.
• Germany has now lost both of its World Cup matches in East Rutherford, New Jersey, having lost 2-1 to Bulgaria in the 1994 quarterfinals.

Ecuador vs Germany Extended Highlights | 2026 FIFA World Cup™

Curaçao vs. Ivory Coast

• Ivory Coast finished second in Group E. This is the first time that it has advanced to the knockout stage of the World Cup.
• Nicolas Pépé becomes just the fifth player to score more than once for the Ivory Coast at the World Cup. He is the first Ivorian player to score a brace since Arouna Dindane against Serbia in 2006.
• Yan Diomandé is the only player this century to complete 10+ dribbles and create 10+ chances across his first three World Cup games.
• No team making its first World Cup appearance has made it past the group stage since Slovakia in 2010.
• Ivory Coast wins its first-ever meeting against a CONCACAF opponent.

Curaçao vs Ivory Coast Extended Highlights | 2026 FIFA World Cup™

Japan vs. Sweden

• Japan advances to the round of 32 as the Group F runner-up and will play Brazil on June 29 in Houston.
• Sweden has advanced as a third-place team and has made the knockout stage in its last five World Cup appearances.
• Japan defender Yuto Nagatomo subbed on, officially becoming the first Asian player to ever play in five World Cups. He is the ninth man to play in five World Cups (he is the third player to achieve this milestone during this tournament, joining Luka Modrić and Manuel Neuer).
• Japan makes its fifth knockout stage and third in a row. The Japanese went unbeaten in the group stage for the second time ever at a World Cup. The other instance of that was in 2002.
• Anthony Elanga’s goal from 28.9 meters is the second-longest goal scored by Sweden in a World Cup match since 1966. The only longer one was scored by Anders Svensson against Argentina in 2002 (30.2 meters).

Japan vs Sweden Extended Highlights | 2026 FIFA World Cup™

Tunisia vs. Netherlands

• The Netherlands wins the group and will play Morocco on June 29 in Monterrey, Mexico.
• The Netherlands has never been eliminated in the World Cup group stage, advancing in all 10 World Cups it has played in that had a group stage (1934 and 1938 did not have a group stage).
• The Netherlands has not lost a World Cup game outright since the 2010 final. The Dutch were eliminated on penalty kicks in 2014 and 2022.
• Dutch striker Brian Brobbey became just the third player on record (since 1966) to score with each of his first three shots ever at the World Cup. The other two: Laszlo Kiss (Hungary in 1982) and Yerry Mina (Colombia in 2018).
• Ellyes Skhiri’s own goal in Tunisia’s game with the Netherlands was the 12th own goal scored at the 2026 World Cup. That ties the record for a men’s World Cup that was set in 2018.

Tunisia vs Netherlands Extended Highlights | 2026 FIFA World Cup™

• The USA has now scored seven goals in the group stage, which is the most it ever has at a World Cup.
• Auston Trusty’s goal was the 173rd goal at the World Cup. That goal broke the record for the most goals at a single World Cup tournament that was set at the 2022 tournament.
• Arda Güler (21 years, 120 days) has become the youngest Turkish player to score at the World Cup.
• Sebastian Berhalter is the first U.S. men’s player to record a goal and an assist in a World Cup match in the modern era.
• The USA is the fifth team to score a goal in the opening four minutes of both the first and second half of a World Cup match and the first since Nigeria did so against Argentina in 2014.

Türkiye vs United States Extended Highlights | 2026 FIFA World Cup™

Paraguay vs. Australia

• Australia advances as group runner-up and will play the runner-up of Group G in Arlington on July 3.
• Australia has advanced to consecutive World Cup knockout stages for the first time.
• Paraguay finishes in third place and will wait to see if it advances as one of the eight third-place teams. It seeks a fifth World Cup knockout stage and first since its last World Cup appearance in 2010.
• The 0.83 expected goals in this game was the sixth-lowest in a World Cup match since at least 1966.

Paraguay vs Australia Extended Highlights | 2026 FIFA World Cup™

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