After astir 2 chaotic and melodramatic weeks astatine the World Cup, we person the reached the win-or-go-home information of the tourney. Sixteen teams remain, 16 others person been eliminated, and the amusive continues connected Saturday.
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, and a look up to what's adjacent connected Saturday.
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Round of 16: Brazil, Portugal, S. Korea in; Uruguay out
Here we go! The bracket for the knockout stages of the World Cup is set. Two regular games implicit the adjacent 4 days, with the winners past mounting up the quartefinal matches. Here's what we have:
Saturday, Dec. 3 (winners play each different successful quarterfinal)
Netherlands vs. United States
Argentina vs. Australia
Sunday, Dec. 4 (winners play each different successful quarterfinal)
France vs. Poland
England vs. Senegal
Monday, Dec. 5 (winners play each different successful quarterfinal)
Japan vs. Croatia
Brazil vs. South Korea
Tuesday, Dec. 6 (winners play each different successful quarterfinal)
Morocco vs. Spain
Portugal vs. Switzerland
Wild radical signifier finish: Suarez's tears, Son's joy
1:09
Luis Miguel Echegaray reacts to Uruguay's heartbreaking exit from the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
In keeping with the play we've seen the past mates of days, Friday's slate brought plentifulness of large moments arsenic well.
Just arsenic it looked arsenic if Uruguay would beforehand by beating Ghana, a last-gasp extremity by South Korea against Portugal gave them a 2-1 triumph successful the different Group H crippled -- and much importantly a spot successful the knockouts.
Twelve years aft Uruguay eliminated Ghana successful the 2010 World Cup quarterfinals acknowledgment mostly to Luis Suarez's celebrated handball, Friday's crippled was billed arsenic a grudge lucifer for the Black Stars. Up by 2 goals connected Friday, Uruguay looked poised to ruin Ghana's enactment erstwhile more. But erstwhile the monitors flashed the scoreline of the South Korea-Portugal game, cameras rapidly chopped to Suarez sitting connected the bench, looking shellshocked.
Uruguay needed different extremity to flip the tiebreaker successful their favour but it ne'er came. So Ghana's schadenfreude will travel from lasting images of crying Suarez burying his caput successful his jersey, apt the past clip the 35-year-old wears it astatine a World Cup.
And portion Uruguayan fans were successful the midst of misery, it was the implicit other for South Korean supporters crossed town. With the crippled against radical winners Portugal level 1-1 arsenic it approached wounded time, Hwang Hee-chan's extremity successful the 91st infinitesimal ensured South Korea would decorativeness up of Uruguay successful the standings.
It was an particularly poignant infinitesimal for skipper Son Heung-min, who has sometimes been accused of trying to bash excessively overmuch himself erstwhile helium plays for the nationalist team. But Son's clever play acceptable up Hwang's winner, and helium delivered erstwhile his teammates needed him the most.
1:49
Julien Laurens recaps South Korea's melodramatic 2-1 triumph implicit Portugal that sends Son Heung-min's squad into the past 16 of the FIFA World Cup.
Over astatine Group G, Brazil had already clinched a spot successful the circular of 16 but were aiming to decorativeness the lone squad successful the full tourney to triumph each 3 radical signifier games. Still playing without injured Neymar, the Brazilians couldn't muster overmuch against a Cameroon broadside looking to support their hopes alive.
A 92nd infinitesimal extremity by Vincent Aboubakar (who was past sent disconnected for taking his garment disconnected successful celebration) gave the African broadside a tiny chance, but Switzerland's 3-2 triumph implicit Serbia successful the concurrent lucifer ensured the Swiss would advance.
Brazil mislaid their archetypal radical signifier lucifer since 1998, and with nary teams winning the maximum 9 points for the archetypal clip since 1994, it's a fitting mode to extremity what's been a chaotic commencement to the World Cup.
USA vs. Netherlands: Get your popcorn (and coffee) ready
1:18
Christian Pulisic talks Sam Borden done his winning extremity for USA vs. Iran and looks up to the last-16 clash with the Netherlands.
USA fans, get your quality slumber arsenic you person an aboriginal day against the vaunted Netherlands, with the victor of Saturday morning's matchup going connected to look either Argentina oregon Australia.
Good quality for US fans arsenic Christian Pulisic is present cleared to play against the Dutch. As you recall, Pulisic taught america what a "pelvic contusion" is aft helium collided with the Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand as helium scored Tuesday's game-winning extremity that sent the USMNT into the circular of 16.
Whether Pulisic tin spell the afloat 90 minutes connected Saturday is unclear. Speaking to ESPN's Sam Borden connected Thursday, Pulisic hinted that helium whitethorn beryllium constricted successful however agelong helium tin play.
"I'm going to bash everything successful my power, with this unit and aesculapian team, to marque definite that nevertheless agelong I tin beryllium retired connected that field, I'll beryllium retired determination giving my 110% nary substance what," Pulisic said.
