Pitch & Goal your sports Hub

Watch highlight El Tri End 40 Years of Hurt as Mexico March into Last 16 in Style Mexico delivered one of the most celebrated nights in their recent World Cup history on Tuesday, sweeping Ecuador aside 2-0 in front of a raucous home crowd at the Estadio Azteca to advance to the last 16 of the 2026 World Cup. El Tri put the tie to bed inside the first half, with Julián Quiñones breaking the deadlock in the 22nd minute before Raúl Jiménez doubled the lead nine minutes later. It was a first half full of purpose and precision, with the home side playing with the swagger that 100,000 passionate supporters tend to inspire. Ecuador, to their credit, finished with 57 per cent of possession but could do precious little with it, mustering just seven shots across the whole match, only one of which troubled the goalkeeper. For all their ball retention, they rarely looked like threatening and offered Mexico little to worry about after the interval. The second half settled into a more controll...

Watch highlight Paraguay Stun Four-Time Champions Germany on Penalties in World Cup Shocker Football had its first proper bombshell of the World Cup, as Paraguay knocked four-time champions Germany out of the competition on penalties following a dramatic 1-1 draw in the last 32. Paraguay took a surprise lead just before half-time when Julio Enciso rose to head home Matias Galarza's cross from a corner, capping off a first half in which Germany had dominated possession but struggled to break down a well-drilled Paraguayan defence. Kai Havertz hauled Germany level shortly after the restart with a glancing header from a Florian Wirtz cross, and from there the four-time champions laid siege to the Paraguayan goal, only to find Orlando Gill in inspired form between the posts. The drama didn't stop there. Deep into extra time, Jonathan Tah rose above the defence to head Germany in front, sparking wild celebrations among the German camp – only for the goal to be chalked off by V...

Watch highlight Australia End India's Dream at Lord's with Ruthless Six-Wicket Win It was a heartbreaking night for India at the home of cricket, as Australia knocked Harmanpreet Kaur's side out of the Women's T20 World Cup with a clinical six-wicket victory at Lord's. India put up a proper fight with the bat, posting 170 for 4 – their highest total against Australia in a Women's T20 World Cup and exactly the score Harmanpreet's side had set their sights on. But Australia made it look comfortable in reply, finishing on 172 for 4 with six balls to spare. They did lose three wickets inside the first ten overs, but never really looked rattled, with the experienced pair of Ellyse Perry and Ash Gardner steering them home in style. For India, it's a familiar and painful story – plenty of promise but not quite enough to get over the line against the best in the business. Questions will be asked about strike rates further down the order and about not givin...

Watch highlight Brazil Edge Past Plucky Japan as Martinelli Strikes Late Brazil needed everything they had to see off a stubborn Japan side in Houston, eventually winning 2-1 thanks to a stoppage-time winner from Gabriel Martinelli in a cracking Round of 32 tie. Japan made the early running and took a deserved lead through Kaishu Sano, who pounced on a loose Brazilian pass, drove forward and rifled a shot past Alisson from the edge of the box. The Samurai Blue defended superbly after that, with keeper Zion Suzuki in fine form, and for long spells it looked as though Brazil might be heading for an almighty shock. The five-time champions kept knocking, though, and got their reward midway through the second half. Casemiro rose to head home from a Gabriel Magalhães delivery in the 56th minute, levelling things up and giving Brazil's bench a much-needed lift. Vinícius Júnior almost put them ahead soon after, only to see his effort cannon off the post with Suzuki getting a touch. ...

Watch highlight Wyatt-Hodge Smashes 89 as England Crush New Zealand to End Their Title Defence England Women beat New Zealand Women by 9 wickets — ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 The Oval, London England rounded off their group stage in style, brushing New Zealand aside by nine wickets to finish the competition with a perfect five wins from five — and in doing so, knocked the defending champions out of the tournament altogether. New Zealand, needing a win to keep their semi-final hopes alive, got off to a flier. Captain Melie Kerr and Isabella Gaze put on 70 in just 60 balls to lay a solid platform, with Kerr eventually top-scoring on 42. Sophie Devine then came in to add some fireworks, smashing 30 off just 14 balls, while Suzie Bates chipped in late with 19 to help push New Zealand to 163 for 6. England's bowling did just enough to keep things in check — Dani Gibson picked up 2 for 30, and Lauren Bell was the pick of the attack with an economical 1 for 24. It wasn't ...

