Morocco have one foot in the next round as they prepare to face Haiti while Cape Verde's remarkable campaign continues with a historic progression still within reach after drawing with Uruguay. Côte d'Ivoire meanwhile can take encouragement from a positive showing against Germany despite defeat.
A handful of sides still have a lot of work to do though with Tunisia, Algeria and DR Congo in particular needing a win to have any chance of qualifying, most likely as a third place side.
But which players stood out on matchday two and how did they boost their side’s hopes of reaching the knockout stages?
Ismael Saibari - Morocco
Shining in their opener against Brazil in a 1-1 draw as he broke the deadlock with a superbly-executed chipped strike from the distance, the forward is a man in confidence and that showed as they edged past Scotland to secure a 1-0 win.
His standout campaign with PSV last season where he netted 15 goals and registered eight assists has clearly carried forward into the FIFA World Cup and netted the only goal of the game with a ruthless finish into the top corner just 72 seconds in.
Ismael Saibari has played a crucial role in Mohamed Ouahbi’s more attacking style of play and the Bayern Munich-bound man has been centred around that, serving as a focal point who can also drop into the midfield which was evident against the Tartan Army.
Deservedly picking up the Superior Player of the Match award, the 25-year-old will play an influential role if they are to replicate the success of the previous tournament where they reached the semi-finals.
Yan Diamonde - Côte d'Ivoire
Despite remaining relatively unknown to many following his breakout campaign at RB Leipzig, Yan Diamonde has continued to thrive for Côte d'Ivoire and once again showcased his quality even in defeat against Germany.
The 19-year-old’s extraordinary rise from the streets of Abidjan to the world’s biggest stage has been one of the stories of the tournament so far, prompting the interest of Europe’s elite including Liverpool and PSG.
It was a slow start to the game for Diamonde who had a handful of misplaced passes and touches but he grew into the game and had Joshua Kimmich on edge throughout. He played a crucial role in breaking the deadlock as he navigated past the German captain with blistering pace before drilling the ball across the box, resulting in Franck Kessie poking home.
The sought-after wideman has certainly made a lasting impression on this World Cup so far and a meeting with Curacao provides him with a perfect opportunity to get off the mark.
Kevin Pina - Cape Verde
One of the stories of this year’s iteration thus far, Cape Verde’s togetherness and unity has been central to their early success and they really could do the unthinkable and reach the knockout stages.
Kevin Pina was the man who wrote his name in the history books by netting the Blue Sharks’ first-ever goal in a World Cup, unleashing a thunderous free-kick into the corner which sparked delirious scenes among the Cape Verde faithful in Miami.
The defensive midfielder was the heartbeat of Cape Verde’s midfield in their well-earned point and while his superb strike will grab the headlines, the Krasnodar man was equally instrumental at the other end of the pitch by repeatedly sniffing out danger.
A favourable clash with Saudi Arabia awaits and Pina’s performance in the middle of the park and his ability to dictate play will massively aid their chances of progressing.
Ibrahim Maza - Algeria
A key example of how an impressive World Cup campaign can provoke interest from elsewhere, Ibrahim Maza shone in Algeria’s convincing 2-1 victory over Jordan and certainly lived up to his tag as ‘Mazadona.’
The Bayer Leverkusen playmaker is viewed as Riyad Mahrez’s successor and it’s clear to see why: his incredible dribbling ability allowed him to control Jordan’s two-man midfield who simply couldn’t handle his sharp movement on the ball.
Having the most touches in the opposition's box with six, as well as an 80% pass accuracy, underlines his influence on the game and demonstrates how effective his ability to create openings is for Les Fennecs.
The 20-year-old deservedly secured the Player of the Match award and will play a defining role in their final group stage match against Austria.
