Come for the politics, stay for the snark.
WATCH: From @reuterspictures: Striking pictures from the #FIFAWorldCup ⚽ pic.twitter.com/qehWER0M9i
— Reuters (@Reuters) December 2, 2022
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Cameroon vs Brazil
FIFA World Cup 2022: The last group stage match of the FIFA World Cup 2022 will be between Cameroon and Brazil, at the Lusail Stadium on Friday#CAMvsBRA #FIFAWorldCuphttps://t.co/WkIOdKqdQQ
— NDTV Sports (@Sports_NDTV) December 2, 2022
SportsMole:
Cameroon are faced with the difficult prospect of needing to beat Brazil at the Lusail Iconic Stadium to progress to the knockout stages of the World Cup on Friday.
Having picked up just one point from their first two games, the Indomitable Lions must win and hope for either a draw, or for Serbia to beat Switzerland by a one-goal margin in the other game in Group G, while Selecao only need a point to finish top.
Cameroon kicked off the group stage with a 1-0 defeat to Switzerland, with Breel Embolo scoring the only goal of the game against the country of his birth, in the eighth straight World Cup defeat for the African side.
The Indomitable Lions did create chances, registering as many shots on target as their opponents, but they came up just short, meaning they had to get at least a point in their second match, against Serbia.
Despite at one point looking like they were heading for an early exit from the tournament, Rigobert Song’s side fought back from a 3-1 deficit to tie the game up at 3-3, after Jean-Charles Castelletto had initially opened the scoring…
As expected, Brazil have booked their place in the round of 16, winning their first two games at the World Cup for the first time since 2010, in which they reached the quarter-final.
Selecao are yet to concede a goal in the tournament, kicking off with a 2-0 victory against Serbia, in which Tottenham Hotspur striker Richarlison bagged a second-half brace to wrap up the three points…
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Serbia vs Switzerland
World Cup 2022: Serbia vs. Switzerland head-to-head record pic.twitter.com/r7XlRnV4sf
— Premier League Live (@eplstreams4k) December 1, 2022
SportsMole:
Serbia face Switzerland at Stadium 974 in their final Group G game on Friday, with the Eagles knowing that they need to win to stand any chance of progressing to the knockout stages.
A point is likely to be enough for second-placed Nati, as long as Cameroon fail to beat Brazil in the other remaining game in the group.
Serbia still have a fighting chance of progressing to the knockout stages, but they will be disappointed not to be in a better position heading into the final game.
In the opener, the Eagles fell to an expected defeat against Brazil, managing to hold the star-studded side off for quite some time, but a second-half Richarlison brace ensured that they took nothing from the match…
Switzerland are in a very good position to progress to the knockout stages, courtesy of a 1-0 victory against Cameroon in their first game in Group G…
Casemiro struck late to deny Murat Yakin’s side an important point, but they are still in a very strong position at present, only needing to avoid defeat, unless Cameroon beat Brazil.
However, Ecuador were in the same position as Switzerland on Tuesday, as they only needed to avoid a defeat against Senegal to secure progression, which should serve as a reminder to Yakin’s players that there is still work to be done.
For many foreign fans, the road to the World Cup in Doha starts every morning in the faraway, dust-blown tent village in Al Khor, where there are no locks on tents nor beer on tap. https://t.co/jfxpQ9dxW4 pic.twitter.com/VyTOaunkKO
— The Associated Press (@AP) November 28, 2022
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South Korea vs Portugal
S Korea is playing Portugal today. Here’s a clip from South Korea vs Portugal at the 2002 #WORLDCUP :) pic.twitter.com/KvdpbQmxFU
— Juwon Park (@juwonreports) December 2, 2022
SportsMole:
Already-qualified Portugal will be bidding to secure top spot in Group H when they take on South Korea at the 2022 World Cup on Friday.
Fernando Santos’s side only need a point to be certain of finishing at the top of the section, while South Korea need to overcome the European nation to stand any chance of progressing to the round of 16.
