World Cup favourites France were made to sweat to book their quarter-final place but Kylian Mbappe’s second-half penalty proved enough to help them past a resolute Paraguay in Philadelphia. Paraguay limited the two-time winners to very few chances until substitute Desire Doue was fouled inside the box by Brighton’s Diego Gomez and referee Ilgiz Tantashev pointed to the spot after a video assistant referee (VAR) intervention.
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Canada became the first co-host to exit the 2026 World Cup as they were well beaten by Morocco in Houston. The Moroccans, having failed to impress in a bad-tempered first half, took the lead five minutes after the interval through Azzedine Ounahi. The Girona midfielder scored his second by converting a breakaway with eight minutes remaining to seal victory. And an ultimately comfortable win was topped off in stoppage time as Soufiane Rahimi slid his shot under keeper Maxime Crepeau.
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Merih Demiral scored twice – including the quickest knockout-stage goal in European Championship history – as Turkey stunned Austria to set up a quarter-final with the Netherlands. This was arguably the best game of the tournament so far, a thrilling winner-takes-all tie played in pouring rain at a frenetic pace, with both teams roared forward by their fervent support. From Demiral’s first goal in the first minute to a stunning save by Turkey goalkeeper Mert Gunok to deny Austria an equaliser in the last, there was barely time for the crowd to draw a breath.
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Substitute Donyell Malen scored twice and Cody Gakpo got his third goal of Euro 2024 to help the Netherlands see off a spirited Romania and reach the quarter-finals of the tournament for the first time in 16 years. Gakpo opened the scoring with a brilliant finish midway through the first half the Netherlands missed numerous chances after that, but made sure they did not risk paying for it when substitute Malen stabbed in late on from Gakpo’s ball.
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Cristiano Ronaldo was left in tears after his penalty was saved in extra time but Portugal still progressed to the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 following a dramatic shootout victory over Slovenia. Portuguese goalkeeper Diogo Costa was the hero of the night as he made a crucial save in the final moments of extra-time to deny Benjamin Sesko before saving three Slovenian penalties in a row enabling Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva to send the 2016 Champions into the last eight.
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