On June 20, 2026 North America, Central America and Mexico World Cup second-round matches in Groups C and D were all completed, and several lightning-fast goals sparked the stadiums as two teams were eliminated early.

In Group D, the host United States beat Australia 2-0. In the 11th minute, the opponent gifted an own goal, and Freeman scored with a header in the second half to widen the gap. The U.S. won back-to-back matches to reach 6 points, thereby securing a knockout-stage spot first. Paraguay faced Turkey: Galarsa struck in the 70th minute just 70 seconds into the match. After that, despite having a player sent off later, Paraguay still held on to the win, while Turkey lost both of their matches and were eliminated early.

In Group C, two matches played out at an equally breakneck pace. Morocco took on Scotland. Sabari broke the deadlock in under two minutes, then maintained a solid defense afterward to win 1-0 and claim crucial three points. Brazil’s attacking firepower was relentless, with Cunha scoring twice to seal a 3-0 shutout of Haiti. Haiti suffered two consecutive defeats, finishing bottom and going out. Brazil and Morocco both finished with 4 points, with Brazil temporarily topping the group on goal difference.

After this round, the qualification scenarios for each group are gradually becoming clearer. In the final group-stage matches, there will be intense “positioning” battles, and multiple teams will need to fight for every point to secure qualification.