On June 20, all four matches in the second round of Groups C and D of the World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico were completed. Multiple teams confirmed qualification or were eliminated early. In Group D, the host United States defeated Australia 2-0. The win came thanks to an own goal by the opponent and a headed strike. With back-to-back victories, the United States advanced to the knockout stage first. Paraguay narrowly beat Turkey 1-0, and after losing both of their matches, Turkey was unable to make it into the next stage.

The matches in Group C moved at a breakneck pace. Morocco scored with a lightning strike two minutes into the game, defeating Scotland 1-0 and securing second place in the group. Brazil’s offense was in full swing: Cunha scored twice, Vinícius added the finishing touch, and Brazil blanked Haiti 3-0. Haiti regrettably exited the tournament. Brazil and Morocco both finished with 4 points, and Brazil took first place on goal difference.

On the day, many matchups featured intense defensive battles, and quite a few games were decided by a single goal. After two rounds, the qualification scenarios in each group became increasingly clear. In the final round of group-stage matches, there will be fierce point-stakes showdowns, and multiple teams will need to fight for every point to secure the remaining qualification spots.