United News of Bangladesh

The Netherlands and Morocco were locked at 1-1 after regulation time in their FIFA World Cup Round of 32 clash on Monday, sending the match into extra time. The Dutch took the lead in the 72nd minute when Cody Gakpo found the net from a pass by Crysencio Summerville. Following the goal, Gakpo was embraced by his teammates and coaching staff as he became emotional on the field. The forward and his partner, Noa van der Bij, recently revealed they had lost their unborn child. Morocco equalised deep into stoppage time as Issa Diop headed home a cross from Chemsdine Talbi in the 91st minute to force extra time. The fixture featured the two highest-ranked teams in the Round of 32, with Morocco entering the tournament ranked sixth in the world and the Netherlands seventh.

Paraguay pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the 2026 FIFA World Cup by defeating four-time champions Germany 4-3 in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw following extra time, securing a place in the Round of 16. The match at Foxborough, Massachusetts, remained deadlocked after 120 minutes before goalkeeper Orlando Gill made two crucial saves in the shootout. José Canale then converted the decisive sudden-death penalty to seal Paraguay’s historic victory. It marked the first time Germany have lost a World Cup penalty shootout. The Germans missed three of their six spot-kicks, with Jonathan Tah blasting his sudden-death attempt over the crossbar after goalkeeper Manuel Neuer had kept Germany alive by saving Fabián Balbuena’s penalty. Germany also had a potential extra-time winner ruled out. Tah headed home from a corner in the 102nd minute, but the goal was disallowed after a VAR review found Waldemar Anton had fouled Gill before the header. Paraguay took the lead in the 42nd minute when Julio Enciso headed in a cross from Matías Galarza following a well-worked move initiated by Miguel Almirón. Germany equalized seven minutes into the second half through Kai Havertz, who redirected Florian Wirtz’s cross past Gill. Ranked 41st by FIFA before the tournament, Paraguay frustrated Germany with a disciplined defensive display despite conceding most of the possession. The victory sends the South American side into the last 16, where they will face the winner of Tuesday’s match between France and Sweden on Saturday in Philadelphia. For Germany, ranked 10th in the world, the defeat extended a disappointing run at the World Cup since lifting the trophy in 2014. After group-stage exits in the previous two editions, the four-time champions were eliminated in their first knockout match of the 2026 tournament. Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann admitted the result fell well short of expectations, while Paraguay goalkeeper Gill credited thorough preparation for the team's success in the shootout.

Gabriel Martinelli scored late injury time to give Brazil a 2-1 win over Japan in the round of 32 at the World Cup on Monday. Martinelli’s winning goal came in the sixth minute of injury time. Casemiro earlier equalized on a header in the 56th minute off an assist from Gabriel Magalhães after just missing another chance two minutes earlier. The shot sailed just out of reach of the outstretched hand of Japan goalkeeper Zion Suzuki and into the net. Kaishu Sano stole a misplaced pass at midfield and took it down the field before a right-footed shot from above the half circle to put Japan ahead in the 29th minute. Vinícius Júnior, who has scored four goals in this year’s tournament, had a chance to put Brazil on top in the 58th minute but his shot from the left box was deflected by Suzuki and went off the far post. Casemiro left in the first minute of second-half stoppage time with what appeared to be a leg injury.

Czech Republic coach Miroslav Koubek stepped down on Monday following the team's early exit from the World Cup. The decision was made by mutual agreement, Koubek and Czech Football Association president David Trunda said in a joint statement. "The coach offered me his resignation during a personal meeting today, and after an open and honest discussion, I decided to accept it," Trunda said. Koubek accepted responsibility for the team's poor performance at the tournament, where the Czechs lost to South Korea and Mexico before drawing with South Africa. They finished bottom of Group A with just one point. His resignation came as a surprise, however. After returning from the World Cup, Koubek had indicated he wanted to remain in charge, while Czech national teams general manager Pavel Nedvěd had publicly backed him to continue. Koubek said growing criticism also influenced his decision. "A media campaign against me based on half-truths and fabricated stories also contributed to my decision," he said. "In such an atmosphere, continuing my work with the Czech national team no longer makes sense." The Czech Football Association has not yet announced a successor. The 74-year-old coach took charge in December on a two-and-a-half-year contract and guided the Czech Republic to its first World Cup qualification in 20 years, securing playoff victories over Ireland and Denmark. His resignation came just hours after the team's leading striker, Patrik Schick, announced his retirement from international football following the World Cup elimination.

Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti has urged his players to be mentally and emotionally prepared for every possible scenario when they face Japan in the FIFA World Cup Round of 32 on Monday. Both teams progressed through the group stage unbeaten, and Ancelotti expects a closely contested knockout encounter. Neymar donates $2.5 lakh for Venezuela earthquake relief "For tomorrow's match we need many things: our minds and our hearts," Ancelotti told a news conference on Sunday. He said Brazil had prepared for every possibility, including extra time and penalty shootouts, adding that the squad was motivated, confident and ready after strong performances in its last two matches. Brazil has not been eliminated in the first knockout round of a World Cup since a 1-0 defeat to Argentina, inspired by Diego Maradona, in 1990. Since then, the Selecao have reached at least the quarterfinals in every edition of the tournament. Ancelotti reminded his players that there would be no second chances in the knockout phase. "It's just one match. There's no way back," he said, expressing confidence in his experienced squad. Raphinha was the only player absent from Sunday's training session as he continues to recover from a right hamstring injury. Ancelotti also said Neymar has made significant progress in his recovery from a calf strain after returning as a late substitute in Brazil's final group-stage victory over Scotland, his first international appearance since October 2023. "He has improved a lot over the past week and can now play more than 15 minutes," Ancelotti said, adding that the forward's playing time would depend on how the match unfolds. Brazil and Japan last met in a friendly in October, when Japan came from two goals behind to secure a 3-2 victory in Tokyo.

Brazilian football star Neymar has reportedly donated US$2.5 lakh to support emergency rescue and humanitarian relief efforts in earthquake-hit Venezuela, according to Venezuelan media. The report said the donation will help provide immediate assistance to those affected, including food, drinking water, medical supplies and temporary shelters. "My heart goes out to the people of Venezuela," Neymar was quoted as saying by media, expressing hope that his contribution would bring strength and relief to affected families. Rescue operations are continuing as teams race against time to locate survivors, although efforts have been hampered by persistent aftershocks and a shortage of heavy equipment. The earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, have been followed by several aftershocks and smaller tremors, complicating relief work. On the football front, Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti said Neymar has made significant progress in his recovery and is now fit to play for longer periods ahead of Brazil's FIFA World Cup Round of 32 clash against Japan. Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Ancelotti said the 34-year-old forward, who missed Brazil's opening two World Cup matches before making a late substitute appearance in the 3-0 win over Scotland, has shown marked improvement over the past week. "He could not play more than 15 minutes before, but now he is doing well enough to play longer," Ancelotti said. Brazil secured top spot in Group C, extending its record of finishing first in its World Cup group for a 12th consecutive tournament. The five-time world champions have topped their group in every World Cup since 1982, maintaining a remarkable 44-year streak. With inputs from NDTV

In Bangladesh, the FIFA World Cup is more than a sporting event. From village tea stalls to city rooftops, the tournament brings an outpouring of passion as fans proudly display their favourite teams' flags and jerseys. Among young people in particular, football often inspires a level of enthusiasm that few other social movements can match. However, when that passion extends beyond the thrill of the game, it can create a lasting impact. That is the idea behind Argentina Fans for Nature, a youth-led initiative that has transformed support for the Argentine national football team into a nationwide environmental campaign. As one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change, Bangladesh continues to face increasingly frequent heatwaves, erratic rainfall, river erosion, cyclones, salinity intrusion and biodiversity loss. Rapid urbanisation has also reduced green spaces as concrete development continues to expand. In this context, planting trees is no longer just an environmental gesture; it is now an important part of building climate resilience. Environmental experts have repeatedly stressed that addressing climate change requires coordinated efforts by the government, the private sector and the public. Many consider meaningful participation by young people a key element in building a sustainable environmental movement. Against this backdrop, the campaign launched a nationwide programme on June 7 to distribute and plant 4,000 saplings across Bangladesh. Hundreds of volunteers participated in the initiative in Dhaka, Mymensingh, Gazipur, Rajshahi, Bogura, Kushtia, Faridpur, Madaripur, Jashore, Narayanganj, Noakhali and Cox's Bazar. Unlike conventional tree distribution programmes, the initiative places equal emphasis on long-term care. Each participant is encouraged not only to plant a sapling but also to take responsibility for nurturing it for at least two years, recognising that ensuring a tree's survival is far more important than planting it. The campaign has distributed nearly 70 species of native fruit, forest and medicinal trees, including mango, black plum, jackfruit, coconut, dewa, mahua, drumstick, Indian gooseberry, arjun, neem, wood apple, jarul, royal poinciana and golden shower. Beyond providing fruit and shade, these trees are expected to contribute to carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation, soil fertility and ecological balance. Critics often target young people for their immersion in social media or sporting rivalries. Yet initiatives such as Argentina Fans for Nature demonstrate that, with positive leadership and a meaningful objective, they can become powerful agents of social change. When support for a football team inspires someone to plant a tree, sport evolves from entertainment into a catalyst for environmental action. The campaign concluded with a gathering at Shaibal Beach in Cox's Bazar, where more than a hundred supporters received saplings. Organisers also announced that if Argentina wins the World Cup, they will launch a nationwide campaign to plant an additional 40,000 trees. The pledge reflects an ambition to turn football enthusiasm into a long-term environmental movement. The initiative is organised by the Chandrakoli Foundation, which has also been promoting the practice of planting trees to mark personal milestones such as weddings, birthdays, childbirth, anniversaries and memorials. Over the past five years, the foundation has distributed nearly 2,000 saplings to families of newborns at the Mohammadpur Union Health Complex in Subarnachar, Noakhali. The World Cup will come to an end. Flags will come down, and the celebrations will fade. But the saplings planted today will continue to grow for decades, providing shade, fruit, oxygen and habitat for wildlife. In the years ahead, they may stand as a lasting reminder that a nationwide football celebration also gave birth to thousands of new green dreams. Football brings joy to millions. When that joy grows into a tree—and eventually into a forest that helps protect future generations—it becomes far more than a celebration of sport. It becomes an investment in the country's future.

