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  1. See you later!published at 14:28 BST

    That's all from us for today. Thank you for your company.

    Here's a recap of some of today's top stories:

    Don't forget you can watch the Netherlands v Sweden and Curacao v Ecuador on BBC One and iPlayer, as well as listen to commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live and follow live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app.

    We'll be back tomorrow morning with all the reaction to those games.

    Have a great Saturday and see you soon!

  2. Japan fight back twice to earn point last time outpublished at 14:25 BST

    Tunisia v Japan (05:00 BST)

    Japan have been labelled as World Cup dark horses, showing their quality by rising to 18th in the Fifa rankings with a record that includes a friendly win over England at Wembley in March.

    And in an entertaining opening 2-2 draw with the Netherlands, they showed all the qualities to suggest they can make a big impact in the tournament.

    Japan fell behind twice, but were never once out of contention as they demonstrated resilience, spirit and a relentless approach to earn what could prove to be a vital point.

    Media caption,

    Japan come from behind to draw against Netherlands

  3. Tunisia aim for fresh start with new managerpublished at 14:21 BST

    Tunisia v Japan (05:00 BST)

    Tunisia made history for all the wrong reasons in their World Cup opener against Sweden.

    Head coach Sabri Lamouchi was sacked after Sweden inflicted a 5-1 loss on Tunisia in Sunday's Group F tie at the Estadio Monterrey in Guadalupe, Mexico

    The departure meant he was the first manager in World Cup history to be sacked after just one game.

    Tunisia were thumped 5-1 by Sweden, and a new manager was appointed in the hopes of getting their tournament back on track.

    Former Morocco and Saudi Arabia manager Herve Renard has been appointed head coach of the side until the end of the tournament.

    Can Tunisia get their tournament back on track or will "dark horses" Japan serve them another thrashing?

    Media caption,

    Gyokeres & Isak score as Sweden put five past Tunisia

  4. Tunisia v Japan marks 1,000th World Cup matchpublished at 14:18 BST

    Tunisia v Japan (05:00 BST)

    Japan and Tunisia will meet in Group F at the Monterry Stadium on Saturday in the 1,000th ​World Cup match.

    To mark such a special occasion, the team of officials will wear a referee's kit trimmed with gold and a gold badge with the number 1,000 on it.

    Take a look at the bespoke kit here, external.

  5. Ecuador will hope to be more clinicalpublished at 14:14 BST

    Ecuador v Curacao (01:00 BST)

    Ecuador could not find a breakthrough against Ivory Coast in their World Cup opener as John Yeboah and Alan Minda struck the bar.

    Veteran striker Enner Valencia then hit the post from a tight angle in the second half for the South American side.

    It was an even game, though Ecuador did not have a shot on target until the 68th minute when Gonzalo Plata forced Ivorian keeper Yahia Fofana into a save.

    It looked like Ecuador, who had previously kept 12 clean sheets in 19 games under manager Sebastian Beccacece, had done enough to stifle Ivory Coast's attack including star man Yan Diomande until Amad found the winner.

    Will Ecuador be able to find the net against Curacao?

    graph
  6. A 7-1 defeat but Curacao fans just happy to be therepublished at 14:10 BST

    Ecuador v Curacao (01:00 BST)

    Curacao fell 7–1 to Germany in their opener, but fans of the Blue Wave weren't disheartend by the result.

    Germany were stunned by a historic leveller from the smallest nation ever, by size and population, to take part in a World Cup.

    With around 155,000 inhabitants, the Caribbean island of just 171 square miles is smaller than the Isle of Man with a population the same as Huddersfield.

    Zurich midfielder Livano Comenencia wrote his name in Curacao folklore on 21 minutes with a left-footed drive to score his country's first goal at a World Cup.

    Media caption,

    Curacao celebrate history with fans

    Media caption,

    Comenencia scores Curacao's first-ever World Cup goal

  7. 'Everything I do is for you' - how tragedy is driving Diomandepublished at 14:04 BST

    Germany v Ivory Coast (21:00 BST)

    Daniel Austin
    BBC Sport

    icImage source, Getty Images

    When Ivory Coast's teenage sensation Yan Diomande lines up on the wing against Germany, he will be the subject of huge attention from millions around the world.

    Just how good is he? Can he put on a show against one of the best teams in the competition? How would his speed and dribbling translate to the Premier League?

    But Diomande's own focus will be on one thing - making his little sister Roxanne proud. She died a year ago, aged 15, after her drink was spiked.

    "Everything I do on a football pitch, it's for you," the 19-year-old wrote in a heartfelt and searingly honest letter published by The Players' Tribune.

    Diomande - who scored 12 goals for RB Leipzig in his debut season in the Bundesliga last year - outlined how much his sister's belief in his ability as a footballer has underpinned his career so far.

