Sports

Spain’s ghosts of recent World Cup horror shows reappeared in Atlanta as the European champions were held 0-0 by debutants Cabo Verde in their opening game on Monday.

Iran twice battled back for a 2-2 draw with New Zealand on Monday in their frenetic opening match of a World Cup campaign that has been utterly overshadowed by war, politics and protests.

Belgium and Egypt drew 1-1 in their World Cup opener on Monday after a second-half Belgian equalizer spoiled Mohamed Salah’s 34th birthday.

The United States and Iran agreed a peace deal and an “immediate and permanent” end to military operations on all fronts including Lebanon, mediator Pakistan said, in the strongest sign yet that more than three months of war in Middle East is drawing to a close.

Japan scored an 88th-minute equaliser as they twice fought back to rescue a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands in front of 69,285 in Texas on Sunday to open their World Cup campaigns.

Germany won their first opening match at a World Cup since lifting the trophy in 2014 as they eased to a 7-1 win against debutants Curacao in their opening Group E match in Houston on Sunday.

Co-hosts Canada grabbed a second-half equaliser to draw 1-1 with Bosnia and Herzegovina on Friday in the first World Cup finals game ever played on Canadian soil.

The United States begin their World Cup challenge on Friday, taking on a savvy Paraguay side in a high-stakes match in Los Angeles.