South Korea opened their Group H campaign with a goalless draw against Uruguay on November 24 before suffering a 3-2 loss to Ghana in their second match at the competition on Monday.
Paulo Bento’s side managed to fight back from two goals behind to level the scores at 2-2 just past the hour at Education City Stadium, but Mohammed Kudus’s second of the match in the 68th minute secured all three points for Ghana, putting them in pole position to join Portugal in the round of 16.
South Korea are third in the section on one point, but they can still qualify for the knockout round of the competition. Indeed, Bento’s team will need to overcome Portugal to stand any chance of progressing; if they do beat Santos’s side and Uruguay overcome Ghana, then goal difference would separate the two sides.
The Tigers of Asia last managed to reach the knockout round in 2010, with their last two World Cups ending in the group stage…
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Ghana vs Uruguay
THE REMATCH WE’VE WAITED ALL WORLD CUP FOR 👀🔥
GHANA VS. URUGUAY 🍿 pic.twitter.com/tSsSLGq0pL
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) December 2, 2022
SportsMole:
Ghana will take on Uruguay in Group H on Friday knowing that a victory would see them advance to the knockout round of the World Cup alongside Portugal.
The Black Stars are currently second in the group, two points ahead of fourth-placed Uruguay, who need to triumph to stand a chance of progressing to the last-16 stage of the tournament in Qatar.
Ghana will be looking for revenge against Uruguay following the extraordinary battle between the two teams in the quarter-finals of the 2010 World Cup.
The South American nation progressed to the final four via a penalty shootout after the two teams finished level at 1-1 after 120 minutes of football, but there was huge controversy late on, with Luis Suarez receiving a red card for handling on the line in the final seconds; Asamoah Gyan missed the resulting spot kick, which sent the contest to penalties, with Uruguay reaching the final four for the first time since 1970.
Ghana can now eliminate Uruguay from the 2022 competition, with the Black Stars currently sitting second in Group H, having picked up three points from their opening two matches at the tournament, losing their section opener 3-2 to Portugal before recording a 3-2 victory over South Korea…
Friday Morning World Cup Open Thread: South Korea vs Portugal / Ghana vs UruguayPost + Comments (34)
Japan vs Spain
Japan’s Gaku Shibasaki with the anime shin pads ?? pic.twitter.com/KsRnGIzaLw
— B/R Football (@brfootball) November 27, 2022
Spain vs. Japan at 2 PM EST on FOX ⚔️
Who ya got? 💪 pic.twitter.com/7F98R0zRpi
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) December 1, 2022
SportsMole:
Group E leaders Spain will lock horns with second-placed Japan in an intriguing 2022 World Cup contest at the Khalifa International Stadium on Thursday evening.
Both nations failed to claim maximum points in their last group game, with La Roja forced to share the spoils with Germany, while the Blue Samurai suffered defeat against Costa Rica.
After recording a shock 2-1 comeback victory against Germany in their opening Group E fixture, many tipped Japan to come away with all three points from Sunday’s clash against Costa Rica.
However, the Blue Samurai were condemned to a slender 1-0 defeat by their Central American counterparts, with Keysher Fuller scoring the decisive goal nine minutes from time to blow Group E wide open ahead of the final round of fixtures…
Spain will be confident of returning to winning ways on Thursday as they have never lost in five previous World Cup meetings against Asian opposition in 90 minutes – a penalty-shoutout defeat to South Korea back in 2002 is one small blot on their copybook.
La Roja have also won their final group fixture in eight of their last nine participations at the World Cup, with a 2-2 draw against Morocco in 2018 the only exception during this run.
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Costa Rica vs Germany
An all-female refereeing trio will take charge of the Costa Rica vs. Germany game.
Stéphanie Frappart will be joined by assistants Neuza Back and Karen Diaz.
