Group C and D person travel to a adjacent connected Wednesday, providing jam-packed drama, heartbreak and comeback stories. Thursday promises to beryllium afloat of much surprises and we hold to spot who steps up for Germany, and whether Japan and Costa Rica tin adhd to the upsets of the 2022 World Cup.
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 Wednesday's World Cup happenings, and a look up to what's adjacent connected Thursday.
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Joy for Argentina, heartbreak for Mexico
Another time of drama, edge-of-your-seat, nail-biting shot was connected amusement to reason Group C. In the end, it was heartbreak for Mexico and Saudi Arabia who are headed home, and joyousness for Argentina and Poland who are done to the past 16. It came down the wire, but Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski, 2 talismans for their respective countries, are through!
And conscionable arsenic Lewandowski had his punishment saved against Mexico, Messi endured the aforesaid against Poland. Who would person thought? Luckily for the Paris Saint-Germain player, teammates Alexis Mac Allister and Julian Alvarez stepped up to seal the win.
Of course, Messi is cardinal to Argentina's success, but Wednesday's lucifer showed however important it is that the supporting formed transportation the load. Enzo Fernandez is different illustration alongside Mac Allister and Alvarez of players who tin present erstwhile called upon, and if the Albicelestes are to triumph the full thing, each 1 volition request to spot in.
And present we spell to the heartbreak. Mexico's 2-1 triumph implicit Saudi Arabia was not enough to nonstop them through. They pushed hard for a 3rd extremity to get them into 2nd successful the group, but ended up conceding successful wounded time, which sealed their fate.
Goals from Henry Martin and Luis Chavez for Mexico gave El Tri a glimmer of anticipation successful the 2nd half, and arsenic they pushed for a third, Saudi Arabia's Salem Al-Dawsari went done connected extremity to people from adjacent range, eliminating some sides from the World Cup.
With that, Mexico manager Gerardo "Tata" Martino's aboriginal with Mexico is apt over, with immoderate reports suggesting he's already out. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia volition ever person that monolithic upset against Messi and Argentina to remember.
Not watching El Tri play successful the knockouts volition beryllium a archetypal for galore of us. The past clip Mexico failed to suffice for the knockouts was successful 1978.
Wonder who won the World Cup that year? Oh yeah, it was Argentina! Are the stars aligning erstwhile again? We shall see...
Germany look consecutive World Cup radical signifier exits
It each comes down to Thursday for Spain and Germany's World Cup fates. Luis Enrique's broadside opened the tourney by scoring 7 past Costa Rica, and present La Roja are guaranteed to suffice for the circular of 16 with a triumph oregon gully vs. Japan.
Meanwhile, Hansi Flick's broadside are successful a much precarious position, and request a triumph against Costa Rica to person immoderate accidental of making it to the knockout stages. Germany failed to beforehand successful the 2018 World Cup, and things aren't looking large this clip around. Niclas Fullkrug rescued the Germans with his equalizer against Spain, but tin helium bash it against the Central American team?
This World Cup is afloat of surprises, and thing is imaginable aft Japan bushed Germany but past mislaid to Costa Rica. You tin work much here astir each imaginable permutation and however tie-breakers are decided up of a monolithic matchday.
Today's apical reads
Luis Enrique talks beingness and tactics during World Cup with his Twitch chat
Apologies to each the Twitch streamers playing Call of Duty and Among Us (is that inactive a thing?): the champion live-steamer during the World Cup conscionable mightiness beryllium Spanish nationalist squad manager Luis Enrique, who goes unrecorded each non-matchday to speech astir everything from tactics to his dislike of cheese. Can we get a Hype Train going?!
Dutch-born USMNT prima Sergino Dest has a day with destiny vs. Netherlands
Sergino Dest was instrumental successful the USA's large triumph implicit Iran to advance, but present the Dutch-American indispensable look his countrymen arsenic the Netherlands hold successful the knockout circular for the USA. "I cognize astir each azygous feline implicit there," Dest told ESPN's Jeff Carlisle of the Dutch team. Should beryllium interesting!
Iran's Saied Ezatolahi embodied the despair of World Cup defeat
It doesn't substance wherever you were calved oregon who you were rooting for aft the USA-Iran game: it's hard not to consciousness thing erstwhile you witnesser the dreams being crushed of the Iranian players. Saied Ezatolahi was Iran's midfield enforcer, and not the subordinate you'd expect to beryllium sobbing, but the heartbreak of the World Cup is unsocial and acute.
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 Thursday's matches.
Group E: Japan (+750) vs. Spain (-250), Draw (+340)
Carr: Japan apt request a triumph to advance, truthful astatine immoderate constituent they'll person to displacement into onslaught mode, if Spain volition fto them. Either way, the crippled travel should effect successful plentifulness of scoring chances. Each team's games person had 5.5 expected goals truthful far, and I deliberation that inclination continues. At -135, I similar implicit 2.5 goals successful this one.
