FIFA news: Socceroos defender OUT of final group stage match

World Cup daily news. We will bring you the latest from around the world as the FIFA World Cup 2026™ finally gets under way (All times AEST).

After starting both games thus far, Italiano is set to miss with an injury concern, joining Mat Leckie as absent players ahead of a crucial bout with Paraguay.

Stepping in for the injured Lewis Miller, Italiano has established himself as Australia's starting right wing back within the World Cup, working tirelessly to hold Turkiye goalless in Matchday 1 before playing 90 minutes against the USA in game two.

The Socceroos sat back in their second game against the USA in Seattle, conceding two goals in the first half before bringing on attacking threats Connor Metcalfe, Nestory Irankunda and Cristian Volpato in the second half, immediately flipping the game.

While Popovic is a naturally cautious coach, Foster hopes that the Aussies are slightly more aggressive early on in their final group game, injecting speed into the match early to ensure the side creates chances in front of goal.

“I hope so (that they attack), but they're a little bit more cautious under Tony Popovic, that’s the way that he coaches, that’s the reality,” Foster told 1170 SEN Breakfast.

“He's done a great job, he qualified them automatically, which we hadn't done some time, so his record is brilliant.

“The game against USA, of course, that's when you get caught, because if you're a bit too cautious and you go behind, it's very difficult to get back into the game. So hopefully he's learned from that, and I'm sure he has.

“I’d like a little bit more of an aggressive approach. I don't think he's going to go with full attack in the first half, but I certainly hope that he does put the young really quick guys on anyway.

“That'll give us the best opportunity when we do have those chances that we'll have someone there, speedy enough to get on the end of them and also capable of taking them.

“I think that's right (to start Volpato and Irankunda). Volpato has obviously only played that one bit, but he showed enough in that short cameo… he was phenomenal.

“I mean, that has to make a statement to the coach. It has to. So, I'd be surprised if we didn't see him and Irankunda in the first half definitely.

“Get yourselves ahead of Paraguay, and then of course we've already shown that our defensive organisation means we're very, very difficult to break down, like Ghana were this morning.

“But he's got to work out how we're going to actually create more chances and take those chances, and you need the best attacking players to do that.”

Right-back Daniel Muñoz scored the only goal of the game in the 76th minute to send Colombia top of Group K with six points.

Congo are hanging on by the skin of their teeth. They have one point and can still figure as a third-placed side if they beat Uzbekistan on Sunday.

The pair were engaged in a heated discussion as the sides left the field in the frustrating and sub par 0-0 draw in Boston after the playmaker had fortunately avoided a card for a heavy challenge on Jerome Opoku right in front of the dugouts.

Queiroz was clearly infuriated by something Bellingham had said and when asked about it after the clash he explained: “He had a bad reaction with some bad names.

“My intention was to tell him to cool down with that tackle. He went with his foot against my player. But my first goal was to cool down because I was worried that the player was not in 100 per cent health.

“In the middle of the emotional moment these things are normal. He swears and that created more tension. It's football, it's nothing special. One word created a bit of fire but we cooled down. Football is not dancing in a saloon with tuxedos. It's not a show.”

“It was just when I made a silly tackle, to be honest," he explained. “I was trying to win the ball, and I followed for a little bit and caught the lad. I spoke to him after, and then their bench jumped up trying to get me a yellow card.

“So, I think their manager, I just recognised him. He's obviously the one who used to be at Manchester United, so great respect, and nothing but a competitive edge for both of us.”

They've opened their winning account for this World Cup and move to third spot on the Group L table with three points. England and Ghana lead the way on four points.

Croatia next plays Ghana on June 28. A win would see them through to the Round of 32, a draw would keep their hopes alive as a third-placed finisher.

Panama will be playing for pride when they meet England on June 28. The Central Americans have been knocked out of the tournament.

For a solid 95 minutes Ghana parked the bus at Foxborough. The referees were really off (for both sides), it was overly physical, plenty of argy bargy and it was overall super disappointing from England.

What a comedown from that victory over Croatia. Great for Ghana, really below par for England. That leaves them top and second in the group. England No.1 on goal difference.

Micah Richards was more critical: "The frustrating thing was that England weren't brave enough. Yes, we knew they were coming up against a team that would set up in a low block, but I just felt that there were too many safe passes.

"You need to be more brave when you come up against a team in a low block."

England captain Harry Kane explained why he was unable to deliver as he did in the 4-2 win over Croatia when he netted a brace.

