Sunday's World Cup enactment saw the 2nd squad officially eliminated from knockout circular contention, portion each eyes are connected presumed favorites Brazil and however they'll fare successful Group G without their superhero, Neymar. There was besides a superb 1-1 gully for 2 much contenders, Spain and Germany, that means Group E volition spell down to the ligament arsenic each 4 countries inactive person a wide way to the last-16.
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 the Saturday World Cup happenings, and a look up to what's adjacent connected Sunday.
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Woe, Canada
Sunday was a time of mixed emotions for Canada fans.
On the bully side, Bayern Munich prima Alphonso Davies scored the archetypal World Cup extremity ever successful Canadian men's history, thundering a header beyond Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic aft conscionable 67 seconds. On the atrocious side, Croatia rapidly woke up, scoring 4 unanswered goals to triumph 4-1 and marque Canada the 2nd squad to beryllium eliminated from knockout circular contention aft big federation Qatar were the archetypal connected Friday. All they person near to play for is pridefulness erstwhile they instrumentality connected Morocco connected Thursday, though their opponents person a changeable astatine the last-16 pursuing their 2-1 triumph implicit Belgium earlier connected Sunday.
Yes, this was a chastening end to a tourney that offered a batch of committedness for the broadside that finished supra the US and Mexico successful CONCACAF qualifying, but with galore of their young players (including Davies, Jonathan David and Tajon Buchanan) inactive with plentifulness of vocation up of them, this acquisition should basal them successful amended stead for erstwhile the expanded, 48-team World Cup comes to North America successful 2026.
In some Group F games they've played to date, against Belgium and Croatia, John Herdman's broadside were assertive and speedy connected some sides of the ball, but were often excessively indecisive successful cardinal moments. Their savvier opponents exploited it to the fullest: portion Belgium rode their luck and profited from 1 objective decorativeness to triumph 1-0, Croatia's superb midfield -- led by the ageless Luka Modric, 37 years old, and Ivan Perisic, 33 -- conscionable had to beryllium diligent and prime the anemic spots erstwhile they presented themselves.
One happening they whitethorn privation to ticker successful the future, though, is what their manager says to the media. Much was made of his "F--- Croatia!" remarks aft Canada's decision to Belgium, and Croatia guardant Andrej Kramaric surely noticed. "I privation to convey Canada's manager for the motivation," he said aft scoring twice successful the 4-1 win. "We demonstrated who f---ed whom."
Germany get a gully vs. Spain, Group E remains wide open
Sunday's fascinating 1-1 gully betwixt the 2 European giants means there's everything to play for erstwhile the last circular of their radical kicks disconnected astatine 2 p.m. ET connected Thursday. Luis Enrique's broadside struck archetypal aboriginal successful the 2nd fractional erstwhile guardant Alvaro Morata bushed defender Niklas Sule to a debased transverse and turned it beyond goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, but Germany fought their mode backmost into the crippled from there. They forced a drawstring of large saves from Spain stopper Unai Simon earlier 29-year-old Nicklas Fullkrug, successful conscionable his 3rd crippled for the nationalist team, fired successful an unstoppable changeable from adjacent scope to stock the spoils.
Thanks to Costa Rica's upset 1-0 triumph implicit Japan, the radical is neatly poised: a triumph oregon a gully for Spain against Japan puts them into the last-16, portion Germany indispensable bushed Costa Rica and anticipation Spain loses successful bid to truly person a shot. (Much much connected the permutations here.) Yet each 4 teams person a wide way to the knockout stages, which is successful immoderate ways the quality of the World Cup.
Germany's issues up beforehand weren't resolved by Fullkrug's emphatic decorativeness and it's wide they'll request to rework their onslaught yet again if their World Cup enactment is to beryllium a lengthy one. As for Spain, they're successful power of their destiny. What much tin you inquire for successful this astir volatile of World Cups?
Will Brazil beryllium OK without Neymar?
After days of interest and incremental updates connected the authorities of Neymar's ankle, it's yet clip for Brazil to instrumentality the tract again for their 2nd Group G crippled erstwhile they instrumentality connected Switzerland astatine Stadium 974 (11 a.m. ET) and amusement conscionable however much, oregon however little, they request their talisman successful bid to advancement to the knockout stages.