Cuff: One of the daze results of this tourney was Japan losing to Costa Rica aft beating the Germans. Spain volition person and power the shot the bulk of the lucifer but Japan is diversion and talented they tin deed connected the break. I deliberation the implicit is the close play similar Paul does, but I besides deliberation both teams to people +100 is simply a coagulated move.
Group E: Costa Rica (+2100) vs. Germany (-1100), Draw (+900)
Carr: How tin this beryllium thing but a Germany romp? Admittedly, I thought the aforesaid happening astir Japan's lucifer against Costa Rica, but I fishy Los Ticos volition beryllium emotionally drained aft their win. Germany has a past of pounding lesser opponents astatine the World Cup, and goals scored could substance for Germany if Japan keeps it adjacent with Spain. Germany should travel retired beardown and onslaught aboriginal and often to destruct each doubt. I'll instrumentality implicit 1.5 goals successful the archetypal fractional astatine +115.
Cuff: The Germans tin play a precocious enactment and volition predominate this match. I could spot Costa Rica perchance getting their champion chances successful transition. That said, I yet deliberation the Germans power this lucifer and their hostile successful a lucifer they volition play to triumph from the outset. It's hard to find immoderate worth successful playing this match, but Jamal Musiala has been knocking connected the doorway to score. He's +130 for anytime extremity I deliberation helium gets 1 connected Thursday.
Group F: Croatia (+170) vs. Belgium (+160), Draw (+225)
Carr: I've been betting against Belgium the full tournament, and I'm not stopping now. Croatia whitethorn not person the gait that Canada and Morocco utilized to occupation Belgium. But the midfield should predominate the halfway of the pitch, and the young Croatian defence has lone allowed 16 shots and 0.8 expected goals truthful far. That won't assistance Belgium's scoring woes, truthful I'm taking Croatia to triumph astatine +170.
Cuff: The Belgians person been 1 of the much disappointing teams frankincense far. I didn't expect overmuch retired of them successful presumption of threatening to triumph the tournament, but I thought they were inactive susceptible of playing good, inspired football. They're not. I'm not definite they adjacent privation to beryllium connected the tract together. I similar Croatia to triumph +170 arsenic well.
Group F: Canada (+260) vs. Morocco (+105), Draw (+240)
Carr: Morocco are 1 of 3 teams that didn't let a extremity successful the archetypal 2 radical matches, and they'll beryllium comfy defensively with immoderate Canada propulsion astatine them. Having already been eliminated, Canada mightiness beryllium spent from the opening whistle, oregon they mightiness deterioration down aboriginal successful the match, which volition assistance a Morocco broadside that were astatine their champion precocious against Belgium. Morocco to triumph astatine plus-money.
Cuff: Canada is successful their archetypal World Cup since 1986. As 1 of the hosts, they'll beryllium backmost successful 2026 arsenic well. This radical has pridefulness and contempt conscionable moving retired of state aboriginal against Croatia they battled. I deliberation they'll acquit themselves well, but Morocco is the superior squad with everything to play for. Morroco to triumph is the play, but with the Moroccans tied with the Croatians connected 4 points, but 1 extremity down connected goals difference, it's much apt they could blowout Canada by a fewer and end up winning the radical which pays +225. Worth a sprinkle there.
News and notes
England defender Ben White's World Cup is implicit aft helium has flown backmost location for "personal reasons," according to the Football Association. The Arsenal center-back was yet to play a azygous infinitesimal successful Qatar and missed Tuesday's 3-0 triumph implicit Wales for what the federation said was unwellness illness. World Cup rules don't let for a replacement to beryllium called up, truthful England manager Gareth Southgate volition request to marque owed with 25 players, starting with Sunday's knockout crippled against Senegal. In World Cups past, managers lone had 23 players, truthful astatine slightest determination is much of a buffer this clip around.
Remember that associated corporate bargaining statement signed by the US men's and women's nationalist teams earlier this year? Now that the men person reached the knockout signifier successful Qatar, the women will gain more than they earned for winning the 2019 Women's World Cup. That's due to the fact that present the US teams split their prize wealth evenly, and FIFA is offering $440 cardinal successful prize wealth for the 2022 men's World Cup, but lone offered $30 cardinal for the 2019 Women's World Cup. The US Soccer Federation has taken matters into its ain hands, creating its ain adjacent divided aft the women filed a suit successful 2019. Meanwhile, FIFA, the organizer of the World Cup, has not closed the immense spread betwixt the 2 tournaments -- adjacent arsenic the Women's World Cup sets caller records successful viewership and attendance -- for reasons that FIFA has ne'er explained.
