Sports

SportsMole:

Netherlands will enter Tuesday’s Group A contest with tournament hosts Qatar knowing that a win or a draw would see them qualify for the last-16 stage of the 2022 World Cup.

Holland would also be through to the knockout round with a defeat if Ecuador beat Senegal in the section’s other match, but Qatar have already been eliminated, having lost their opening two matches.

Netherlands opened their tournament with a 2-0 success over Senegal on November 21, which placed them in a brilliant position to book their spot in the knockout stage heading into their second game with Ecuador…

Qatar, meanwhile, have been eliminated in the group stage, with the host nation losing their opening two matches at the tournament to Ecuador and Senegal…

The Maroons, who have been competing in the finals of a World Cup for the first time, will actually be back in competitive action in January, preparing to take part in the Gulf Cup of Nations.

Qatar have actually never faced Netherlands in an international match, so they will create more history on Tuesday, and it would be some achievement if they managed to pick up a victory at Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor.

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Ecuador vs Senegal

The star of the show for Senegal today.

Captain Kalidou Koulibaly will be in charged of protecting Senegal’s back line vs Ecuador. Here’s a look at how he’s done in the EPL so far this season: pic.twitter.com/d3x4IALuW2

— Underdog Soccer (@Underdog_Soccer) November 29, 2022

SportsMole:

Ecuador will be looking to seal qualification for the knockout stages of the World Cup on Tuesday, when they take on Senegal in what will likely be a winner-takes-all clash at the Khalifa International Stadium.

La Tri have been majorly impressive in Group A, with a win over Qatar on the opening day and a stalemate against the Netherlands on matchday two, while Senegal recorded a victory over Qatar in their second match of proceedings following a loss to the Netherlands in their first fixture.

Ecuador have enjoyed an excellent start to World Cup Group A so far and lead the table with four points from their two matches played, which has put them within touching distance of the last 16…

Senegal have also given themselves a fighting chance of qualifying from Group A, owing to their classy victory over Qatar on matchday two of the World Cup.

In a clinical display, the Lions of Teranga dispatched their Qatari opposition by a score of 3-1, as strikes from Boulaye Dia, Famara Diedhiou and Bamba Dieng grabbed all three points at the Al Thumama Stadium.

Undoubtedly, this triumph over Qatar was absolutely imperative to their chances of making it through to the last 16, following a disappointing late collapse to the Netherlands in their first Group A encounter…

Realistically, only a win will do for Senegal against Ecuador on Tuesday, as even a draw is likely to end their hopes of tournament glory.

SportsMole:

Ghana are facing the prospect of an early elimination from World Cup 2022 Group H when they travel to the Education City Stadium to face South Korea on Monday.

The Black Stars fell to an agonising 3-2 defeat to Portugal on the opening day, while their Asian counterparts impressively held Uruguay to a goalless draw.

A total of four goalless draws were played out on matchday one of the 2022 World Cup, and while South Korea put in a good shift in their scoreless stalemate with Uruguay, the woodwork did have come to their aid on a couple of occasions.

Federico Valverde and Diego Godin both saw efforts crash off the frame of the goal as Paulo Bento’s side held on for a point against their South American foes, demonstrating their defensive solidity that was also present in their most recent games before Qatar.

South Korea and Uruguay cannot be separated by points, goals or fair play points after matchday one, as the former seek to give their hopes of a top-two finish a major boost with victory over Ghana and edge closer to a knockout berth for the first time since 2010.

By avoiding defeat in their opening battle, the Tigers of Asia come into their clash with Ghana having only lost one of their last 10 in all competitions, and the Kim Min-jae-marshalled defence has kept three clean sheets in succession during a four-game unbeaten run.