"I was kind of man-marked there with (Thomas) Partey for a lot of the games," he told the BBC.

"I didn't have the space to drop deep and then arrive later in the box, but they also defended the box well.

"We had plenty of crosses with, but just couldn't quite get the first contact.

"The balls were the middle were kind of tough to play because it was so compact in there, so it was a game we kind of felt got better as we went along, and we started getting the winners one v one and they was dangerous.

"You go through games like that, we're playing in the World Cup, you play against a decent side who are compact and make it difficult, and that's what we come against today."

Manchester United great Wayne Rooney, who knows only too well what Sir Alex Ferguson's former assistant Carlos Queiroz is capable of, said it was a typical performance from a side coached by him.

"You're always hoping for that energy and that performance that we had against Croatia in the second half. These games are so difficult when the teams sit back," he said.

"You have to break them down, and you have to find the space. For me, the key was getting crosses into the box. That is where all the chances came from.

"We keep going, we still have a great chance of finishing top of the group. There's no need to be negative; we need to stay positive."

More change is afoot for football fans when it comes to the knock-out stages of the World Cup. FIFA are set to make alterations to penalty shoot outs which are currently preceded by two coins tosses. The first decides which end teams will kick into and the second which team will go first.

When Arsenal’s Champions League final was sent to a shootout, they lost both coin tosses and ended up kicking second into the PSG crowd. They lost.

In a bid to even things up, FIFA will bring in a single coin toss the winner of which will decide if they want to kick first OR elect the end of the field. The other captain will make which ever decision is left.

Penalty shoot-outs come into play from the last 32 stage of the World Cup. If two sides are drawn after 90 minutes and after 30 minutes of additional time, the penalty kicks come to the fore.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal have finally arrived at the World Cup. A 1-1 draw with DR Congo in the opening match had many questioning the 41-year-old's spot in the team and whether Roberto Martinez was "too scared" to leave him out.

His decision validated this morning with Ronaldo scoring twice in their 5-0 demolition of Uzbekistan which will all but secure them a spot in the knockouts.

Not to miss out on the action, Ronaldo's brace follows a day of incredible goal scoring from Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland who all scored doubles yesterday.

"I knew it. God helps those who work hard. It was a difficult, dark week, it felt like I was already retired from football, but I held on as I always do because I believe more in hard work than in football. It was difficult, I have to confess, but we're back.

Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane backed his old teammate saying: "Cristiano Ronaldo was never gone. He is the man. What is up with everybody? Doubted genius.

"We met Tom Brady the other day. He is up there with all these sports people. He's the man. Great to see him back. His two goals were excellent.

"Again, he has joined the party. The hardest point of the game is putting the ball in the back of the net. And he does."

Sad new from the French camp with news Didier Deschamps mother has passed away and as such, he has left camp to attend her funeral.

“Didier Deschamps will not be able to oversee training sessions ahead of the Norway v France match. He will also be absent from the bench for Friday’s final Group I game,” the FFF said in a statement.

“The national team coach learned this morning of the death of his mother and will return to France to attend her funeral.

“In agreement with Philippe Diallo, president of the French Football Federation, who is currently at the France team’s base camp, Deschamps has entrusted assistant coach Guy Stephan with responsibility for leading the squad until his return.”

If, like me, you're up and about for the second England game of the group, you might be about as frustrated by what you're seeing. Ghana have parked a double decker bus and are defedning for 90 minutes. That seems to be the game plan.

England are not responding well to this. No chances of note, total frustration and it's resulted in a first yellow for Declan Rice for a challenge that screamed "you lot are doing our heads in".

The US have been a little irritating when it comes to World Cup trash talk…am I right? It all came to a head in the Australia v USA game at the weekend – and fair play, they get the bragging rights.

It was a putrid match of football (and I support neither side). But finally, one of their own has come and attempted to burst the ever inflating ego that’s growing on the other side of the Pacific.

Former US goalkeeper Tim Howard has made it clear, in no uncertain terms, that it is “literally impossible” for Tema USA to win this thing.

“The US cannot, unequivocally, win the World Cup,” Howard said on the Unfiltered Soccer Podcast, debating with Landon Donovan. “The US will have to play the greatest game they’ve ever played four times in a row.

“They’re going to have to beat (four) world soccer powerhouses in a row… The round of 16, quarterfinals, semi-finals, finals. It is literally impossible for the US to win the World Cup… That’s just the reality.”

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