This Selecao squad is heavy with talent, peculiarly on the guardant line, and it was Tottenham striker Richarlison who scored their goals successful the 2-0 triumph implicit Serbia to get their World Cup disconnected to the champion imaginable start. While Brazil manager Tite has been accordant that the PSG superstar volition beryllium ready successful clip for the knockout rounds, their way determination is not yet unafraid -- defeating the Swiss should instrumentality attraction of that if the likes of Richarlison, Vinicius Junior, Gabriel Jesus and Rodrygo stay focused.
Tim Vickery ran done Brazil's options for ESPN and doesn't consciousness similar it'll beryllium that difficult; if anything, helium predicts that the much balanced Swiss opponents volition unit a much accepted enactment from Tite, 1 that bolsters the midfield successful bid to lucifer their opponents wherever they are strongest. However, if Brazil get thing little than a ascendant win, you tin stake the fans volition fto Tite & Co. cognize conscionable however they feel...
Today's apical reads
Time for Uruguay to seat Luis Suarez?
He's the country's all-time starring scorer, but astatine 36, his powers are waning. Given his mediocre show against South Korea -- 18 touches, nary shots -- should Uruguay manager Diego Alonso effort thing new?
Why each the biggest clubs privation Rafael Leao
ESPN's nonmigratory scout Tor-Kristian Karlsen profiles the Portugal and AC Milan forward, who's arguably the astir coveted attacking subordinate successful shot close now.
Your champion bets (odds via Caesars Sportsbook)
If you're looking to stake connected the World Cup, ESPN contributors Dan Thomas and Dalen Cuff are present to springiness you cardinal tips on odds, options and futures. Here's what we person for the Sunday matches.
Group G
Cameroon (+420) vs. Serbia (-140), Draw (+255)
Dan Thomas: It has been a crazy, brainsick World Cup. Why would contiguous beryllium immoderate different? I'm going to spell with Cameroon for a daze win.
Dalen Cuff: Dan's right, this World Cup has been wild. I'm going to play 1 of the trends here, namely archetypal fractional 0-0 people lines. To that end, I'll instrumentality nether 0.5 first-half goals astatine +145.
Brazil (-215) vs. Switzerland (+600), Draw (+320)
Thomas: No Neymar, nary occupation for Brazil. I similar Rodrygo to people anytime astatine +200.
Cuff: What makes this Brazil squad peculiar is their extent and not being reliant connected Neymar. That extent is coupled with an elite antiaircraft radical that allowed lone 5 goals implicit 17 World Cup qualifying matches. I similar the Seleção to triumph to nil (+121).
Group H
South Korea (+150) vs. Ghana (+210), Draw (+195)
Thomas: I spot this arsenic a low-scoring affair, and I'm not truly definite wherever South Korea's goals are going to travel from. I'll instrumentality nether 1.5 goals astatine +180.
Cuff: Ghana battled against Portugal, falling 3-2 successful their opener. They had immoderate mistakes successful the backmost and had a questionable punishment telephone that provided their hostile with the archetypal extremity of the match. That said, I thought it was an inspired performance. South Korea's quality to people is highly successful question, truthful I similar Ghana to win.
Portugal (-102) vs. Uruguay (+310), Draw (+220)
Thomas: I deliberation this is going to beryllium a feisty affair, truthful I'd instrumentality the implicit successful bookings.
Cuff: I took Uruguay to triumph this group. They were unlucky successful the opener, successful which they deed a station and couldn't muster a extremity against South Korea. I deliberation this volition beryllium a carnal conflict and their defence volition frustrate Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal. I similar Uruguay +0.5 astatine -120.
News and notes
Ahead of England's last Group B crippled against Wales connected Tuesday, guardant Marcus Rashford talked astir however added strength successful training nether Gareth Southgate has been the cardinal to them yet playing up to their level successful caller years. "There's evidently been a wide alteration and a wide improvement," said Rashford. "We've evidently done overmuch amended successful the large tournaments, but adjacent successful the games that we've played passim the twelvemonth with England, we've played better, we've had amended results. It is not often I travel distant with England and consciousness similar we're going to suffer games. I deliberation arsenic a collective, we're precise strong."
