The World Cup's enactment connected Friday saw teams statesman their 2nd games of the radical stage. Loads to unpack from the England-United States draw, and Qatar become the quickest big state to beryllium eliminated from the tournament.
One astonishment squad looking to debar the aforesaid destiny is Argentina, who instrumentality connected Mexico connected Saturday successful what fundamentally is must-win concern for Lionel Messi and crew.
Be definite to cheque successful with ESPN passim the tourney arsenic we bring you the latest from Qatar. Here's what you mightiness person missed from Friday's World Cup happenings.
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After gully with England, USA crook eyes toward Iran
There was truthful overmuch banter and hype for Friday's World Cup lucifer betwixt the United States and England that you could person mistaken it for the last itself. Ultimately, determination were fewer large moments from the scoreless gully but determination was inactive plentifulness to look at.
The Americans performed credibly arsenic their defence was coagulated and plentifulness to nullify England's midfield. Star guardant Christian Pulisic had a rocket that careened disconnected the woodwork and keeper Matt Turner made a mates cardinal saves. The youngest squad successful the tourney held their ain against a squad that had big-time players similar Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling, and Harry Maguire each connected their heels astatine times.
The agleam broadside for USA manager Gregg Berhalter is that the crippled circled successful agleam reddish connected the calendar is implicit and they're amended for it. And present each eyes are connected the upcoming crippled against Iran. There's past betwixt these 2 countries (obviously some sporting and political), but the USA knows that it controls its ain destiny and a triumph adjacent Tuesday volition spot them onto the adjacent round. Simply put, the USA are wherever it wants to be.
Oh by the way, England inactive hasn't beaten the USA astatine the World Cup. The large "soccer vs. football" statement continues.
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Mark Ogden says Phil Foden has to commencement vs. Wales aft having zero playing clip against the USMNT.
Mexico purpose for 'Memo'-rable triumph implicit Argentina, Messi?
We person each heard the aged saying that you shouldn't fto 1 crippled bushed you twice. That's what Lionel Messi and Argentina -- losers to an unheralded Saudi Arabia broadside earlier this week -- are hoping to debar successful Saturday's pivotal lucifer against Mexico.
Argentina is successful a tricky spot. Lose and the squad is eliminated. No World Cup redemption communicative for Messi, and 1 of the tourney favorites volition battalion up early. But old-school Argentina fans person seen this before. Back astatine the 1990 World Cup successful Italy, it was the Diego Maradona-led squad who mislaid its radical signifier opener to Cameroon earlier correcting the vessel and advancing to the final.
Mexico is besides successful a precarious position. El Tri played to a scoreless gully against Poland and are inactive aiming to find a reliable mode to people immoderate goals. With the constituent picked up against Poland, Saturday's crippled isn't do-or-die for Mexico but they'll beryllium connected precise bladed crystal if Argentina travel retired with thing to prove.
A mates things are going successful favour for Mexico. First off, the El Tri fans person arrived successful force successful Qatar. Expect a final-esque, raucous ambiance astatine Lusail Stadium that could crook the tournament's largest stadium successful a proxy Estadio Azteca. Second, Mexico tin trust connected goalkeeper Guillermo "Memo" Ochoa to effort and marque much unthinkable saves against Argentina's playmakers.
Today's apical reads
Would you slumber successful a shipping instrumentality to ticker soccer? In Qatar, fans aren't bothered.
The scenes of unfinished instrumentality camps successful Qatar and shipping containers for bedrooms looked shocking, but truthful far, radical staying determination are having fun.
World Cup extremity music: Every team's opus choices, with Gala's 'Freed From Desire' No. 1
England fans aren't the lone ones who volition beryllium dancing to 90s classical "Freed From Desire" erstwhile their nationalist squad scores a extremity astatine the World Cup.
Adrien Rabiot talks to ESPN astir France role, World Cup absorption and his nine future
The Juventus antheral is simply a antheral successful signifier and anchors Les Bleus' midfield successful Qatar. What's adjacent for him?
Your champion bets (odds via Caesars Sportsbook)
If you're looking to stake connected the World Cup, ESPN contributors Paul Carr, Dan Thomas and Dalen Cuff are present to springiness you cardinal tips on odds, options and futures.
Here's what we person for the Saturday matches.
Tunisia vs. Australia (Tunisia +115, Draw +210, Australia +265)
Paul Carr: I thin Tunisia successful this one, conscionable due to the fact that they looked amended successful the opener than Australia did, adjacent factoring successful the quality successful opposition. Both teams faded successful the 2nd half, arsenic Australia didn't person a second-half shot, and Tunisia didn't instrumentality a changeable aft the 53rd minute. But with France looming successful the finale, this is simply a virtual must-win for Tunisia.
Poland vs. Saudi Arabia (Poland -130, Draw +255, Saudi Arabia +375)
Carr: I similar a gully present astatine +255. Under 2.5 goals is -135, truthful the crippled is expected to beryllium low-scoring, and 0-0 oregon 1-1 seems precise likely. The Saudis did good to bounds Argentina's scoring chances, holding them to 1.5 expected goals connected 14 shots (excluding the penalty), and fractional of that xG came connected Nicolas Tagliafico's point-blank deflection. Poland were dreadful successful onslaught against Mexico, with 5 non-penalty shots worthy 0.15 expected goals, meaning their mean changeable was 50 percent worse than a emblematic shot. Given Poland's struggles astatine large tournaments, I person nary religion successful them until proven otherwise, truthful I'll play the draw. Parlaying it with nether 2.5 is bully if imaginable too.
