[Anchor]

It feels as though we have never rooted for other nations as desperately as we have during this World Cup. It is truly unfortunate that we find ourselves in a position where we must watch matches between other countries every day and calculate the possibilities. Following the results of the matches held consecutively today, June 27, the door to the Round of 32 has narrowed even further for us.

We begin with a report from Pyun Gwang-hyun in Guadalajara.

[Reporter]

The Group I match between Senegal and Iraq, which took place in the early hours of our time, began in a direction we did not want.

We needed a draw, a one-goal victory for Senegal, or a victory for Iraq by four goals or fewer. However, an early red card became a major variable.

In the 13th minute of the first half, with Senegal leading 1-0, Iraqi defender Rebin Sulaka was shown a red card. Senegal went on to dominate the match, securing a 5-0 victory.

Senegal, having earned their first win after two losses, now leads the third-place teams in goal difference, pushing us one step closer to the brink of elimination.

The only team that helped our cause today was Spain.

In the 42nd minute of the first half, Alex Baena scored the winning goal with a right-footed turning shot. Uruguay, which lost 1-0, finished with two draws and one loss, placing them third in their group and confirming their elimination.

Spain, the "Invincible Armada," showed the form of a championship contender by passing the group stage without conceding a goal, and thanks to them, our hopes remained alive.

However, the subsequent Group G match between Egypt and Iran did not go our way.

We needed a victory for Egypt, which scored the opening goal just five minutes into the match. But Iran equalized nine minutes later, and the game ended in a draw.

Iran, finishing with three draws, moved ahead of us in goal difference, causing us to drop another spot in the rankings.

Our national team now sits in 7th place among the nine third-place teams that have completed their matches. We are truly on the brink, left to watch the final matches of the remaining three groups tomorrow.

(Video coverage: Hwang In-seok, Video editing: Yoon Tae-ho, Design: Kim Han-gil)