Even though the World Cup is the biggest lawsuit successful shot close now, there's inactive plentifulness happening elsewhere successful the sport: to wit, Manchester United are open to a indebtedness move for U.S. and Chelsea guardant Christian Pulisic, sources archer ESPN's Mark Ogden, with the London nine expected to let him to permission during the January transportation window.
The USMNT's preparations for a "win oregon spell home" clash with Iran connected Tuesday were made much analyzable by a determination to scrub the Islamic Republic emblem from the Iran emblem connected societal media posts hyping up the pivotal Group B clash. It was done, per US Soccer, to amusement enactment for protesters against the Iran government, but pursuing a swift backlash, they reversed people hours later, removing each posts with the modified Iran flag. Jeff Carlisle has more background successful today's USMNT World Cup notebook.
In lawsuit you request a refresher, here's an updated file making wide what each squad needs to bash successful bid to beforehand beyond the radical signifier astatine the World Cup. So far, conscionable 2 teams -- hosts Qatar, and Canada -- person officially been eliminated.
Riot constabulary were called in to deploy teardrop state and disperse a assemblage successful the streets of Brussels pursuing Morocco's stunning 2-0 triumph implicit Belgium connected Sunday. There were further reports of smaller disturbances successful different Belgian cities, Antwerp and Liege. Said Belgian authorities authoritative Annelies Verlinden, "it's bittersweet to spot however a fewer individuals maltreatment a concern to tally amok.''
What other caught our eye
In lawsuit you missed it -- and we're not definite however you could perchance miss this -- Lionel Messi grabbed his 2nd extremity of the 2022 World Cup successful Saturday's 2-0 triumph implicit Mexico. And truthful we've recreated the extremity via the magic mean that is Lego.
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Argentinian stars Lionel Messi and Enzo Fernández's goals against Mexico astatine the World Cup get recreated successful Lego
Matches connected pat for Monday
- Group G: Cameroon vs. Serbia (Al Janoub Stadium; 5 a.m. ET)
Both sides mislaid their opening crippled and truthful request a affirmative effect present if they're to person a accidental of advancing to the last-16. Cameroon arguably deserved thing from their 1-0 decision to the Swiss and surely person the quality to score, fixed the beingness of Bayern Munich's red-hot striker Eric-Maxim Choupo Moting, who has 11 goals successful 16 appearances (all competitions) and Bryan Mbeumo, who has 3 goals for Brentford successful the Premier League this season. Serbia request the champion of prima guardant Aleksandar Mitrovic, who has 50 vocation goals for his country, if they're to get backmost connected track.
- Group H: South Korea vs. Ghana (Education City Stadium; 8 a.m. ET)
South Korea did small successful their goal-less gully with Uruguay and look a overmuch tougher situation against the defending Africa Cup of Nations champions successful their 2nd game. Every squad inactive has a changeable astatine the last-16 close now, but South Korea request to get Tottenham playmaker Son Heung-Min much progressive astir goal. As for Ghana, they've proven they tin score, but tin they defend? This could beryllium different high-scoring, frenetic matter fixed what's astatine stake.
- Group G: Brazil vs. Switzerland (Stadium 974; 11 a.m. ET)
No Neymar, nary occupation for Brazil? The Selecao's extent is unmatched astatine this World Cup, but losing their talisman to an ankle wounded that projects to support him disconnected the transportation until the knockout stages isn't historically thing they've been capable to handle. (Remember erstwhile Brazil paid tribute to him aft an wounded denied him the commencement successful the 2014 semifinal against Germany? Yeah, that didn't extremity well...)
- Group H: Portugal vs. Uruguay (Lusail Iconic Stadium; 2 p.m. ET)
All eyes are erstwhile again connected Cristiano Ronaldo to supply the fireworks for a Portugal squad that had small occupation scoring against Ghana, but Uruguay task to beryllium a overmuch tougher test. Luis Suarez, Darwin Nunez and Edinson Cavani person scored a ton of goals for clubs and state implicit the years, but they offered small menace against South Korea. It's not rather "win oregon spell home" territory, but it's close.
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