Casemiro played every minute as Brazil beat Haiti but media from his home country weren’t impressed with his World Cup 2026 performance

Casemiro has been lambasted by several Brazilian football pundits after the ex-Manchester United star’s World Cup 2026 performance against Haiti. Brazil put their opponents to the sword 3-0 in Philadelphia.

Having been held in their opening game against Morocco, Carlo Ancelotti’s squad endeavoured to bounce back against Haiti and did just that. A brace from Matheus Cunha and a Vinicius Junior strike ensured they climbed to the top of Group C.

Casemiro was particularly disappointing against Morocco and was substituted at half-time. But in Brazil’s latest clash, he partnered with Bruno Guimaraes in the midfield once again as a holding enforcer, kept a clean sheet and played every second of the game.

However, while some media outlets in Brazil were more fair-minded about his performance, one publication’s writers have issued a scathing evaluation of the former United man.

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O Globo asked its panel of columnists and correspondents to write comments on who played well for Brazil against Haiti and which stars played poorly.

Eight were asked and when it came to poor performances, five opted to single out Casemiro, who left Old Trafford after the expiration of his contract this month. The first wrote: “He struggled even against a much weaker opponent and stood out in midfield, which featured Guimaraes and [Lucas] Paqueta who played well.”

A second said: “He hasn’t found his form in the competition yet. He seems lost, below his usual level.” Whilst another admitted: “It’s impressive how nervousness is coming from someone where experience was expected. Both performances so far are worrying. He could lose his place, which he only holds because of Ancelotti’s confidence in him.”

“Luckily, it was Haiti. When pressured, he couldn’t hold up,” claimed a fourth, as a fifth penned: “He couldn’t even defend well or organise the build-up play.”

Other publications did not share this view, as Casemiro finished the match with the most duels won for his side, the most tackles and the most fouls won.

Speaking after the opening fixture against Morocco, manager Ancelotti justified removing Casemiro at half-time, claiming that this was just the beginning of their World Cup tilt.

“They are good players. I think I made the right choices and I won’t accept any criticism of individual players,” he said. “If there is any criticism, it concerns the whole team.

“You can’t expect the team to be perfect from the start; you don’t win the World Cup in the first match. My confidence in the players is absolute. In football, everything doesn’t go perfectly. This is just the beginning of the journey.

“I think the team was a bit anxious at the beginning. Nerves were on edge. But the team fought until the last minute, that’s the positive aspect. It’s quite clear that we need to improve.”

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Ieuan Davies joined the likes of Mason Jones and Conor McGregror as he captured the Cage Warriors lightweight title with a stunning submission over Omiel Brown in Manchester.

Davies locked in a rear-naked choke submission, taking just 61 seconds to secure the victory.

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The 28-year-old has a perfect record of eight wins and no losses, with six of those wins coming by submission.

The Wrexham-born fighter fights out of Blackledge MMA in Leigh, Wigan.

Brown, 25, moves to 13 wins and four losses following the bout.

US Open, round three leaderboard

Leader: -7 W Clark (US); -1 S Scheffler (US), S Theegala (US), T Kim (Kor), S Stevens (US)

Selected: Level X Schauffele (US); +1 T Fleetwood (Eng), C Morikawa (US), M Fitzpatrick (Eng); +2 A Fitzpatrick (Eng); +3 R McIlroy (NI), J Parry (Eng), A Rai (Eng); +4 J Rose (Eng), T Hatton (Eng); +7 R MacIntyre (Sco)

In a third round that saw challengers rise but ultimately fall away, Wyndham Clark stood firm to position himself as the overwhelming favourite to win a second US Open title.

Not only did the American fail to budge from the top of the pile, the 32-year-old extended his lead from four to six strokes as he looks to become the first wire-to-wire winner of the tournament since Martin Kaymer in 2014.

Clark delivered a masterclass in scrambling at Shinnecock Hills before signing for a level-par 70 that gives him a commanding advantage heading into Sunday’s final round.

Sahith Theegala, Tom Kim and Sam Stevens are among a quartet at one under but ominously for Clark, so too is Scottie Scheffler, who arguably represents the biggest danger to him repeating his triumph at the Los Angeles Country Club, in 2023.