As for the Netherlands, manager Louis van Gaal revealed several members of his squad are battling flu symptoms, though helium didn't uncover who.
Need immoderate speechmaking worldly up of the game? We got you covered, and beryllium definite to tag on with ESPN time during and aft the game.
Tactical preview: Can USA's midfield support the momentum going? Gakpo, De Jong extremity the Americans' run? READ
Captain America: How USA's Tyler Adams showing the satellite his worth connected the pitch, inspirational enactment disconnected it READ
Dutch day with destiny: Born successful the Netherlands, Saturday's crippled for USA's Sergino Dest volition beryllium other peculiar READ
1:32
Taylor Twellman believes there's nary unit connected the United States up of their crippled vs. the Netherlands, and says they thrive arsenic underdogs.
Today's apical reads
World Cup vibes rankings: USA, Japan feeling champion going into Round of 16
Attempting to fertile each 32 teams some by however they played and what their results were. Welcome to the Power Rankings of conscionable feeling it.
Germany's 2nd consecutive aboriginal World Cup exit volition sting, but they'll beryllium fine
It surely hurts that the four-time winners were eliminated successful the radical signifier again, but this 1 isn't a disaster.
What World Cup radical signifier penalties archer america astir shootouts and goalkeepers
You cognize they're coming: the dreaded punishment shootouts. Here's which goalkeepers could shine, their patterns and more.
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's matches.
Round of 16: Netherlands (-110) vs. USA (+325), Draw (+235)
Paul Carr: I anticipation I'm not being excessively overmuch of a homer here, but I similar the USA treble accidental astatine -125. The Dutch weren't awesome contempt 7 points successful the radical stage, getting outshot by 10 and accumulating lone 2.4 expected goals. Having Memphis Depay backmost successful the lineup helps, but the US outplayed a amended England side, truthful I'll instrumentality the US to astatine slightest get this to other time.
Daniel Thomas: I deliberation this could beryllium a c transcript of the England crippled -- a choky uneventful affair. I'd instrumentality 0-0 aft 90 minutes.
Dalen Cuff: Unlike Paul, I americium being a homer here, but I deliberation I'm justified. This Dutch squad is not a ascendant squad. This US squad has endowment and person bossed games this tournament, astir notably against England. I similar the US to beforehand astatine +180. However I bash deliberation this is going to beryllium a choky matter particularly successful the archetypal half. I similar 0-0 successful the 1st fractional (+145).
Round of 16: Argentina (-540) vs. Australia (+1600), Draw (+525)
Carr: Australia precocious to the knockout stage, but that doesn't mean they're a peculiarly bully team. Argentina had the third-most expected goals (6.3) and expected extremity quality (+5.5) successful the radical stage, and Australia was 30th with 1.7 expected goals and 31st with a -4.1 extremity difference. Also, Argentina has Lionel Messi. I'll gladly laic the 1.5 goals astatine -160, and I'm tempted by Argentina -2.5 astatine +170.
Thomas: This has to beryllium an Argentina win. So, wherever tin we find immoderate worth successful this game? I'll instrumentality an Angel Di Maria assistance astatine +125.
Cuff: There is nary worth here. I'm not consenting to laic the 2.5 successful bid to get into positive money, truthful I'm going to pass.
News and notes
France defender William Saliba has said helium hopes that World Cup faves Brazil are knocked retired of the tourney "as soon arsenic possible." The earliest the 2 sides could conscionable would beryllium the final, but Saliba hopes that it doesn't materialize. Good luck with that.
England defender John Stones said helium indispensable usage the aboriginal exits of Germany and Belgium arsenic a informing not to instrumentality their World Cup advancement for granted. The Three Lions look Senegal successful Sunday's round-of-16 clash, with Stones saying his broadside won't place the African side.
Cristiano Ronaldo was "insulted" by South Korea subordinate Cho Gue-sung arsenic helium near the pitch, according to Portugal manager Fernando Santos. Ronaldo, who looked unhappy to beryllium substituted off, appeared to person a verbal speech with Cho and past enactment his digit to his mouth.
In NWSL news, Portland Thorns caput manager Rhian Wilkinson resigned Friday pursuing 1 play successful charge. Wilkinson, who led the squad to the league title earlier this year, said the players asked her to resign pursuing an probe into her behaviour arsenic caput coach.
What other caught our eye
A heartwarming country during Brazil's nationalist anthem up of the team's crippled connected Friday against Cameroon. Fans unveiled a tifo for Brazil fable Pele, who has been astatine a Sao Paulo infirmary with a respiratory corruption since Tuesday.
Brazil fans clasp up 'Pelé get good soon' during the nationalist anthem ❤️🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/xlRC7XqiaL
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) December 2, 2022The 82-year-old and three-time World Cup victor thanked fans successful an Instagram station precocious Thursday for the well-wishes he's received successful a combat against cancer. He had a colon tumor removed successful September 2021 and has since gone done chemotherapy.
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