Day 10 of the World Cup delivered history, drama, and a goalkeeping performance for the ages. Curacao became the smallest nation ever to earn a World Cup point, Japan posted their best-ever World Cup scoreline, and Tunisia were sent home after just two matches.
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Groups E and F shared the spotlight on Saturday. The Netherlands opened proceedings with a commanding 5-1 win over Sweden, putting them in pole position ahead of the final matchday. Ronald Koeman started Brian Brobbey, who repaid the faith immediately with a first-half brace. Sweden, who became the first side in World Cup history to win their opener 5-1 and then lose their next by the exact same scoreline, must now beat Japan to advance.
Japan also sit on four points after a 4-0 dismantling of Tunisia in the tournament’s 1,000th match, the most goals Japan have ever scored in a single World Cup outing. Herve Renard, brought in to stabilize Tunisia after their damaging opening loss to Sweden, could not prevent the exit.
Germany required a brace from substitute Deniz Undav, the second arriving in stoppage time, to edge past Ivory Coast 2-1 and secure their place in the round of 32. Franck Kessie had given the African side a first-half lead, and they more than matched the 2014 World Cup winners across large stretches of the contest.
In Kansas City, Curacao grabbed their first World Cup point with a 0-0 draw against Ecuador, despite the xG figures running against them by 2.34. They face Ivory Coast in their final group game with a genuine chance of advancing.
Player of the Day: Eloy Room
For the first time at this tournament, two players shared the player-of-the-day honor: Cody Gakpo and Eloy Room. The nod goes to Room.
The Curacao goalkeeper, who plays his club football with Miami FC in the USL, delivered a performance that will be talked about for years. He recorded a 9.4 rating on Flashscore’s ratings system, making a record 15 saves across 90 minutes, a new World Cup benchmark. Room denied an xG of 2.27 and stopped four big chances as Ecuador were repeatedly turned away.
Goal of the Day: Ayase Ueda
The standout strike of the day arrived late in Japan’s victory over Tunisia, authored by Ayase Ueda. The striker, who scored eight goals in nine games during qualification, had been kept off the scoresheet against the Netherlands in matchday one. He made no such mistake in Monterrey.
His first goal was a statement. He drove into the box, shifted the ball and struck cleanly from the edge of the area, the ball arrowing across the goalkeeper and into the bottom corner.
Japan now share the same goal difference as the Netherlands and enter their final group game against Sweden on June 25th as a credible threat.
Off the Pitch: Eloy Room’s Instagram Surge
The goalkeepers’ union has been one of the quiet stories of this World Cup. After Cape Verde‘s Vozinha gained widespread social media attention following his side’s 0-0 draw against Spain, Room followed suit. He started the day with roughly 60,000 Instagram followers and finished it approaching one million, a demonstration of the scale this World Cup operates on and how a single performance can make a player a recognizable name across the world overnight.
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