History makers. 👏#CRC | #GER | #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/HmH8xvW8JY
— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Football__Tweet) November 30, 2022
SportsMole:
The bottom two sides in World Cup 2022 Group E prepare for a mouthwatering battle for qualification on Thursday, as Costa Rica tackle Germany at the Al Bayt Stadium.
Hansi Flick’s side left it late to rescue a 1-1 draw versus Spain last time out, while Los Ticos kept their hopes of a last-16 place alive by beating Japan 1-0.
Refusing to let the seven-goal mauling that they suffered at the hands of Spain affect them, Costa Rica dusted themselves down to meet a Japan side who had got the better of Germany only four days before, but it was the Asian nation who would be humbled this time…
Nothing less than a win will do for Germany if they are to break into the top two on Thursday, and a victory for Flick’s side coupled with a Spain win over Japan would ensure that the one-point basement side advance to the last 16.
On the other hand, should Spain and Japan play out a draw, Germany would need to win by at least two goals to pip the latter to second place, and if Hajime Moriyasu’s men can pick up a shock win over La Roja, then Flick’s men would need a five-goal swing in their favour to eliminate Spain…
Thursday Afternoon World Cup Open Thread: Japan vs Spain / Costa Rica vs GermanyPost + Comments (43)
Fox making a dumb statement is funny enough, but considering Fox spent $1 billion on the World Cup TV rights makes this even funnier. https://t.co/m4noXAXMlx
— Aaron Grisham (@AGrisham247) November 30, 2022
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Croatia vs Belgium
⚔️ Belgium vs Croatia. #Qatar2022 pic.twitter.com/T2kQ1feAZL
— Madrid Zone (@theMadridZone) December 1, 2022
SportsMole:
Group F favourites Belgium face the prospect of elimination at the first hurdle of the 2022 World Cup when they take on Croatia at the Ahmed bin Ali Stadium on Thursday.
The Red Devils currently sit in third place, one point behind the Checkered Ones and Morocco in the top two heading into their final group fixture.
After playing out a goalless draw with Morocco in their opening Group F fixture, Croatia responded with an impressive 4-1 victory over Canada on Sunday, boosting their last-16 hopes while eliminating the Maple Leafs in the process…
Roberto Martinez is under pressure to steer his side out of the group, and the Red Devils require a victory against Croatia to guarantee their place in the last 16. A draw, meanwhile, will only be enough to claim a top-two spot if Morocco lose by three or more goals against Canada.
Belgium, ranked second in the world by FIFA, have lost three of their last four games in all competitions, but they are unbeaten in their last three meetings with Croatia, including a narrow 1-0 friendly win in June last year, which provides a glimmer of optimism for the Red Devils heading into Thursday’s crucial clash.
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Canada vs Morocco
🏆 2022 WORLD CUP: Head-to-head
Canada 🇨🇦 vs 🇲🇦 Morocco#Qatar2022 #CANMAR pic.twitter.com/FfUvVjVPPN
— AfroStat (@AfroStat) December 1, 2022
SportsMole:
Morocco have the chance to extend their stay in Qatar beyond the group stages when they face Canada at the Al Thumama Stadium on Thursday in a World Cup Group F tie.
Canada are already eliminated, but there are potentially huge implications on this fixture for the North African side.
There are many permutations surrounding the final matchday in Group F, which remains incredibly tight and tough to call.
However, things can be relatively simple for Morocco – win or draw and they progress regardless of what happens in the other match in the group.
If they lose though, then things do become very complicated, as they would then need either Croatia to lose by at least two goals more than they do, or for Belgium to lose in order to progress…
Thursday Morning World Cup Open Thread: Croatia vs Belgium / Canada vs MoroccoPost + Comments (14)
“We urge the state of Qatar and all Qataris to fully realize the emir’s message here and that is to truly recognize and welcome everyone to the World Cup,” @PressSec Karine Jean-Pierre says. “We are concerned over the potential treatment of LGBTQ plus spectators and athletes.” https://t.co/zTP9BOgTI1
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) November 28, 2022
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Poland vs Argentina
Later today: Poland vs Argentina. pic.twitter.com/UXkokY21GR
— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) November 30, 2022
Argentina vs Poland match’s possible result’s consequences for Argentina:
▪️Argentina W: Top of the group (most probably)
▪️Argentina D: 2nd (Mexico must win under 4 goals or draw against Saudi)
▪️Argentina L: Argentina OUT.