A shot further back and all but out of contention are Americans Sam Burns and Xander Schauffele, while Collin Morikawa and England’s Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick are at one over.

But it is the presence of world number one Scheffler that will concern Clark the most, even if there has only been one occasion since the first Masters in 1934 that a six-shot lead has been overturned in the final round of a major championship – when Greg Norman faded and Nick Faldo claimed his third Masters title in 1996.

“I feel good. I have got more and more comfortable every time I have got in these positions,” said Clark.

“Scottie is the best player in the world, and he’s probably going to play really good. He always does, but it’s nice to have a six-shot lead on him.

“I’m just going to keep approaching it the same way. If I go through my process and hit the shots I know I can hit, I like my chances.”

A pivotal middleweight showdown takes center stage in the promotion’s return to the Sooner State

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American Wyndham Clark will take a six-shot lead into the final round of the US Open at Shinnecock Hills after an eagle and a series of up and downs on his back nine.

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NEW DELHI: Shubman Gill celebrated his first ODI series win as India’s captain after leading the team to a 3-0 clean sweep over Afghanistan. India completed the series whitewash with a dominant nine-wicket victory in the third ODI at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Saturday.The series win is a significant milestone for Gill, whose previous ODI assignments as captain against Australia and New Zealand had ended in defeats. Gill has also enjoyed an excellent run with the bat. After leading India to an innings-and-300-run victory over Afghanistan in the one-off Test, he followed it up by guiding the team to a 3-0 ODI series triumph.The 26-year-old finished as the highest run-scorer of the series with 238 runs in three matches at an average of 238.00 and a strike rate of 135.23. His tally included one century and one half-century.His performances earned him the Player of the Series award — the sixth such award of his ODI career.

Most Player of the Series awards for India in ODIs

Reflecting on the series, Gill was pleased with how India executed their plans.“A lot of the boxes are ticked. We spoke about keeping the intensity in the middle overs and some of the things that we also spoke about was how can we keep creating those opportunities in the middle overs as a bowling unit and as a batting unit, how can we keep pushing for the extra runs in the middle overs and I think a lot of those boxes were ticked.”India’s victory in Chennai was set up by Prasidh Krishna, who claimed his maiden ODI five-wicket haul with figures of 5/23, and Yashasvi Jaiswal, who scored an unbeaten 110.Gill praised Prasidh and fellow pacer Gurnoor Brar for their opening spell.“Definitely. I think the first spell bowled by Gurnoor (Brar) and Prasidh was outstanding. To see that kind of pace in those conditions was not easy. But I think they kept putting their effort and kept pushing. I mean, definitely you are tempted to give them that one extra over, but looking at the weather, I did ask them if they wanted to bowl that one extra over, but they were pretty exhausted.”India’s next challenge is a three-match ODI series in England from July 14 to 19. Gill believes the conditions there will provide useful preparation for the 2027 ODI World Cup. “Going to England, the conditions would be a little bit more similar to what we get in South Africa, not quite similar, but still close to that. So the kind of combination that we would be looking to play there, hopefully we have all the players fit and ready, it is going to be another great series for us.”

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Group F play continues on Sunday as Japan and Tunisia meet in a matchup of two teams looking to right different wrongs from Matchday 1. Japan twice rallied from a goal down to salvage a thrilling 2-2 draw against the Netherlands, while Tunisia was routed 5-1 by Sweden in a result that cost manager Sabri Lamouchi his job and brought in Herve Renard on short notice.

Kickoff is at 12 a.m. ET in Monterrey. The latest Japan vs. Tunisia odds from FanDuel Sportsbook list Japan at -230 (risk $230 to win $100) on the 90-minute money line, with Tunisia at +650 and a draw at +360. The over/under for total goals is 2.5. Before locking in any Japan vs. Tunisia picks or World Cup 2026 predictions, check out the Japan vs. Tunisia predictions from SportsLine’s Jon Eimer.

Eimer is a high-volume bettor who has vast knowledge of leagues and players across the globe. Since joining SportsLine, he has covered the English Premier League, Champions League, Serie A, the FA Cup, and much more. He’s been red-hot on his soccer betting picks in 2026, posting a 31-13-2 record and returning over $1,200 of profit on his Champions League picks. He also enters Saturday on a 19-9-2 run on World Cup picks, returning +460. Anyone wanting to follow his World Cup betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could see big returns.