Despite their prowess in the defensive third, South Korea failed to post a shot on target for the second time in four World Cup games during the Uruguay stalemate, and Ghana certainly knew a thing or two about keeping teams at bay during the build-up to Qatar…

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Brazil vs Switzerland

Predicting how Brazil vs Switzerland will play out today #FifaWorldCup https://t.co/flrP8gseo4

— The Independent (@Independent) November 28, 2022

The Independent:

Brazil take on Switzerland in Group F of the World Cup in a meeting of two teams who kicked off the tournament with opening wins.

Brazil underlined their tournament credentials as Richarlison starred in their 2-0 win over Serbia, with the Tottenham forward scoring a brilliant overhead kick.

Switzerland will be underdogs against the Selecao but can approach the match without needing to win following their opening victory against Cameroon.

Depending on results elsewhere, with Serbia taking on Cameroon earlier in the day in Group F, a win for either Brazil or Switzerland would book their place in the last 16…

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Portugal vs Uruguay

Uruguay vs Portugal at Lusail Stadium later today. Facundo Pellistri is likely to start in a team which also features Darwin Nunez and Federico Valverde but he can’t get a game for Man United https://t.co/sb27VW833C

— Rob Dawson (@RobDawsonESPN) November 28, 2022

SportMole:

Portugal will enter Monday’s Group H contest with Uruguay knowing that a victory would see them qualify for the last-16 stage of the 2022 World Cup with a game to spare.

Fernando Santos’s side recorded a 3-2 win over Ghana in their tournament opener on Thursday night, while Uruguay played out a goalless draw with South Korea earlier in the day.

Cristiano Ronaldo became the first men’s player to score in five World Cups when he found the back of the net from the penalty spot against Ghana on Thursday evening…

Uruguay have won the World Cup on two occasions – 1930 and 1950 – while they have made a positive impression in their last three tournaments, finishing fourth in 2010, reaching the round of 16 in 2014 and progressing to the quarter-finals four years ago in Russia.

La Celeste have plenty of experience when it comes to reaching the latter stages of a World Cup, and they will still fancy their chances of progressing through this group despite only drawing their opener.

The South American nation have only ever faced Portugal on three occasions, with their last meeting, as mentioned, coming in the last-16 stage of the World Cup.

Uruguay have again turned to their experienced players in Qatar, but it remains to be seen whether the likes of Godin, Martin Caceres, Cavani and Luis Suarez can help the team navigate their way into the round of 16.

Ight enough of today's shenanigans. Bring me Canada vs Croatia tomorrow. We need to deep fry them 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/6MRrLDYSbU

— The Senator☆°🇨🇦 (@UTDSenator_) November 26, 2022

SportsMole:

Croatia and Canada will both go in search of their first win and first goals in World Cup 2022 Group F during Sunday’s battle at the Khalifa International Stadium.

The Chequered Ones were held to a goalless draw by Morocco in their opening fixture, while the Canucks succumbed to the Red Devils of Belgium in a 1-0 loss.

Despite an eye-catching Nations League campaign which propelled them to a spot in the four-team finals, not many had Croatia down as contenders to match or even better their runners-up finish at the 2018 World Cup, and their feelings were justified on the opening day…

Nevertheless, the Canucks could take plenty of encouragement from their performance against the golden generation of Belgium, although that result already leaves them bottom of the standings in Group F, and their hopes of a last-16 berth will be dashed if results do not go their way this week.

Thirty-six years on from making their only previous appearance at the World Cup, Canada remain winless and goalless at the tournament after four matches – already the most of any nation in history – and Herdman is now out to ensure that his side do not match El Salvador’s record of six straight losses.

Posting just three shots on target from their 22 attempts against Belgium shows the area that Herdman must address, but the Canada boss has controversially warned that his crop will “F Croatia” as they prepare to meet the 2018 runners-up for the very first time.

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Spain vs Germany

Predicting how Spain vs Germany will play out at the World Cup https://t.co/TmS67Tomy3

— Indy Football (@IndyFootball) November 26, 2022

The Independent:

Spain look to heap more misery on Germany with the prospect of pushing the four-time winners to the brink of an early World Cup 2022 exit.