One Last Dance. #VamosArgentina 🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/zptwfIWGqT
— 𝗔𝗠𝟬𝟰 𓃵 (@AM04_FOOTBALL) November 30, 2022
SportsMole:
Argentina will be looking to leapfrog Poland to the top of Group C and qualify for the last 16 of the 2022 World Cup when they do battle at Stadium 974 on Wednesday.
The two-time world champions currently sit level on three points with Saudi Arabia, just one point behind Poland at the summit heading into their final group fixture…
Poland’s strengths at the back have been evident in Qatar, as they are one of only two nations who are yet to concede a goal after their first two group matches at the time of writing. Indeed, the Eagles have now kept a clean sheet in each of their last four internationals.
However, keeping Argentina quiet could prove challenging for Poland, as they have conceded in each of their 11 previous meetings with the two-time world champions. Their last encounter against La Albiceleste was successful, though, as they secured a 2-1 friendly win back in 2011.
Victory for Poland on Wednesday would secure top spot in Group C and guarantee their place in the last 16, while a draw could also be enough to finish at the summit if Saudi Arabia fail to beat Mexico. However, defeat will end their World Cup journey if Saudi Arabia claim maximum points…
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Saudi Arabia vs Mexico
Poland to draw Argentina and Saudi Arabia to win vs Mexico pic.twitter.com/r1BqZuofS9
— Amit Zohar (@amitttrmfc) November 26, 2022
SportsMole:
The race to qualify from World Cup 2022 Group C is set to go right down to the wire, as Saudi Arabia and Mexico prepare to face off in Wednesday’s clash at the Lusail Iconic Stadium.
With at least one of Argentina and Poland set to drop points in their top-two battle, all four sides are still in with a shot of progressing to the last-16 stage.
From the highs of defeating tournament favourites Argentina to the lows of a 2-0 loss to Poland, Herve Renard’s Saudi Arabia were brought crashing back down to earth at the weekend and missed the opportunity to seal a historic knockout place.
An inspired performance from Wojciech Szczesny helped get Poland over the line, with the Juventus man saving from Salem Al-Dawsari’s penalty either side of goals from Piotr Zielinski and Robert Lewandowski, the latter’s first at the World Cup at the age of 34…
BREAKING: The pitch invader during the Portugal-Uruguay match, Italian guy Mario Ferri, has just announced that he has been released with no consequences. pic.twitter.com/bZL8n1lNZV
— Footy Accumulators (@FootyAccums) November 29, 2022
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Tunisia vs France
World Cup Game 37 📝
France 🇫🇷 vs Tunisia 🇹🇳
30th November 3pm 🕓 pic.twitter.com/mSo0A7nUGo
— UK Soccer Cards | Adam Pybus ⚽️ (@soccer_cards) November 30, 2022
SportsMole:
Having already confirmed a place in the last 16, France visit the Education City Stadium for Wednesday’s final World Cup 2022 Group D encounter with Tunisia.
Meanwhile, the African nation sit bottom of the standings and must overcome the reigning champions to stand any chance of making it through to the knockout stages.
Still waiting for their first goal of the 2022 edition, Tunisia are on the brink of an early exit from the globe’s biggest footballing tournament after coming up short in a 1-0 loss to Australia on Saturday, which saw the Socceroos leapfrog their fellow Group D rivals in the standings…
The Eagles of Carthage can take some encouragement in the fact that their side have never gone through an entire World Cup campaign without scoring before, and France may just take their foot off the gas slightly with qualification already in the bag…
Now boasting six wins on the trot at the World Cup, France could equal Italy’s second-best record of seven consecutive victories on the grandest stage, although they are still some way off matching the all-time record of 11 set by Brazil between 2002 and 2006.