The World Cup's knockout stage is already providing some premier matchups in the round of 32. It's part of a bracket that features an easier road for some teams than others. There are three games on Monday, starting with Brazil vs. Japan in Houston. The Brazilians — who won Group C — are five-time World Cup champions but face a tough opponent in Japan, which is ranked No. 17 in the world. The Japanese finished second in Group F with one win and two draws. Group E winner Germany faces Paraguay in the day's second game. Germany scored 10 goals in the group stage, which was tied for the most of any team. Paraguay bounced back from a 4-1 loss to the United States by beating Turkey and fighting to a draw with Australia to narrowly qualify for the knockout stage after finishing third in Group D. The nightcap is a matchup of top-10 teams when the Netherlands faces Morocco. The Dutch are often considered the best country to never win a World Cup, while Morocco has jumped into soccer's elite over the past few years after a surprise run to the 2022 World Cup semifinals in Qatar. What to watch on June 29 — Brazil vs. Japan, 1 p.m. EDT in Houston (Fox/Telemundo/Peacock) — Germany vs. Paraguay, 4:30 p.m. EDT in Foxborough, Massachusetts (Fox/Telemundo/Peacock) — Netherlands vs. Morocco, 9 p.m. EDT in Monterrey, Mexico (Fox/Telemundo/Peacock) Brazil-Japan matchup features countries with close relationship These countries have extremely strong ties with Brazil being home to about 2.7 million Japanese descendants, which is the largest Japanese population outside of Japan. Those ties extend to soccer where Brazilian superstar Zico moved to Japan in 1991 to play for the Kashima Antlers and help build Japan’s professional soccer network. He managed the Japan national team from 2002-06, leading the team to the World Cup in 2006. It was in that World Cup where these teams had their first and only meeting in the tournament with Brazil notching a 4-1 victory. Brazil leads the overall series with 11 wins. The teams have played to two draws and Japan collected its first-ever win over Brazil in a friendly in Tokyo in October. Japan trailed 2-0 at halftime before rallying for the 3-2 victory. Coach Hajime Moriyasu thinks that win will impact how Brazil approaches his team Monday. “They will be so much more motivated to play against us,” he said. “They are intent on winning against us. Because of that we feel that the match will be very intense.” The winner will face the winner of Ivory Coast-Norway on July 5 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Germany returns to knockout rounds for first time since 2014 Germany is back in the knockout round for the first time since the 2014 final in Brazil when the Germans beat Argentina 1-0 to capture their fourth World Cup title. Leading those hopes will be coach Julian Naglesmann. At 38 years and 341 days old on Monday, he will be the youngest manager in the knockout round since France’s Henri Michel in the 1986. Paraguay has appeared in five knockout stage games, but has failed to score in each. It advanced only once in those games, winning on penalty kicks against Japan in the round of 16 in 2010. “They play very defensive football," Naglesmann said of Paraguay. "They are an uncomfortable opponent for us and it’s going to ask a lot of us.” Paraguay is expected to be without defender Omar Alderete, who is doubtful with a knee injury he suffered in the second half of its 0-0 draw against Australia. Jose Canale is expected to start in his place. “This will be a match all about details," Paraguay captain Gustavo Gómez said. "We need to be concentrated to compete to take advantage of all the opportunities we might have.” The winner will face the winner of France and Sweden on July 4 in Philadelphia. Netherlands vs. Morocco premier clash in round of 32 Monday night’s matchup between the Netherlands and Morocco will be the highest ranked match in the round of 32. The Netherlands — ranked No. 7 — topped Group F after a draw against Japan and big wins over Sweden and Tunisia. Sixth-ranked Morocco fought to a 1-1 draw against Brazil in its opener before beating Scotland and Haiti to finish second in Group C. The Netherlands have long held the moniker of the best never to have won the tournament, having lost all three finals it played. The Dutch’s most recent final loss was to Spain in extra time in 2010, which was also the last time the Netherlands lost a World Cup game in 120 minutes. The Dutch haven’t lost in six previous World Cup matches against African countries. In 2022, Morocco defeated Spain and Portugal to become the first African team to reach the semifinals of the World Cup before losing to France. The Atlas Lions were also declared winners of the Africa Cup of Nations in 2025. “The team is of course very well prepared,” Morocco’s goalkeeper Yassine Bounou said. “We will face whatever comes in the 90 (minutes), 120 (minutes) or penalty kicks. We have great football players and the experience to face these things.” The Netherlands beat Morocco 2-1 in 1994, which was the only other World Cup meeting between the two. The winner will face Canada in the round of 16 on Saturday in Houston.

