AP World Cup Digest

Highlights of AP World Cup coverage. An up-to-the minute listing of all stories planned, including games, is available in Coverage Plan on AP Newsroom, https://newsroom.ap.org/coverageplan. You can also find a link to Coverage Plan on the left navigation of the Newsroom home page, https://newsroom.ap.org. Sports content can be found at http://newsroom.ap.org/page/APSports.

SOC—WCUP-BRAZIL-SERBIA

DOHA, Qatar - Tournament favorite Brazil starts its World Cup campaign against Serbia. By Tales Azzoni. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos, game starts at 1900 GMT.

SOC—WCUP-PORTUGAL-GHANA

DOHA, Qatar - Cristiano Ronaldo makes his entrance to the World Cup when he captains Portugal in its Group H match against Ghana. By Steve Douglas. UPCOMING: 750 words, photos, game starts at 1600 GMT.

SOC—WCUP-SWITZERLAND-CAMEROON

AL WAKRAH, Qatar - Breel Embolo’s goal has lifted Switzerland to a 1-0 win over Cameroon at the World Cup. He kept his promise not to celebrate scoring against the country where he was born. The Swiss forward from Yaounde struck with a right-foot shot in the 48th minute Thursday. He was standing all alone eight meters (yards) out in the middle of the goalmouth to take Xherdan Shaqiri’s low pass. Embolo raised his hands in a gesture of apology as teammates rushed to him near the penalty spot. The 25-year-old forward left Cameroon with his family when he was five. By Graham Dunbar. SENT: 300 words, photos.

SOC—WCUP-URUGUAY-SOUTH KOREA

AL RAYYAN, Qatar - Luis Suarez and Uruguay play South Korea in a first-round match of Group H in the World Cup. By Stephen Wade. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos, game starts at 1300 GMT.

SOC—WCUP-QATAR-NEW CITY

LUSAIL, Qatar - Lusail City is oddly quiet for a city set to host the World Cup final in less than a month. The sleek district 20 kilometers (12 miles) north of Doha was built to accommodate World Cup fans and hundreds of thousands of host nation Qatar’s residents. It is home to the golden, bowl-shaped stadium where the World Cup’s final match takes place, but its empty streets are raising questions about how much use it will get once more than a million soccer fans leave the small Gulf Arab nation after the tournament. By Suman Naishadham. SENT: 670 words, photos.

ML—WCUP-QATAR-ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS

DOHA, Qatar - The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has become the latest political flash point at the first World Cup in the Arab world — never mind that neither Israeli or Palestinian national teams are competing in the tournament. Thousands of Israeli soccer fans are expected to descend on Doha for the World Cup, even though Israel has no diplomatic ties with Qatar. Israelis have made themselves at home in Doha with an informal consular presence and studio for the Israeli national public broadcaster. Palestinians from the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Hamas-ruled Gaza have taken a different route, flying from Jordan and Egypt, respectively. Some hope to make a political statement at the world’s biggest sporting event. By Isabel DeBre. SENT: 1,000 words, photos.

SOC—WCUP-SPAIN-TIKI-TAKA RETURNS

DOHA, Qatar -- Spain had one of those performances to please the king. Literally. King Felipe VI was among those congratulating Spain in Qatar after its 7-0 rout of Costa Rica in the World Cup opener as “La Roja” reintroduced the “tiki-taka” and put on a masterclass of ball possession and efficient attacking. By Tales Azzoni. SENT: 650 words, photos.

SOC—WCUP-MEXICO-AGELESS OCHOA

With a post-game hug, Robert Lewandowski paid respect where it was due. Guillermo Ochoa had done it again at the World Cup. Mexico’s goalkeeper stopped Lewandowski, one of the game’s steadiest strikers, on a second-half penalty kick that preserved a scoreless draw between El Tri and Poland at the World Cup. By Anne M. Peterson. SENT: 549 words, photos.

SOC—WCUP-VIEWER'S GUIDE

DOHA, Qatar --The United States tries to come back from its opening World Cup match draw on Friday against England, which opened the tournament with a lopsided 6-2 win over Iran. Host Qatar looks to recover from its opening game loss. By AP National Writer Jenna Fryer. UPCOMING: 800 words by 1700 GMT, photos.

SOC-WCUP-ENGLAND-USA PREVIEW

DOHA, Qatar - England scored six goals in its opening World Cup game against Iran, but it was the two it conceded that concern coach Gareth Southgate and provide hope for the United States. The tournament has already produced some shocking results, including Saudi Arabia’s win against Argentina and Japan’s upset over Germany. A win for the U.S. over England would not be on the scale of Saudi Arabia’s win, but Gregg Berhalter’s team is undoubtedly the underdog against one of the tournament favorites. By James Robson. SENT: 500 words, photos.

SOC—WCUP-WALES-IRAN PREVIEW

DOHA, Qatar - With goalkeeper Ali Beiranvand likely sidelined after a scary injury in Iran’s World Cup opener, backup Hossein Hosseini has a tall task against Wales and star Gareth Bale. Iran, in last place in Group B after a 6-2 loss to England, faces Wales on Friday at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium. Hosseini has already faced a daunting opponent in Qatar, taking over when Beiranvand was stretchered off in the first half of the tournament-opening loss on Monday before England had opened the scoring. Iran head coach Carlos Quieroz was pragmatic following the rout. He says the defeat was a learning experience for his team. By Anne M. Peterson. SENT: 500 words, photos.

SOC-WCUP-QATAR-SENEGAL PREVIEW

DOHA, Qatar - There’s a good chance the World Cup will go from bad to worse for the Qatar team if the players don’t conquer their nerves when they face African champion Senegal in their second group match. The Qataris are already the first hosts to lose the opening game of a World Cup after they were overwhelmed by their nation’s biggest sporting occasion in a 2-0 Group A defeat to Ecuador on Sunday. That puts them in danger of also being only the second host after South Africa in 2010 to be eliminated in the group stage. Qatar coach Felix Sanchez says he hopes his team will be under less pressure against Senegal on Friday. By Gerald Imray. SENT: 472 words, photos.

SOC—WCUP-NETHERLANDS-ECUADOR PREVIEW

DOHA, Qatar - The contest between Ecuador striker Enner Valencia and Netherlands forward Memphis Depay could decide who wins their match at the World Cup on Friday. The two forwards with different styles are equally important to their sides. A win for either team would move it onto six points and in command of Group A. Valencia scored both of his side’s goals in the first half when it beat tournament host Qatar 2-0 in the opening game. Although he came off after taking a knock, coach Gustavo Alfaro says “Enner will play against the Netherlands.” Depay sparked life into the Dutch attack after coming on as a substitute against Senegal and hopes to start and add to his 42 international goals. By Jerome Pugmire. SENT: 525 words, photos.

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