    "I don't even look at it like a game," he wrote. "I look at it like a stage. This is my chance to show the whole world what you saw in me.

    "Every time I score, I'll make sure everybody knows your name. I'll make sure they don't forget you."

    Diomande continued: "Now, I don't feel anything. It's like I'm not even human. Since you died, I'm just blank.

    "I don't try to forget, because I know I won't forget. All I can do is use the pain to work harder, and to do everything we dreamed about."

    Read more here

  8. Amad shows his best for his countrypublished at 13:59 BST

    Germany v Ivory Coast (21:00 BST)

    AmadImage source, Getty Images

    It was a difficult second half of the season for Amad at Old Trafford but he has found form for his country on the biggest stage.

    The Manchester United winger appeared to be suffering a hangover from the Africa Cup of Nations where he scored three goals in December and January for Ivory Coast.

    But his last goal for his club came before that in December in a 4-4 Premier League draw with Bournemouth despite Michael Carrick's side rising up the table and finishing third to qualify for the Champions League.

    Yet since joining up with his country again he is back to his goalscoring ways as this winner followed getting the decider in a 2-1 victory in their final warm-up game against back-to-back World Cup finalists France earlier this month.

    With a lot of focus on the highly-coveted Diomande, it was Amad who broke the deadlock on a huge night for his country after coming off the bench in the 1-0 win over Ecuador.

    "We came here to make history," said Amad. "We still have two more matches ahead of us, and we need to approach them with the same mentality and try to win them."

  9. Postpublished at 13:56 BST

    Germany v Ivory Coast (21:00 BST)

    For Ivory Coast, another win will secure them a place in the knockout stages for the first time in their history, while a draw is almost certain to be enough to reach the last 32 too.

  10. Can Ivory Coast cause an upset?published at 13:53 BST

    Germany v Ivory Coast (21:00 BST)

    Ivory CoastImage source, Getty

    Back at a World Cup for the first time in 12 years, an exciting-looking Ivory Coast squad are tipped to be dark horses, and started their campaign with a 1-0 win over Ecuador.

    They possess some of the most coveted talents in Europe, headlined by thrilling winger Yan Diomande and Manchester United's Amad Diallo.

    Their tally of 15 different scorers in qualifying was the highest of any African side, while 13 of the squad tasted glory at Afcon in 2023.

    Could be an upset on the cards tonight?

  11. Germany's biggest World Cup winpublished at 13:49 BST

    Germany v Ivory Coast (21:00 BST)

    GermanyImage source, Getty

    Despite Germany's emphatic 7-1 win over Curacao, it actually wasn't their biggest win at a World Cup.

    You'll have to turn back the clocks 24 years to the 2002 World Cup when they cruised to an 8-0 victory over Saudi Arabia in their opening match.

    Miroslav Klose scored three headers, and Michael Ballack also got his name on the scoresheet, setting the tone for their impressive individual campaigns and laying the foundations for the team’s run to the final.

  12. World Cup powerhousepublished at 13:46 BST

    Germany v Ivory Coast (21:00 BST)

    Germany lift World CupImage source, Getty Images

    For Germany, 1954, 1974, 1990 and 2014 bring back incredible memories.

    Germany have been crowned world champions four times - only the five of Brazil is better. It is safe to say they are real World Cup powerhouses.

    But after failing to make it out of the groups in 2018 and 2022, the Germans may feel they have something to prove.

    Thumping Curacao is great start, but the Germans will want to go up another gear to gain glory once again.

  13. Germany look to get past group stage for first time since 2014published at 13:42 BST

    Germany v Ivory Coast (21:00 BST)

    GermanyImage source, Getty Images

    Ultimately, it was a Japanese cross, kept in play by millimetres before being bundled into the Spanish net, that caused Germany's group-stage exit from Qatar 2022.

    The thickness of a thermally-bonded polyurethane panel – the difference between going on, and going home.

    But even the most die-hard fan of Die Mannschaft would accept there were more macro factors at play to explain Germany's second World Cup failure in a row.

    Some commentators said their traditional values, centred around physicality, were outdated, and that the coaching system should instead promote freedom of expression.

    In defence of tradition, Germany legend Bastian Schweinsteiger blamed former Bayern coach Pep Guardiola for importing "short-pass" football into the Bundesliga, which spread contagiously, wiping out those traditional values.

    It's doubtful any of the old guard, who triumphed through mental fortitude and reliability, would ever have imagined a German World Cup campaign unravelling in chaos as the goalkeeper lost possession while dribbling around the edge of the opposition box, as Manuel Neuer did in 2018.

    Germany's victory against Curacao matched their 7-1 semi-final success over Brazil in 2014 - the last time they lifted the trophy - and took them past the Selecao as the World Cup's leading scorers with 239 goals.

