Duke is sticking with two powerhouse picks as the knockout stage rolls on:

• USA over Belgium

• France over Morocco

It was perhaps not the most thrilling matchup it once was on paper prior to kickoff. However, it still produced fireworks for one side. Norway and France met in Boston Stadium to determine the winner of their group and who is in second place. Both teams will play in the knockout round.

Duke has made his latest Group Stage picks, and he’s feeling confident about these matchups: USA over Türkiye, England over Ghana, and France over Norway.

As I went to Gillette Stadium to see a practice match between France and Brazil, I came out of the match feeling like it was money well spent. The atmosphere was tense for a friendly and the fans made it feel like it was a life-or-death situation – even if this was a practice match for the World Cup.