Now, Eimer has studied Japan vs. Tunisia and just revealed his 2026 World Cup picks and betting predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are several World Cup odds and soccer betting lines for Japan vs. Tunisia:

Top Japan vs. Tunisia Coast predictions

After examining Tunisia vs. Japan from every angle, Eimer is going Over 2.5 total goals (+104). Eimer can’t say enough good things about Japan, calling them one of the teams he’s most excited to watch in this tournament and one he thinks will exceed expectations. Down a goal twice against the Netherlands, Japan answered both times, a response Eimer says “showed more fight and resilience in 45 minutes than we’ll see other teams play” anywhere else in this competition. He sees a roster full of attacking talent working together as well as any team in the field.

Tunisia, meanwhile, are a team in crisis, according to Eimer. The 5-1 loss to Sweden was historically bad, and the fallout off the pitch, including the non-mutual dismissal of Lamouchi, has left the squad trying to stabilize against the strongest team in the group. Eimer isn’t finding much to like on that side right now, and expects Japan to control this match and the Over to hit. See Eimer’s best bets for Japan vs. Tunisia at SportsLine, and you can bet the Over in Japan vs. Tunisia Coast at FanDuel here:

How to make Japan vs. Tunisia picks

After studying this matchup from every angle, Eimer has found some critical x-factors and locked in two other best bets that you absolutely need to see. You can head to SportsLine to see them.

So what are the best bets for Japan vs. Tunisia? Visit SportsLine now to see the best bets for Japan vs. Tunisia, all from expert on a 19-9 roll on WC picks, and find out.

Even on a Friday afternoon, the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage match between the United States and Australia brought in another impressive audience for Fox and Telemundo.

Fox revealed preliminary numbers on Saturday showing that the USMNT-Australia match averaged 14.781 million viewers, making it the most-watched Friday afternoon telecast on any network since the USMNT-England World Cup match on Black Friday in 2022 (15.38 million viewers).

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The USMNT’s 2-0 win over Australia made for the third-most-watched men’s World Cup group stage match. One of those matches was the USMNT’s first game of this World Cup vs. Paraguay, which averaged a record 18.037 million viewers (the preliminary number was 15.986 million).

Additionally, the USMNT-Australia telecast peaked at 19.169 million viewers (4:45 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET), which is even higher than the preliminary peak audience of 18.86 million reported for the USMNT-Paraguay match.

Japan and Tunisia set to contest landmark 1,000th match in FIFA World Cup history/ Image: FIFA

Nearly a century after the first World Cup games in Uruguay, Japan and Tunisia add their names to football history in landmark Monterrey clashWhen Japan and Tunisia walk onto the pitch at Monterrey Stadium on June 21, they will contest the 1,000th match in FIFA World Cup history, a landmark moment in a tournament that has spanned almost a century.From the inaugural World Cup in Uruguay in 1930 to Lionel Messi lifting the trophy in Qatar in 2022, the competition’s first 999 matches have produced some of the most memorable moments in sporting history. Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” goal, the theft of the Jules Rimet Trophy before the 1966 tournament, Zinedine Zidane’s infamous headbutt in his final professional match and countless other moments have all contributed to the World Cup’s enduring legacy.Now, Japan and Tunisia have been handed the unique distinction of contesting match number 1,000.The Group F fixture arrives at an important moment in both nations’ campaigns. Japan enter the match after a 2-2 draw against the Netherlands in Dallas, while Tunisia are looking to recover from a heavy 5-1 defeat against Sweden in Monterrey. Beyond the points at stake, however, the occasion itself has become one of the defining storylines of the tournament.

A milestone nearly 100 years in the making

The journey to match 1,000 began 96 years ago in Uruguay when the FIFA World Cup opened with two games played simultaneously.One of those contests saw the United States defeat Belgium 3-0, helping launch a tournament that has since grown from a 13-team competition into a global spectacle featuring 48 nations and audiences stretching across every continent.As the tournament expanded, landmark matches became part of its own historical timeline.Match number 200 took place during the 1966 World Cup final, where England secured the only World Cup title in the nation’s history. Match number 900 arrived at the 2018 World Cup final, where France defeated Croatia to claim their second world championship.Several previous milestones have shared the spotlight with another fixture. The first World Cup match, as well as matches numbered 300 and 500, occurred simultaneously with another game taking place at the same time.Match 1,000 stands apart from those occasions.Japan and Tunisia will occupy the stage alone in Monterrey, ensuring the milestone belongs exclusively to one fixture and one occasion.

