Emily holds second as the first knockout ties take shape

Emily stays clear in second. Her Ivory Coast beat Pete’s Curaçao 2-0 and her Japan drew 1-1 with Nichola’s Sweden, while Pete’s Netherlands thumped Ella’s Tunisia 3-1 to climb into third. The day’s upset belonged to Ella, whose Ecuador beat Tega’s Germany 2-1 - a real dent to Tega, and a lift that drags Ella back into the pack.

It leaves the chasing group tightly bunched: Richard 33 out front and untouched, then Emily 24, Pete 20, and Tega, Nichola and Ella all level on 18, with Sophie 17 and Henry 16 just behind.

In play as this goes out: Richard’s Paraguay and Sophie’s Australia are goalless, while Henry’s Türkiye leads Ella’s USA 2-1. And with the group stage nearly done, the first Round-of-32 ties have been drawn - with a twist. Henry drew South Africa against Canada, and Emily drew Brazil against Japan - both all-their-own pairings, so each is guaranteed a team in the last 16, but each also knocks one of their own out. Pete’s Netherlands meets Tega’s Morocco, and Ella’s USA meets Nichola’s Bosnia.

Odds watch

The top of the market is steady: Richard ~3.65 (27%) still favourite on Argentina, with Ella firming to ~4.2 (24%) as the clear second on Spain’s title odds, and Nichola ~7.0 (France) third. Note the split again - Emily climbed to second on the table but her price eased to ~8.0, because group points are cheap under the new ladder and her contenders held rather than gained. Tega is the big drifter, out to ~39 after Ecuador knocked Germany out of the title picture. One to watch: the model is still drawing the bracket at random (only four ties are public so far), so once the full R32 lands on 28 June those all-their-own pairings - Emily’s Brazil-v-Japan especially - will start to cap a couple of portfolios in the odds.