Twenty-four years after their first World Cup meeting billed as the “Mother of all football matches”, Iran and the United States face off in a politically-charged showdown on Tuesday with a place in the knockout rounds up for grabs.

A man carrying a rainbow flag and wearing a T-shirt with the words "Respect for Iranian Woman" on the back invaded the pitch during a match at the Qatar World Cup on Monday.

Normally, it would be horrible news to football fans anywhere that their team's star player was injured.

Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes said a goal awarded to him - the first of his two in a 2-0 win over Uruguay on Monday - might in fact have been scored by Cristiano Ronaldo, but what mattered was securing Portugal's place in the World Cup's next phase.

Brazil midfielder Bruno Guimaraes admitted the World Cup favourites lacked some of their usual verve after they needed a late Casemiro strike to beat Switzerland and secure a place in the last 16.

Portugal beat Uruguay 2-0 on Monday with two goals from midfielder Bruno Fernandes to become the third team after France and Brazil to qualify for the World Cup knockout stage.

If one match in the 2022 World Cup so far had to be nominated to represent what football offers in the present era, Sunday night’s encounter between Spain and Germany stands out as the obvious candidate despite yielding just a draw.

Mohammed Kudus netted twice as Ghana edged out South Korea 3-2 in a dramatic and fluctuating World Cup Group H game on Monday to stay in contention for the next round.

Serbia coach Dragan Stojkovic had said his side would approach their World Cup Group G fixture against Cameroon with a view to “taming” the Indomitable Lions, but veteran striker Vincent Aboubakar had other ideas.

Things are getting spicy in Qatar. On the field, nothing is going according to script. Pre-tournament favourites like Belgium are teetering on the edge of elimination, and the qualification picture is changing wildly with every game and every minute of the first round. 

Cameroon coach Rigobert Song praised his team’s fighting spirit after they salvaged a 3-3 draw against Serbia at the World Cup on Monday, without first-choice goalkeeper Andre Onana who was left out of the squad for disciplinary reasons.

Balloons in the national colours of Israel and Qatar festooned the departure gate for the first commercial flight between the countries on Sunday, permitted by Doha for fans of the World Cup despite the absence of formal bilateral relations.

A Brazil side lacking spark without the injured Neymar needed a late strike from Casemiro to edge out Switzerland 1-0 on Monday as the five-time winners secured their place in the World Cup last 16 with one game to spare.

Mohammed Kudus announced himself on the global stage with his brace at the World Cup on Monday to show why he is one of the most coveted young players in football.

A Brazil side lacking spark without the injured Neymar needed a late strike from Casemiro to edge out Switzerland 1-0 on Monday as the five-time winners secured their place in the World Cup last 16 with one game to spare.

Brazil and Switzerland were deadlocked at 0-0 in their World Cup Group G game at the 974 Stadium on Monday after a first half with plenty of intricate play and more than a few misplaced passes from both sides.

Fred and Eder Militao replaced the injured Neymar and Danilo in the Brazil team for their World Cup Group G match against Switzerland on Monday.

Mohammed Kudus scored twice as Ghana edged South Korea 3-2 in a dramatic World Cup match on Monday to keep alive their hopes of reaching the last 16.

Opposition defenders ganging up on players like Neymar is nothing new.

Mexican boxer Canelo Alvarez issued a thinly-veiled threat to Lionel Messi on Monday after he took offence at a dressing-room video appearing to show the Argentine forward nudge away a Mexican jersey with his foot after their World Cup win over "El Tri".