FIFA creates special celebration for historic occasion

FIFA has chosen to mark the landmark event with a series of special tributes, most notably through the match officials selected to oversee the contest.Romanian referee István Kovács has been appointed to take charge of the match, assisted by compatriots Ferencz Tunyogi and Mihai Marica. Costa Rican officials Juan Calderón and Juan Carlos Mora will serve as fourth official and reserve assistant referee respectively.All four on-field officials will wear commemorative patches displaying the words “Match 1000”, while FIFA has also commissioned a unique adidas referee kit specifically for the occasion.The shirt features gold detailing, gold sleeve stripes and a special patch incorporating both the FIFA World Cup trophy and the number 1,000. The commemorative shirt was formally presented to Kovács in front of his fellow officials before the match and will also be worn by assistant referees Tunyogi and Marica at Monterrey Stadium.

Romanian referee István Kovács poses alongside assistant referees Ferencz Tunyogi and Mihai Marica, and fourth official Juan Calderón, with the special Match 1000 shirt/ FIFA

FIFA Chief Refereeing Officer and Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, Pierluigi Collina, explained the thinking behind the initiative.“We decided to create a special match kit to celebrate this match,” Collina said. “It’s a nice one with some golden details, stripes and a patch with the trophy and the number 1,000 on it.”Collina also addressed Kovács’ appointment to the landmark fixture, stressing that the selection was based on the same criteria used for every World Cup match.“We selected the referee that we think is the best referee for this match. And of course, by coincidence, he is also appointed for the 1,000th match. So, for him, it is something extra – something special on top. Refereeing a FIFA World Cup match is always a huge privilege, it’s a great honour,” said the Italian, who officiated the 2002 World Cup final between Brazil and Germany during an illustrious refereeing career.“Certainly, becoming part of the history of football – part of the history of the FIFA World Cup, being appointed to and being on the field of play to officiate the match number 1,000 is definitely something extra.”

Kovács takes centre stage on a historic night

For Kovács, the appointment represents another major milestone in a career that has established him among Europe’s most respected referees.The 41-year-old Romanian was part of the officiating team at FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, serving as fourth official across eight matches. Although he gained significant World Cup experience during that tournament, the Japan-Tunisia clash will be his first assignment as the main referee at a FIFA World Cup.His selection for such a significant occasion reflects the trust FIFA has placed in him after years of officiating at the highest levels of European football.Collina stressed that the appointment was based on merit rather than symbolism, but acknowledged the additional historical significance attached to the fixture.For Kovács, becoming the referee of match number 1,000 ensures his name will permanently occupy a place within World Cup history.

Players and dignitaries embrace the occasion

The significance of the milestone has not been lost on those directly involved, Tunisia captain Ellyes Skhiri reflected on the historical weight carried by the fixture and the generations of players who have contributed to the tournament’s story.“Being able to take part in the 1,000th (FIFA) World Cup match is truly symbolic,” Skhiri said. “It makes you appreciate all the history of this competition – the greatest matches, the greatest players who wrote the most incredible chapters in (FIFA) World Cup history.”Japan head coach Hajime Moriyasu also spoke about the honour of participating in such a landmark occasion.“It is such an honor to be able to play the 1000th game in World Cup history,” Moriyasu said. “We want to make sure that it is going to be a brilliant game which is going to be worthy of the 1000th game.”The occasion has also attracted several high-profile guests.Japanese Princess Takamado is scheduled to attend the match, while FIFA President Gianni Infantino is expected to be present in Monterrey as the World Cup reaches one of its most significant numerical milestones.As Japan and Tunisia prepare to add their own chapter to the tournament’s story, they will do so with the knowledge that their match sits alongside some of the most famous moments the sport has ever produced. Nearly a century after the first World Cup kicked off in Uruguay, the competition’s 1,000th match offers another reminder of how far football’s greatest tournament has travelled and how much history continues to be written every four years.