France vs. Denmark (France -125, Draw +240, Denmark +375)
Carr: France definite looked similar bully France against Australia, astatine slightest aft the archetypal 20 minutes, and Denmark had a batch of chances versus Tunisia, contempt the scoreless draw. Denmark person already beaten France doubly this twelvemonth successful Nations League, and each squad had astatine slightest 1.6 expected goals successful each game. Denmark volition privation astatine slightest a gully to champion presumption themselves for the radical finale against Australia, and a gully isn't the worst happening for France with Tunisia waiting successful the adjacent game, truthful I expect some teams to propulsion for astatine slightest 1 goal. I'll instrumentality adjacent wealth connected some teams to people (+100).
Argentina vs. Mexico (Argentina -170, Draw +280, Mexico +490)
Carr: Despite the result, Argentina wasn't unspeakable against Saudi Arabia. Everything conscionable went the Saudis' way, and thing bounced close for Argentina. This feels similar a get-right crippled for Argentina, against a Mexico broadside that inactive hasn't solved its striker problem. Henry Martin started astatine halfway forward, but had six touches successful the attacking third, tied for seventh-most connected the team. Raul Jimenez doesn't look similar he's acceptable for an extended tally yet either. But I inactive deliberation Mexico either scratches retired a extremity oregon gives up a bucketful to Argentina, which whitethorn request to tally up the people for extremity quality purposes. Give maine plus-money connected implicit 2.5 goals (+105).
News and notes
After yesterday's 2-0 triumph implicit Serbia, Brazil's Neymar was seen limping disconnected the field. On Friday, the Brazilian shot relation confirmed that some Neymar and Danilo, the right-back, volition miss the adjacent crippled against Switzerland connected Monday owed to ankle injuries. Sources person besides told ESPN that some of them could miss the past radical crippled against Cameroon connected Friday. Neymar has scored 75 times successful 122 games for Brazil and is present conscionable 2 goals distant from breaking Pele's scoring grounds for the men's nationalist team.
Lionel Messi is acceptable to look Mexico successful Argentina's cardinal Group C World Cup lucifer connected Saturday, according to manager Lionel Scaloni. "He's feeling good but much than ever we request everyone," Scaloni said. "We person nary questions implicit [Messi's] carnal level, and emotionally he's feeling good truthful nary problems there." Argentina mislaid successful a daze 2-1 decision to Saudi Arabia connected Tuesday and request a triumph against Mexico to support their World Cup hopes alive. Scaloni said Messi, 35 years old, trained with the remainder of the squad connected Thursday and is acceptable for the situation connected Saturday.
On the 2nd day of Diego Maradona's death, former teammates gathered astatine the World Cup successful Qatar connected Friday to wage tribute to the legendary subordinate and reminisce astir amended days arsenic Argentina retrieve from their nonaccomplishment to Saudi Arabia. Considered 1 of the top players successful history, Maradona died aged 60 connected Nov. 25, 2020, aft battling cause and intoxicant maltreatment for years.
Matches connected pat for Saturday
- Group D: Tunisia vs. Australia (Al Janoub Stadium; 5 a.m. ET)
The Socceroos mislaid 4-1 to France successful their opening lucifer of the World Cup, portion Tunisia played retired a goalless gully with Denmark successful their archetypal game. This volition beryllium a choky crippled arsenic determination is small to abstracted the 2 sides who are looking for their archetypal wins of the tournament.
- Group C: Poland vs. Saudi Arabia (Education City Stadium; 8 a.m. ET)
Saudi Arabia shocked the full satellite erstwhile they bushed Lionel Messi's Argentina. Now the adjacent question is whether this broadside are for existent and if they tin flooded Robert Lewandowski and Poland, who struggled successful onslaught against Mexico and had a punishment saved.
- Group D: France vs. Denmark (974 Stadium; 11 a.m. ET)
France dominated Australia successful a 4-1 triumph connected Tuesday, and volition look to bash the aforesaid against Christian Eriksen & Co. Kylian Mbappe scored against the Socceroos and volition person his eyes acceptable connected the Golden Boot. Meanwhile, Denmark volition anticipation to bounce backmost from their mediocre gully against Tunisia. The Danes simply didn't bash capable against the Tunisians and look a large situation against the French.
- Group C: Argentina vs. Mexico (Lusail Stadium; 2 p.m. ET)
This is simply a must-win crippled for Messi's Argentina. If they lose, they volition spell retired of the competition. Meanwhile, Mexico's Guillermo Ochoa performed heroics against Poland aft redeeming Lewandowski's punishment to get a point. If Mexico win, they volition beryllium successful a bully presumption to scope the circular of 16 earlier facing Saudi Arabia.
What other caught our eye
Brazil striker Richarlison scored doubly against Serbia connected Thursday, giving america aboriginal goal-of-the-tournament campaigner arsenic helium scissor-kicked his mode to victory. With immoderate assistance of an industrious acceptable of Legomen, springiness it a gander erstwhile more.
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Richarlison's opener, arsenic good arsenic his acrobatic extremity for Brazil against Serbia astatine the World Cup recreated successful Lego.
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