Watch highlight Messi Seals It Late as Argentina Brush Past Jordan to Finish Group Stage Unbeaten,Jordan 1-3 Argentina — FIFA World Cup 2026, Group J27 June 2026, AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas Argentina wrapped up a perfect group stage with a 3-1 win over Jordan, even with Lionel Scaloni making nine changes and leaving Lionel Messi out of his starting eleven. It made little difference in the end — the world champions were good enough to see off a brave Jordan side, who bow out of their first-ever World Cup with credit. Argentina were in control from early on, and took the lead in the 19th minute through a gorgeous Giovani Lo Celso free-kick, curled in from just outside the box. Things got a little chaotic in the build-up to the second goal — Julián Álvarez cracked the crossbar, and in the scramble that followed, a foul on Marcos Senesi handed Argentina a penalty, which Lautaro Martínez duly converted to make it 2-0 just past the half-hour mark. Jordan came out with intent a...

Watch highlight Sri Lanka Edge Last-Ball Thriller to Keep Semi-Final Dream Alive Sri Lanka Women beat Scotland Women by 3 wickets — ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 Manchester Sri Lanka kept their semi-final hopes flickering with a nerve-shredding three-wicket win over Scotland, getting home with just one ball to spare in their highest successful run-chase at a Women's T20 World Cup. It's also the first time Sri Lanka have managed three wins in a single edition of the tournament — and they badly needed every run of it, given how much their net run rate was riding on a quick win. How it went Put in to bat, Scotland made a slow start but built nicely through the middle, with Darcey Carter grinding out 34 off 34 balls to anchor the innings. Sri Lanka were sharp in the field — two run-outs and a tidy display from the slower bowlers kept Scotland's total in check through the middle overs. A late stand between Ailsa Lister and Sarah Bryce gave the innings a lift, and Bryce...

Watch highlight Dembélé Hits Stunning Treble as France Demolish Norway to Top Group I France 4-1 Norway — FIFA World Cup 2026, Group I, 26 June 2026, Boston Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts France made an emphatic statement on the final day of the group stage, thumping Norway 4-1 to finish with a perfect record of three wins from three. Ousmane Dembélé was the star turn, scoring a brilliant first-half hat-trick, while substitute Désiré Doué added a fourth in stoppage time. Norway, missing Erling Haaland and several other first-choice players who were rested for the knockouts, got a goal back through Thelo Aasgaard but were never really in the contest. How it unfolded Mbappé almost had France ahead inside 22 seconds, rattling the bar early on — a sign of things to come against a heavily rotated Norway side. Dembélé then took over. He opened the scoring in the seventh minute, forcing the ball home despite three defenders around him, and doubled the lead in the 20th with a clinica...

Watch highlight Ecuador Stun Germany to Reach World Cup Knockouts for the First Time Since 2006 Ecuador 2-1 Germany — FIFA World Cup 2026, Group E East Rutherford, New Jersey What a night this was. Ecuador pulled off one of the shocks of the tournament so far, coming from behind to beat Germany 2-1 and book their place in the last 32. For a side that had gone two games without scoring, this was a proper statement of intent — full of heart, discipline and real quality when it mattered. Germany made the perfect start. Inside two minutes, Leroy Sané slotted home from close range to put the four-time champions ahead, and you could sense the German fans settling in for a routine evening. But Ecuador had other ideas. Just minutes later, young Nilson Angulo lashed a brilliant strike from range into the far corner to make it 1-1 — their first goal of the entire tournament, and one that changed the whole mood of the game. It stayed tense from there. Germany thought they'd won a penalt...