Hansi Flick’s side endured a nightmare start to their campaign in Qatar when Japan pulled off a thrilling comeback by hitting two goals in eight minutes at the Khalifa International Stadium.

Meanwhile, Luis Enrique will be delighted by his side’s start, hitting seven in the thrashing of Costa Rica and discarding doubts over their potential in front of goal in the process.

“This team is not going to relax,” said Luis Enrique. “Germany can beat us because they are a powerhouse, but we’re going to go out and play the same way. Praise weakens, but this team is not going to relax. It has been a very special game for us. It is usually difficult for us to start competitions, but we have done very well. It has been a very important victory.”…

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Cameroon vs Serbia

It’s now or never for Serbia and Cameroon at the #FIFAWorldCup
Tomorrow sees a must win for both teams in Group G⚽️
The winners keep their qualifying hopes alive, with the losers all but out⬇️@TheToddHarris has the preview✍️https://t.co/S37EvAifPP

— Sports Gazette (@SportsGazette) November 27, 2022

SportsMole:

Poland take on surprise group leaders Saudi Arabia on Saturday, in a crucial battle for qualification in World Cup 2022 Group C.

Robert Lewandowski missed a penalty as the Bialo-czerwoni drew 0-0 to Mexico in Tuesday’s opener, while their opponents beat Argentina to pull off one of the greatest World Cup upsets in living memory…

If Poland are to stand any chance of progressing, a victory is vitally important here, and they will have to be on their toes against a high-pressing Saudi Arabia side, who will still be riding the wave of their greatest ever victory…

Salem Al-Dawsari’s spectacular winning goal on Tuesday will go down in World Cup folklore, as the 31-year-old’s sensational curling finish condemned Argentina to their first defeat in 36 outings.

Herve Renard’s side impressed with their bold style of play, incorporating a dangerously high and aggressive line, springing the offside trap an incredible 10 times.

In the middle, Mohamed Kanno played the role of midfield enforcer almost perfectly, while the Hassan Al Tambakti put in a heroic performance in the centre of defence.

With three points already secured, another result here would put them well on their way to a first run to the knockout stages since 1994.

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France vs. Denmark

Predicting how France vs Denmark will play out today https://t.co/PDmxKTEI6F

— The Independent (@Independent) November 26, 2022

The Independent:

France will look to make it two wins out of two at the World Cup when they take on Denmark in Group D.

Olivier Giroud scored twice in the 4-1 win over Australia to move level with Thierry Henry’s all-time France record.

The striker could take the record for his own if he scores his 52nd international goal, while Kylian Mbappe will also look to add to his record after getting off the mark.

Denmark were held to a 0-0 draw by Tunisia in their opening match as Christian Eriksen made an emotional return to the major tournament stage…

Denmark may have won their last two games against France but they have both arrived in Qatar as different teams. Denmark looked a little stale in their opening draw against Tunisia while France looked revitalised against Australia.

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Argentia vs Mexico

2022 FIFA World Cup: How to stream today's Argentina vs. Mexico game https://t.co/VZ54p6KPZu

— CBS Essentials (@CBSessentials) November 26, 2022

SportsMole:

With their World Cup hopes already on the line, Argentina seek to overcome their opening game calamity on Saturday, as they tackle Group C rivals Mexico.

While the Albiceleste kicked off their quest for a third global crown by losing to rank outsiders Saudi Arabia, their Central American counterparts survived a scare to draw with Poland on Tuesday.

Since losing to Brazil in the 2019 Copa America, Argentina had embarked on a national record 36-game unbeaten run, and as reigning South American champions, arrived among most pundits’ favourites for the final four at least.

