The 2018 champions top Group I as Norway coach benches star striker; Spain edge past Uruguay in heated encounter.

Ousmane Dembele produced a stunning 32-minute hat-trick as France thrashed Norway 4-1 at the Boston Stadium in Foxborough on Friday to top Group I and advance to the FIFA World Cup 2026 knockout stage.

The reigning Ballon d'Or winner struck in the seventh, 20th and 32nd minutes, stealing the spotlight in what was billed as a showdown between Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland. The Norwegian superstar, however, never made it onto the pitch.

Thelo Aasgaard pulled one back for Norway in the 21st minute, but France were unstoppable. Desire Doue added a fourth in added time to complete the rout.

Why Haaland Was Benched

Norway coach Stale Solbakken explained his decision to bench 10 first-team players, including Haaland and captain Martin Odegaard, following their 3-2 win over Senegal.

"This is simple. We did a summary after Senegal, and five or six players were very affected after 80 minutes of play. The entire defense and some midfielders were very affected," Solbakken said.

"We also know that from the Senegal game that Norway had the shortest window to play another match today. So, it was a no-brainer on my part and also from the physio and health and medical and from some players themselves," he added.

Spain Edge Past Uruguay, Cape Verde Make History

Spain secured qualification for the round of 32 after a 1-0 win over Uruguay at the Guadalajara Stadium in Mexico. Alex Baena's first-half goal — capitalising on a blunder by Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera — proved decisive.

The result knocked out the South American heavyweights. Cape Verde, meanwhile, secured a historic qualification after a goalless draw against Saudi Arabia in the other Group H match. With three points from three draws, Cape Verde will face defending champions Argentina in the knockout stage.

Williams Involved in Heated Exchange

Spain winger Nico Williams was involved in a heated argument with Uruguay players Nicolas de la Cruz and Agustin Canobbio after a rough tackle in the dying stages of the match. The 23-year-old was seen engaging in a tense exchange with de la Cruz before Canobbio intervened and pushed him away. The referee had to step in to separate the players.

After the match, Uruguay head coach Marcelo Bielsa lashed out at journalists, appearing to yell at a reporter.

Senegal Thrash 10-Man Iraq 5-0

Senegal kept their knockout hopes alive with a dominant 5-0 win over Iraq in the other Group I clash. Habib Diarra gave Senegal the lead in the fourth minute before Iraq were reduced to 10 men in the 13th after Rebin Sulaka was shown a red card.

Ismaila Sarr struck in the 56th minute before a Pape Gueye brace (59' and 71') and Iliman Ndiaye's goal completed the rout. Senegal eventually qualified for the round of 32.

Belgium Crush New Zealand 5-1

Belgium qualified with an emphatic 5-1 win over New Zealand in Group G at BC Place in Vancouver. Leandro Trossard struck a brace, while Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Saelemaekers also found the net.

Drama in Iran-Egypt Draw

Iran vs Egypt finished in a 1-1 draw, with drama in added time. Shoja Khalilzadeh scored what would have been a winner for Iran, securing qualification, but the goal was ruled out. Iran now must wait to know their fate.