Watch highlight Bafana Bafana Make History: South Africa Stun South Korea to Reach World Cup Knockouts for the First Time South Africa 1-0 South Korea — FIFA World Cup 2026, Group A 24 June 2026, Estadio BBVA, Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico South Africa have done something they've never managed before. A second-half goal from Thapelo Maseko was enough to beat South Korea 1-0 and send Bafana Bafana through to the World Cup knockouts for the first time ever. The win lifts South Africa into second place in Group A on four points, with Mexico topping the group on a perfect nine. South Korea finish on three points and are out of the running for top spot, though they could still scrape through depending on how other results fall. How the match went It wasn't pretty early on. South Africa started well but couldn't find the finish, with Maseko missing two decent chances in the first half. South Korea had more of the ball but didn't do much with it, and the teams went i...

Watch highlight Perry Stars as Australia Smash Pakistan – Defending Champs March to Semis! Australia Women 199/7 beat Pakistan Women 86 (13.4 overs) by 113 runs  ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 – Group 1   Headingley, Leeds | June 23, 2026 Match Summary Australia produced a clinical, dominant display to crush Pakistan by a massive 113 runs, securing their fourth straight win and virtually booking a spot in the semi-finals. Ellyse Perry was the undisputed star, delivering a match-defining all-round performance: a fluent 71 off 48 balls with the bat, followed by 2/9 with the ball. Despite an early setback and a worrying injury to wicketkeeper Beth Mooney, the defending champions remained unbeaten and in ruthless form. Key Highlights – Australia Batting:   - Beth Mooney was dismissed for a golden duck off the first ball (Sadia Iqbal).   - Georgia Voll (39 off 28) and Ellyse Perry forged a crucial 100+ run partnership to stabilize and accelerate....

Watch highlight Six-Star Ronaldo! Portugal Crush Uzbekistan 5-0 in Record-Breaking Masterclass Portugal 5-0 Uzbekistan  FIFA World Cup 2026 – Group KNRG Stadium, Houston | June 23, 2026 Match Summary Portugal delivered a commanding, one-sided performance to thrash debutants Uzbekistan 5-0, bouncing back strongly from their opening 1-1 draw against DR Congo. The match was defined by Cristiano Ronaldo's historic brace, which made him the first player ever to score in six different FIFA World Cups (2006–2026). At 41, Ronaldo led the line with purpose, silencing doubts after a quiet start to the tournament. Goals:   - Cristiano Ronaldo (6') – Early opener from close range after João Cancelo’s cut-back; clinical finish inside the near post.   - Nuno Mendes (17') – Clever free-kick routine, adding a second with quality.   - Cristiano Ronaldo (39') – Second goal via a well-timed run onto Bruno Fernandes’ brilliant pass; slotted into the corner. This was...

Watch highlight New Zealand Thrash England at The Oval to Level Test Series New Zealand produced a commanding performance to defeat England by a resounding 253 runs in the second Test at The Oval, levelling the three-match series at 1-1. The visitors’ pace attack, led by the magnificent Matt Henry, dismantled England’s batting line-up on the final day, turning what had looked like a challenging chase into a swift capitulation.   Set an improbable target of 463 to win after New Zealand declared their second innings at 362, England resumed on the fifth morning at 182 for 5. Any lingering hopes of resistance were quickly extinguished. Matt Henry, who had already taken five wickets in the first innings, tore through the remaining batsmen with devastating effect. He claimed all five wickets to fall on the final day, finishing with figures of 6 for 29 in the second innings and remarkable match figures of 11 for 109. Henry’s spell was clinical and relentless. Joe Root, who had battled...

Watch highlight Argentina 2-0 Austria, FIFA World Cup 2026 – Group Stage Argentina got the job done with a professional 2-0 victory over Austria in what was a solid if not always sparkling performance. The result was enough to send them through to the knockout stages, but the real headline belonged to one man: Lionel Messi. The little maestro broke the all-time World Cup goals record with a moment of pure class that will be replayed for years. Whether it was the first or second goal, the stadium erupted the instant the ball hit the net. At 38 (or 39?), Messi is still doing things that defy logic. The finish was typical Messi – composed, clinical, and delivered with that familiar low centre of gravity that makes defenders look silly. The game itself was a tale of Argentine control. They dominated possession and created the better chances throughout, though Austria defended stubbornly for long periods and made life awkward in the first half. Argentina’s second goal effectively kill...