Yet, all that momentum counted for little on the first day of their World Cup campaign, as Lionel Scaloni’s side let an early advantage slip from their grasp during the space of six second-half minutes at Lusail Stadium…

Now making their eighth consecutive World Cup appearance, the Mexicans have been eliminated at the last 16 stage in each of their last seven attempts, and ex-Argentina coach Martino is the man tasked with bringing a halt to that trend by defying expectation and making the quarter-finals.

La Seleccion last reached that point of the competition as hosts in 1986, when Saturday’s opponents went on to lift the trophy thanks to a Diego Maradona masterclass on Mexican soil.

Before this year’s squad can dream of emulating such a feat, though, they may well need to at least secure a second point in Lusail, or their hopes of progressing will be left hanging by a thread.

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Japan vs Costa Rica

Tomorrow World Cup match, Japan vs. Costa Rica! A Special illustration by @nomnii (BLUELOCK)

BLUELOCK project continues! 👀 #FIFAWorldCup #サッカー日本代表

✨More: https://t.co/3R6bXihQB3 pic.twitter.com/LQhsgLGXlp

— AnimeTV チェーン (@animetv_jp) November 26, 2022

Japan Today, “Confident Japan cannot underestimate Costa Rica“:

Nearly 30 years on, Japan has finally buried the “Tragedy of Doha.” That moment in 1993 when Iraq scored a last-minute equalizer against Japan in Doha to hand a World Cup spot to South Korea instead of Japan has haunted Japanese soccer for three decades. Japan’s 2-1 win over Germany in their opening World Cup match in Doha on Wednesday has now wiped that painful loss from the memory banks. Doha will now be remembered for glory, not tragedy.

On the same day in Qatar, Japan’s next opponents, Costa Rica, were hammered 7-0 by Spain, which naturally will lead many to believe that Japan can cruise past the minnows from Central America. But 7-0 defeats are rarely true reflections of a team’s status. In terms of results, they tend to be outliers, games where everything goes wrong. Japan should not underestimate the Costa Ricans.

This year, the Costa Rica national team has beaten the likes of Jamaica, Canada, the United States, Uzbekistan and Nigeria, conceding just six goals in 11 games, so you can’t read too much into the 7-0 loss against Spain. After the win, Spain’s Dani Olmo said: “I don’t think it was a question of Costa Rica being bad; it was about our team being strong.”

Teams that lose badly often recover in the next game and it’s unlikely that Costa Rica can get any worse. Spain strung together over a thousand passes and Costa Rica failed to register a shot at goal. That’s impressively bad, but we’re talking about one of the favorites in the tournament playing at their peak.

Costa Rica is ranked 31st in the world, only seven places lower than Japan, and they reached the quarterfinals eight years ago. While most of their players are from the country’s domestic league, they still have some experience, notably Paris Saint-German keeper Keylor Navas, Brian Oviedo, who used to play for Everton, and Joel Campbell who was with Arsenal. Sunderland attacker Jewison Bennette is also making a name for himself at the age of 18. That said, Costa Rica only finished fourth in CONCACAF qualifying and reached Qatar with a 1-0 win over New Zealand.

Japan, of course, will go into the game with confidence very high, but that is largely on the basis of 30 minutes of good football rather than 90 minutes…

Qatar Vs Senegal – another two teams watched. Should be good atmosphere as Senegal brought a whole dancing drumming band. pic.twitter.com/4Kk0wJ13rR

— AyWeWolves (@AyWeWolves83) November 25, 2022

SportsMole:

World Cup hosts Qatar face Senegal in a crucial Group A match at the Al Thumama Stadium on Friday.

Both nations are playing catch-up following opening day defeats at the finals.

Qatar let themselves down massively in their clash with Ecuador on Sunday which kicked off the tournament, falling to a 2-0 loss to the South American side.

Getting thoroughly outplayed by CONMEBOL’s weakest qualified side gave a true indication of their stature on the global stage, but luckily for them, they still have time to prove people’s perceptions wrong.

However, the facts will say that Qatar are the first host nation in World Cup history to lose their opening fixture.