    A win over Ivory Coast will gurantee a spot in the round of 32- so can they finally get past the group stage for the first time in 12 years?

  14. Winning startspublished at 13:37 BST

    Germany v Ivory Coast (21:00 BST)

    Both sides made a winning start to their Group E campaign, in very different ways.

    Germany overcame an early scare against Curacao to romp to a 7-1 win.

    Ivory Coast eventually pipped Ecuador 1-0 with a last-gasp goal, after the South Americans had hit the woodwork three times.

    Media caption,

    Havertz scores twice as Germany thrash Curacao

    Media caption,

    Amad scores late winner as Ivory Coast beat Ecuador

  15. How does Group E look?published at 13:33 BST

    Germany play Ivory Coast in the second of today's World Cup offerings.

    They are level on points going into the second round of the group stage, however, Germany are top of Group E on goal difference after thumping Curacao 7-1 last Sunday.

    Graph
  16. Can Netherlands get first win and push for World Cup glory?published at 13:27 BST

    Netherlands v Sweden (18:00 BST)

    NetherlandsImage source, Getty Images

    When Paul the Octopus predicted all of Germany's results correctly at the 2010 World Cup, he was hailed by the world as an oracle.

    But German economist Joachim Klement has trumped Paul with a complex forecast model which has kept a 100% record of predicting the World Cup winner since 2014.

    The Netherlands would become the fourth of four predicted winners to fulfil Klement's statistical prophecy if they lift the trophy in July.

    However, this prediction was made before the Netherlands lost their winning positions twice and drew 2-2 with Japan in Group E.

    After his first prediction came true when his native Germany won the 2014 World Cup, Klement imagined running the numbers again in 2018 would expose it as a fluke.

    But he predicted correctly with France in 2018 - then again with Argentina in 2022.

    "50% is luck," he adds.

    "Every match - especially when you have these high-quality teams playing against each other that are very similar in skills and quality - it really depends on the form of the day, a ref call, a piece of luck in the sense of hitting the post versus the ball going in.

    "Things like that are completely unpredictable."

    Do you think Klement's prediction will come true?

  17. Postpublished at 13:22 BST

    Netherlands v Sweden (18:00 BST)

    Speaking of Premier League goalscorers, we saw a first glimpse of the exciting partnership of Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres in Sweden's demolition of Tunisia.

    Viktor Gyokeres of SwedenImage source, Getty Images

    And Brighton midfielder Yasin Ayari scored this absolute rocket ...

    Media caption,

    'Thunderbolt!' - Brighton's Ayari scores stunner for Sweden

  18. Postpublished at 13:16 BST

    Netherlands v Sweden (18:000 BST)

    The Netherlands team boasts many household names with a good chunk of their players featuring in the Premier League.

    And it was Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk and West Ham United forward Crysencio Summerville who scored in the their opening game against Japan [that ended in 2-2 draw] last week.

    Re-watch their goals below ...

    Media caption,

    'Big goal from big player!' - van Dijk scores for the Netherlands

    Media caption,

    Summerville scores 'sizzler' as Netherlands retake lead

  19. Can subs make an impact for Sweden again?published at 13:11 BST

    Netherlands v Sweden (18:00 BST)

    Mattias Svanberg of Sweden celebrates after scoring his team's fourth goalImage source, Getty Images

    Mattias Svanberg scored just 18 seconds after coming on against Tunisia.

    It was the second fastest goal by a substitute at a World Cup since 1966, behind only Richard Morales' 16 seconds for Uruguay, against Senegal, in 2002.

  20. From last-chance saloon to World Cup redemption for Potterpublished at 13:07 BST

    Netherlands v Sweden (18:00 BST)

    Chris McKenna
    BBC Sport

    PotterImage source, Getty Images

    When Graham Potter strode out to Sweden training donning a Stetson, it was a bit of fun to get into the World Cup mood as they prepared for the tournament in Texas.

    Some might have quipped that the cowboy hat was fitting for a manager who was maybe drinking in last-chance saloon following back-to-back sackings in his previous jobs lasting a combined 15 months.

    But at Estadio Monterrey in Mexico, Potter's side showed they mean business in this competition as a ruthless Sweden side stuck five past Tunisia.

    For a manager who was dismissed by West Ham in September after failing at Chelsea before that, few would have expected him to be steering a nation to a winning start in the World Cup this summer.

    "You never know, that's the truth," said Potter after the 5-1 win. "You never know how things are going to go. We were optimistic because we felt confident in the work.

    "But until the game is played you don't know for sure. That's the beauty of sport. We are delighted with how we performed tonight and it's a great start for us."

    The five goals they scored against Tunisia was more than the four they scored in the entire group stage of their qualifying campaign - largely overseen by Potter's predecessor Jon Dahl Tomasson.

    Can Sweden get another win and secure their spot in the round of 32?