Right after Canada finished its first knockout match victory in a World Cup, coach Jesse Marsch huddled his players on the grass of a stadium still in pandemonium and spoke from his heart — shouted, actually. “You guys are Canadian heroes today!" Marsch declared. "Canadian heroes for the future children of this country who play this sport. The sport has a big future because of you guys. You should be so proud of who you are. You should be so proud of this game. You never lost belief. You went after it, point after point, moment after moment. You are Canadian heroes!” Stephen Eustáquio's dramatic late goal had inspired Marsch to Ted Lasso levels of earnestness, and he didn't care who knew it. Soccer has never been the main event on Canada's busy sports calendar, and Les Rouges are playing in only their third World Cup this summer. But Marsch realized this landmark 1-0 win over South Africa on Sunday is the type of achievement that can seize an entire nation's attention for a generation. “We could have made life a little easier on ourselves if we would have made a play earlier when we had some big chances,” Marsch said. “But obviously the timing of the goal means that the win is incredibly dramatic, and I think the effect that it will have in Canada, and the inspiring of people, will be immense.” After 90-plus minutes of frustration and failure to break down cagey South Africa at SoFi Stadium, Canada made history in an instant when Alistair Johnston’s long pass into the box was cleared directly into the path of Eustáquio. The midfielder who plays professionally at nearby Los Angeles FC coolly chested it down and blasted it off the bounce into the bottom corner of Ronwen Williams' net before sprinting away to celebrate with Canada's bench in the second minute of second-half stoppage time. “We worked for it," Eustáquio said. “We have a special group. We feel like we are brothers. When we fight for each other, when we play for each other, special things like this can happen. I am over the moon, but at the same time I don’t want to say that the job is finished.” Canada, which sits 30th in the most recent FIFA world rankings, advanced to face the Netherlands or Morocco in Houston on Saturday.  

South Korea's early exit from the World Cup has triggered widespread criticism and uncertainty over the future of the national team, with President Lee Jae Myung publicly condemning the team's performance and media reports suggesting that coach Hong Myung-bo has stepped down. South Korea began its campaign with a victory over the Czech Republic national football team but suffered defeats to the South Africa national football team and the Mexico national football team in their remaining Group A matches. The team had hoped to progress to the knockout stage as one of the best third-placed teams in the expanded tournament. However, those hopes were dashed after the Congo national football team defeated the Uzbekistan national football team 3-1 on Saturday. The disappointing campaign prompted a strongly worded response from President Lee, who described the result as both surprising and deeply troubling. In a lengthy statement, the president criticised the structure and management of the national team and questioned the decision to appoint Hong as coach. "Once again, it has been proven that personnel decisions determine everything. If loyalty and factionalism are valued over competence and an incapable person is appointed as a leader, the outcome is predictable," Lee said. Hong, 57, was serving his second stint as South Korea's head coach. He also led the team at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where South Korea similarly failed to advance beyond the group stage. South Korea are one of Asia's most consistent World Cup participants, having qualified for 11 consecutive tournaments since 1986. Their best performance came in 2002 when they reached the semifinals as co-hosts of the tournament. President Lee also called on the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to review the national team's failures and reform the country's sports administration. "I sincerely apologise to the public for the deep disappointment caused by this situation. We will move swiftly to reform sports administration to ensure this does not happen again," he said.