Not only that, the Maroons are also the first hosts not to have shot on target in a match at the finals since the USA failed to do so in their last 16 defeat to Brazil in 1994…

Meanwhile, while suffering the same fate as the hosts, Senegal had a lot to be impressed with in their performance against the Netherlands on Monday.

Their build up play in attack was easy on the eye and, for the most part, they were solid defensively…

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🇳🇱 Netherlands vs. Ecuador 🇪🇨
🇳🇱 Van Dijk vs. Valencia 🇪🇨

Today, we'll see the best centre-back in the world face the best striker in the world.

Who you got to come out on top?#NED | #ECU | #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/6WGjw5Gz5Q

— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Football__Tweet) November 25, 2022

SportsMole:

Netherlands will be bidding to make it two wins from their opening two matches at the 2022 World Cup when they take on Ecuador at Khalifa International Stadium on Friday.

Louis van Gaal’s side recorded a 2-0 victory over Senegal on Monday, while Ecuador were also 2-0 winners in their Group A opener, beating the tournament hosts Qatar on Sunday…

Netherlands will face Ecuador on Friday before rounding off their group stage against the hosts Qatar next Tuesday, and it will be fascinating to see what this group of players can achieve in the tournament, as Holland have impressed in their last two World Cups.

The national team, who have never won the World Cup, were absent from the finals back in 2018, but they reached the final of the 2010 competition before finishing third in 2014….

Ecuador now have their toughest two games in the section, facing Netherlands on Friday before taking on Senegal next Tuesday, and the latter will be desperate to bounce back from their loss to Holland.

La Tricolor did not qualify for the 2018 World Cup, but they were present at the 2014 competition, being eliminated in the group stage, while their best-ever performance came in 2006, with the tournament seeing them advance to the last-16 stage before losing to England.

There had been some doubt over Ecuador’s spot in Qatar, with Chile and Peru lodging appeals due to the involvement of Byron Castillo during the qualification fixtures, but the Court of Arbitration for Sport agreed with FIFA in saying that the 23-year-old was able to represent the national side…

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England Vs. United States: A Seething Rivalry Lurks Beneath Coaches’ Respect https://t.co/NuDo59uwp4 pic.twitter.com/AFOPzdlyD0

— Forbes SportsMoney (@ForbesSports) November 25, 2022

England is wary of becoming another victim of an upset at the World Cup in Qatar, with coach Gareth Southgate warning that the United States would be playing at “full-throttle” in their match on Friday. https://t.co/h5Pu3psMfx

— AP Sports (@AP_Sports) November 24, 2022

SportsMole:

Off the back of an emphatic victory in their opening 2022 World Cup fixture, England will endeavour to boost their hopes of securing top spot in Group B when they lock horns with USA at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor on Friday evening.

The Three Lions began their campaign by hitting Iran for six on Monday, while the Stars and Stripes were forced to share the spoils with Wales in their opening clash.

Following memorable highs of reaching the World Cup semi-finals four years ago and then the final of Euro 2020, optimism surrounding Gareth Southgate’s squad had dipped heading to Qatar after a disappointing winless UEFA Nations League campaign.

However, the nation’s hopes were boosted in emphatic style as the Three Lions roared to a 6-2 victory in their opening group game against Iran, their biggest-ever win in the first match of a major tournament…

USA managed to progress from the group stage at their previous two World Cup finals, finishing second ahead of Portugal in 2014 before securing top spot ahead of England in 2010. Indeed, a memorable 1-1 draw in their last meeting against the Three Lions – which saw Robert Green fumble a Clint Dempsey strike – helped the Americans to finish above Fabio Capello’s men on goal difference.

The Stars and Stripes head into Friday’s contest unbeaten in their previous two World Cup meetings with England, including a shock 1-0 group-stage triumph back in 1950, and similar heroics will be required if they wish to come away with at least a point at the Al Bayt Stadium.