France and Tunisia will be locking horns for the first time since 2010 this week, with that friendly ending in a 1-1 draw, and the last four clashes between the two nations have seen Les Bleus alternate between a win and a draw – a good omen before this largely inconsequential tie for Deschamps’s men.
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Australia vs Denmark
🔮 Prediction: Denmark’s lineup vs. Australia#ForDanmark #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/adPqsqe6Ly
— Danish Football (@DanishFTBL) November 29, 2022
SportsMole:
Australia and Denmark round off their World Cup group stage campaigns when they meet at the Al Janoub Stadium on Wednesday.
With France already through from Group D, this has essentially become a winner-takes-all encounter.
Australia have the upper hand going into this fixture, following their win over Tunisia in Saturday’s early offering, moving them into second with four points…
In contrast, Denmark were imperious in qualification, winning their opening nine qualifiers with eight clean sheets, but now face the very real prospect of early elimination.
They can take inspiration from the fact that they lost both their opening two games of Euro 2020 and still managed to make the semi-finals thanks to a phenomenal display against Russia in their final group game.
Previous form at the World Cup also gives cause for optimism, because unlike Australia, they have made it out of the group stage in four of their five finals appearances.
They must end a five game winless run at the World Cup to do so though, as the defeat to France last time out ended a run of four successive draws.
Wales vs England
Companies warned of legal action over Wales vs England World Cup rows, while Cardiff pub reverses ban on England fans #WAL #ENG https://t.co/6T4gZhY60v
— Mirror Football (@MirrorFootball) November 29, 2022
The Independent:
… England have won their last six matches against Wales – including in the group stages of Euro 2016.
Wales have not beaten England since 1984 but must do so again if they are to progress to the last 16, and hope that Iran and the USA draw.
England are all but through. They will win Group B if they beat Wales, or draw as long as both Iran and the USA also drop points. Gareth Southgate’s side will even advance with a three-goal defeat to Wales…
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Iran vs United States
The last World Cup clash between the U.S. and Iran in 1998 is considered one of the most politically charged in soccer history. This time, the political overtones are just as strong and relations perhaps even more fraught as the two nations play again. https://t.co/kVfjmam6yp
— The Associated Press (@AP) November 29, 2022
SportsMole:
After keeping their World Cup hopes alive by defeating Wales dramatically on Friday, Iran face an impressive USA side at the Al Thumama Stadium on Tuesday, with three points enough to take either team through to the knockout stages.
Team Melli looked like a different team against Rob Page’s men to the one that was thrashed by England in their opening game, whereas the Stars and Stripes will be rueing missed chances that forced them to share the points with the Three Lions last time out.
Iran seemed to be back to the performance levels that earned them a place at the World Cup during the 2-0 victory over Wales, with any ideas of Team Melli being the whipping boys of the group after a heavy defeat to England swiftly banished thanks to late goals from Roozbeh Cheshmi and Ramin Rezaeian…
Despite not being able to return maximum points from any of their two opening games at this tournament, Gregg Berhalter’s USA side have shown they are set to be a new prospect in international football with a young crop of energetic and athletic stars.
After decades of Americans competing at the top level in Europe being a rare sight, 10 such players donned the stars and stripes on Friday night and overran England for large parts of the encounter, with only poor finishing preventing Berhalter’s men from earning their first World Cup win over the Three Lions since 1950…
What really stood out for USA was their athleticism and sharpness compared to their English counterparts, with full-backs Sergino Dest and Fulham’s Antonee Robinson providing pace on the wings whilst Tyler Adams kept Jude Bellingham and Mason Mount under wraps in the midfield.
A knockout tie with either Netherlands, Ecuador or Senegal awaits Berhalter’s side should they defeat Iran on Tuesday, and if the Stars and Stripes can find their ruthlessness in front of goal they could be a real threat to the elite nations in the latter stages of this competition.