The Australian men's nationalist squad -- known arsenic the Socceroos, 1 of the champion nicknames successful shot -- person returned to the World Cup's circular of 16 for the archetypal clip since 2006. With a 1-0 upset win implicit Denmark connected Wednesday to adjacent the radical stage, the Socceroos advance, the Danes spell home, and this World Cup keeps delivering unpredictable results. Team Chaos reigns again!
If there's 1 subordinate who has dominated headlines during this World Cup, it has to beryllium Cristiano Ronaldo. Just earlier helium boarded a level to Qatar, helium threw conscionable astir everyone astatine Manchester United under the proverbial bus, and helium did it arsenic publicly arsenic possible. Then 2 days earlier Portugal's archetypal game, Man United terminated his contract. And much recently, arsenic Portugal bushed Uruguay, Ronaldo tried to instrumentality recognition for a extremity helium didn't adjacent score. It's been a lot. Well, here's the latest: a nine successful Saudi Arabia has offered him a woody worthy much than £300 million, sources told ESPN's Rob Dawson connected Wednesday. Ronaldo is said to beryllium putting disconnected a determination until aft the World Cup, but it doesn't look similar European clubs are each that interested...
2:10
James Olley says the deficiency of involvement successful Cristiano Ronaldo shows the spread betwixt however highly helium rates himself compared to what apical clubs deliberation of him.
What other caught our eye
Everyone's favourite pundit, ESPN's ain Stephen A. Smith, has offered his instrumentality for the USA's round-of-16 knockout crippled against the Netherlands connected Saturday: the US isn't that bully and nary 1 expects the Americans to win, truthful stateside fans should bask their World Cup portion it lasts, adjacent if it lone lasts arsenic agelong arsenic Saturday.
He's not wrong: the Americans person scored conscionable doubly successful the radical stage, and their onslaught doesn't look poised to get immoderate better, unless possibly manager Gregg Berhalter decides to springiness Jesus Ferreira his archetypal minutes of the tourney and the striker lights it up. Or possibly Gio Reyna volition yet commencement and go off connected the Netherlands. That doesn't look likely, particularly against a bully Dutch side, but who knows -- weirder things person happened astatine a World Cup. Either way, the Netherlands are decidedly the favorites for Saturday's match, truthful we should astir apt each heed Stephan A.'s proposal and cheque our expectations astatine the door.
1:24
Stephen A. Smith is joined by Taylor Twellman to sermon the United States reaching the past 16 of the FIFA World Cup.
Matches connected pat for Thursday
Group F: Canada vs. Morocco (Al Thumama Stadium; 10 a.m. ET)
Oh, Canada. The Canadians are retired of the World Cup already, adjacent though, let's beryllium honest: they deserved to bushed Belgium successful their opener, which would've enactment them successful a overmuch antithetic position. Morocco, meanwhile, warrant themselves a spot successful the knockout circular if they triumph oregon draw, but adjacent a nonaccomplishment could get them done depending connected the different Group F game.
Group F: Croatia vs. Belgium (Ahmad bin Ali Stadium Stadium; 10 a.m. ET)
Belgium haven't looked large successful Qatar, but if they find a mode to win, they are guaranteed to beforehand to the knockout round. As for Croatia: a gully oregon a triumph and they are in. But Group F is simply a adjacent one, truthful you'll privation to instrumentality a heavy dive into each the scenarios to spot however losing and drafting teams tin beryllium the ones to advance. All eyes are definite to beryllium connected whether Belgium -- with talented players similar Kevin De Bruyne and Eden Hazard -- tin get their onslaught unneurotic and halt the infighting wherever players are openly accusing 1 different of being excessively aged and excessively dilatory astatine this World Cup.
Group E: Costa Rica vs. Germany (Al Bayt Stadium; 2 p.m. ET)
Everything is connected the enactment for this one. Germany indispensable bushed Costa Rica to adjacent person a accidental to beforehand to the knockout round, but Germany volition besides request Spain to triumph the Group E's different game. Otherwise, if Spain lose, Germany would request to someway marque up a extremity differential of 8 successful a triumph -- astir apt not a bully bet. Meanwhile, a triumph for Costa Rica is capable to get them into the knockout round. Even if Costa Rica draw, if Spain wins, they are in, but not if Spain loses (unless Costa Rica makes up a extremity differential of 13). Did you get each that? If not, you tin check retired our longer explanation.
Group E: Japan vs. Spain (Khalifa International Stadium; 2 p.m. ET)
If you looked astatine the erstwhile blurb for the Costa Rica-Germany game, you already cognize that Group E is tight, and you cognize that a batch is riding connected the effect of this game. Spain are into the circular of 16 with a triumph oregon draw, and Japan are successful if they win. Japan's manager Hajime Moriyasu has made nary bones astir the information that European teams, similar Spain, are good up of Japan, but ESPN's Gabriel Tan wonders if that cognition is setting up Moriyasu's squad to play frightened successful a must-win scenario.
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