00:00We now go with our special segment on the occasion of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
00:05Beyond the game, the ball stays pure. Go ahead, Liz. It's a pleasure to share the set with you.
00:10Good morning, Lauren. Good morning to our audience. We'll be speaking about yesterday's match.
00:14We had a very good and interesting match. A surprise.
00:16Kurosawa was able to hold a 0-0 draw against Ecuador, securing their first point ever in the history of
00:22the football team of that Caribbean nation.
00:25So a beautiful story that has been unfolded there. We'll have more after break.
00:44Welcome to Beyond the Game. The ball stays pure. Germany delivered a dramatic comeback to defeat.
00:50Cote d'Ivoire 2-1 in a post-sailing 2026 FIFA World Cup encounter.
00:54It was the African side who struck first, turning the Germans with a sharp counter-attack finished by Kessier.
00:59And forced Germany onto the back foot early on.
01:02But Germany, true to their tournament reputation, refused to panic.
01:06They slowly grew into the match, tightening possession and increasing pressure in midfield as the second half unfolded.
01:13The breakthrough came after sustained pressure, with Germany leveling the score through a clinical finish by Undaf that shifted momentum
01:19entirely.
01:20Decisive blow arrived late.
01:21Undaf scored a brace to complete the comeback with a well-worked team move, finishing off a match that had
01:27swung dramatically in intensity and emotion.
01:38And Ecuador and Curaçao played to a scoreless draw in their second Group E match.
01:43At Kansas City Stadium, Curaçao made history by earning its first ever World Cup point with a new-nil draw
01:48against Ecuador,
01:49who once again struggled to convert their chances after the finishing issues they showed in the opening match,
01:55leaving their hopes of advancing to the next round in serious doubt.
01:58After suffering a 7-1 defeat to Germany in their first game, Curaçao, the smallest nation ever to compete in
02:04a tournament with a population of just 156,000,
02:08delivered a gusty performance that frustrated South Americans and kept its World Cup dream alive.
02:14Curaçao goalkeeper Eloy Ruhm produced 15 saves, setting a new record for a 90-minute World Cup match,
02:20as his team withstood constant pressure before securing a result that ranks amongst the greatest achievements in the nation's sporting
02:26history.
02:37And the Netherlands and Sweden produced one of the most electrifying performances of the 2026 FIFA World Cup,
02:42ending at 5-1 for the Dutch, although it was more even than the final score suggests.
02:47The Dutch came flying out of the blocks.
02:49Ryan Roby rewarded coach Ronald Koeman's decision to start him up front, scoring twice inside the first 17 minutes.
02:59And putting Sweden on the back foot almost immediately, but Sweden refused to sit back.
03:04Despite conceding early, the Scandinavians created numerous chances of their own, forcing Dutch goalkeeper Bart Verkwurgen into several key saves.
03:13The second half belonged to Cody Gapko.
03:16The Liverpool forward struck twice in seven devastating minutes, exposing Sweden's defensive weaknesses and turning a competitive contest into a
03:24Dutch masterclass.
03:24Anthony Alanga briefly gave Sweden hope, with a well-taking goal in the 59th minute, but the Orange never looked
03:31trouble.
03:31Deep into stoppage time, Sir Crescensio Somerville added a fifth to complete the route and send Dutch supporters into celebration.
03:48And Japan cruised to a 4-0 victory over Tunisia and Monterey Stadium in their second Group F match.
03:54In the historic 1,000th match in FIFA World Cup history, Japan delivered a commanding performance controlling the game from
04:02start to finish.
04:03Daishi Kamara opened the score in the fourth minute before Ayase Ueda doubled the lead in the 31st.
04:08Hunya Ito added a third goal in the 69th minute, and Ueda completed his race in the 83rd to cap
04:15off an impressive display.
04:16With the victory, Hajime Moriyasu's side became the first Asian nation ever to score four goals in a single FIFA
04:22World Cup match.
04:23Japan also collected three crucial points, moving a step closer to the round of 32 and joining the Netherlands at
04:28the top of Group F.
04:30Tunisia, meanwhile, has been officially eliminated from the tournament.
04:42And ahead of the Spain vs Saudi Arabia game in over an hour, we go to our correspondent in Madrid
04:47to see how the nation is anticipating this encounter.
04:52Good evening, colleagues, and a warm welcome to the entire Telesuor audience from Madrid.
04:58There is tremendous anticipation surrounding this match between Spain and Saudi Arabia.
05:03Let's remember that this is Group H in Spain's second match of the tournament.
05:06La Roja come into this game after a zero draw against Kate Verde, a result that left supporters with a
05:12bitter taste.
05:13It is true that some of Spain's biggest stars, such as Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal, were unable to start
05:19the previous match.
05:20There is still uncertainty over the lineup that Luis de la Fuente will feel today.
05:25Expectations remain high that Lamine Yamal will see more playing time, although he is returning from an injury.
05:30It is possible that he will not start the match, or if he does start, he may not play the
05:35full game, as he is not yet at 100% fitness.
05:38In any case, anticipation is extremely high ahead of this encounter with Saudi Arabia.
05:43On paper, it would appear to be a straightforward match for Spain, but the same was said about Cape Verde,
05:48and that game ended in a goalless draw.
05:50Spain are lacking goals, something both the supporters and the coaching staff are well aware of.
05:56It will be interesting to see which attacking players are selected, and what tactical approach is taken to ensure they
06:02do not finish scoreless once again.
06:03At the moment, all four teams in Group H are level on one point, making this a hugely important match.
06:10Spain will be eager to finish top of the group to avoid facing Argentina in the round of 32, a
06:15challenge that would be extremely difficult for the Spanish national team.
06:18If Argentina continue performing at the level they have shown so far, they are expected to finish first in their
06:24group.
06:24Spain, therefore, need to top their own group to avoid crossing paths with the South American giants in the next
06:30round.
06:30That is why there is so much at stake against Saudi Arabia.
06:33They are far from an easy opponent, having already earned a draw in their previous match.
06:37And let's not forget that in 2022, Saudi Arabia stunned Argentina in the opening game by defeating the Alba Celeste.
06:44So, this is a match that demands caution and respect, and one that is set to get underway in just
06:49a few moments.
06:52And that's right, Spain will need more than just win.
06:55It will need to win well, because they need to convince their supporters and their teams after a disappointing first
07:01round.
07:01But well, like this, we have come to the end of this segment.
07:04We'll go back to you, Lore.
07:06Thank you so much, Luizzi, for keeping us posted on all the updates of the world of football.
07:11And with this special segment and this information, we have come to the end of this news brief.
07:16Remember, you can find this and many other stories on our website.
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