World Cup July 1-2: England Set Up Mexico Blockbuster, USA Survive, Ronaldo Beats Modrić Again

July 1-2 answered the question everyone was asking: can the co-hosts survive? Can England stop boring the world? And is this really the last dance for Ronaldo and Modrić?

Yes. Sort of. And probably.

July 1 - Atlanta, Seattle, Santa Clara

England 2-0 DR Congo - Kane books the Azteca

Thomas Tuchel’s side labored for an hour - then found the gears.

Min	Scorer
62’	Jude Bellingham
78’	Harry Kane

DR Congo were fearless. Yoane Wissa chased every channel. Aaron Wan-Bissaka flew up the right. For 62 minutes, England had the same problem they showed against Ghana - lots of possession, not enough cutting edge.

Then Bellingham broke the dam with a composed finish - his first World Cup knockout goal at 22. Kane sealed it with a typical poacher’s strike, his 12th at World Cups, extending his England record.

Mexico await at Estadio Azteca on July 5. Co-host vs European heavyweight. 100,000 fans. Altitude. The tie of the tournament is officially on the calendar.

Belgium 2-1 Senegal - Lukaku finally roars

In Seattle, Romelu Lukaku scored twice as Belgium edged Senegal 2-1.

Min	Scorer
34’	Romelu Lukaku
58’	Sadio Mané (pen)
71’	Romelu Lukaku

Mané converted from the spot to level the affair - Senegal’s experience showing. But Lukaku - invisible for much of the group stage - headed in the winner from a Kevin De Bruyne cross.

Belgium were criticized for sleepwalking through the groups. They woke up when it mattered.

USA 3-1 Bosnia - Pulisic saves the home World Cup

Levi’s Stadium held its breath for 90 minutes. Then exploded.

Min	Scorer
23’	Christian Pulisic
44’	Gio Reyna
67’	Edin Dzeko
82’	Folarin Balogun

Pulisic - back from a calf scare - opened the scoring with a driven finish. Reyna curled in a beauty before half-time. Bosnia pulled one back through legend Dzeko - because of course they did.

Balogun killed the comeback late. USA are into the round of 16 on home soil. The dream stays alive.

Winner faces Belgium in Seattle on July 6.

July 2 - Inglewood, Toronto, Vancouver

Spain 3-1 Austria - Yamal announces himself again

Lamine Yamal scored twice as Spain beat Austria 3-1 at SoFi Stadium.

Min	Scorer
19’	Lamine Yamal
41’	Sasa Kalajdzic
63’	Lamine Yamal
88’	Ferran Torres

Kalajdzic - hero of the 96th-minute equalizer against Algeria in the groups - struck again. Spain did not panic. Yamal won the game with a second-half brace. Torres added gloss.

Portugal or Croatia next in Arlington.

Portugal 2-1 Croatia - Ronaldo outlasts Modrić

The reunion everyone wanted. The ending nobody wanted - unless you wear red.

Min	Scorer
31’	Cristiano Ronaldo
55’	Andrej Kramaric
79’	Bruno Fernandes

Toronto watched two Real Madrid legends trade blows one more time. Ronaldo - goal six at his sixth World Cup - opened the scoring. Kramaric leveled. Modrić, 40, probed and passed and nearly turned back time.

Bruno Fernandes won it with a low shot from the edge of the box. Croatia’s golden generation may be done. Portugal march on.

If this was Ronaldo and Modrić’s last World Cup dance together, it ended with a handshake and a Portuguese victory.

Switzerland 2-1 Algeria - Mahrez denied again

Vancouver saw Switzerland edge Algeria 2-1 in a grudge match that lived up to the hype.

Min	Scorer
28’	Breel Embolo
52’	Riyad Mahrez
74’	Granit Xhaka

Mahrez - who destroyed Austria in a 3-3 thriller in the groups - equalized from the spot. Xhaka drove in the winner from distance. Algeria’s wild ride is over.

The bracket after four knockout days

Giants gone: Germany, Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Croatia, Algeria.

Giants alive: France, Brazil, Argentina, England, USA, Mexico, Spain, Portugal.

July 4-6 brings France vs Paraguay, Canada vs Morocco, England vs Mexico, and USA vs Belgium.

The World Cup is no longer a group-stage carnival. It is a knife fight.

And everyone is bleeding.