Watch highlight Germany Fight Back from the Brink: Undav's Late Brace Sinks Brave Ivory Coast Having demolished Curaçao 7-1 in their opener, the Germans faced a sterner test against a physical and well-organised Ivory Coast side, who had edged Ecuador 1-0. Franck Kessié gave the Elephants a deserved lead on the half-hour mark, and they looked good value for it at the break. The West Africans pressed high, won their duels in midfield, and restricted Germany’s usual fluency. Kessié’s goal – a poacher’s finish from close range after a blocked Amad Diallo effort – capped a dominant first-half display that left Julian Nagelsmann’s men with plenty to ponder at half-time. The second period told a different story. Nagelsmann rolled the dice with bold substitutions, bringing on Nadiem Amiri and Deniz Undav. The changes transformed the contest. Undav equalised in the 68th minute with a composed finish, before producing a moment of magic in the 94th minute – a dramatic winner that sent...

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's Dambulla Blitz: Teenage Sensation Punishes Sri Lanka A in Tri-Series Final Fifteen-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi produced one of the most explosive innings in recent List A cricket as India A cruised to victory in the Tri-Nation Series final against Sri Lanka A in Dambulla on Sunday. The young opener went on an absolute rampage, smashing 94 runs off just 29 balls and leaving the Sri Lankan bowlers shell-shocked. Coming into the match with some off-field drama from earlier in the series, Sooryavanshi answered any questions in the best possible way – with the bat. He raced to a half-century in a staggering 11 balls, setting a new record for the fastest fifty in List A cricket. His knock was laced with 10 fours and eight sixes, striking at over 324, and he barely bothered running between the wickets. The Sri Lankan attack had no answers. Sooryavanshi took apart the bowlers from the outset, punishing anything loose with ruthless power and timing. He fell just ...

Watch highlight Scotland 0-1 Morocco (FIFA World Cup 2026, Group C)  Date: June 19, 2026  Venue:Boston Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA   Goal: Ismael Saibari (Morocco) – 2' (71 seconds) Match Summary Morocco secured a narrow but vital 1-0 victory over Scotland thanks to a lightning-fast goal by Ismael Saibari (PSV Eindhoven), who finished a pass from Brahim Díaz just 71 seconds in. This is reportedly the fastest goal of the 2026 World Cup so far. Scotland dominated possession and created chances in the second half, hitting the woodwork and pressuring Morocco's defense (anchored by Achraf Hakimi), but couldn't find an equalizer. Morocco defended resiliently and held on for three crucial points. Group C Context (as of this match) - The win moved Morocco to the top of Group C with 4 points (from a previous 1-1 draw with Brazil). - Scotland stayed on 3 points (after a win over Haiti). Their knockout hopes remain alive but they now need a strong result in t...

Watch highlight Canada 6–0 Qatar (Group B, FIFA World Cup 2026) What a night for Canadian football. In front of a bouncing home crowd at BC Place in Vancouver, the co-hosts delivered a thumping victory over Qatar, securing their first-ever win at a men's World Cup finals. It was a dominant, one-sided affair that saw Canada top Group B and put themselves in a very strong position to reach the knockout stages. The scoring started early. Cyle Larin opened the account in the 16th minute, and Jonathan David quickly made it 2-0 with a lovely volley just before the half-hour mark. David added a third right on the stroke of half-time, bundling the ball home after a bit of chaos in the box. The Juventus forward was clinical throughout and completed his hat-trick with a late strike in stoppage time. Nathan Saliba, coming off the bench, added a fourth with a superb free-kick in the second half, and Qatar's misery was compounded by an own goal from Mohamed Manai. By the end, Qatar we...