On Turkey Day, we're thankful for the thriller betwixt Portugal and Ghana and Richarlison with an acrobatic decorativeness for Brazil against Serbia. Switzerland beating Cameroon by 1 extremity and South Korea drafting 0-0 with Uruguay whetted our appetite for goals, which we got much of successful the 3rd and 4th games aboriginal successful the day.
Ahead of Black Friday, we reply the burning questions surrounding England vs. United States, sermon Gareth Bale's bequest and explicate what happens if teams are tied successful the radical stage.
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 Thursday's World Cup happenings.
- World Cup news, features, previews, and more
- Stream FC Daily and Futbol Americas connected ESPN+
Ronaldo breaks different record
After a goalless archetypal fractional betwixt Portugal and Ghana, Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring successful the 2nd stanza via a penalty, becoming the first antheral subordinate to people successful 5 World Cup campaigns. The 37-year-old scored his archetypal World Cup extremity successful 2006, and has tallied 118 goals truthful acold for his country.
Rafael Leao and Joao Felix joined their skipper successful the scoring for Portugal, and conscionable edged Ghana successful a 3-2 win. The lucifer ended with a bizarre infinitesimal erstwhile Inaki Williams snuck up down goalkeeper Diogo Costa who placed the shot down, but earlier the guardant could instrumentality it disconnected Costa, helium slipped and missed the accidental to equalize.
After the match, Ronaldo said, "The important happening was that the squad won. The [Manchester United] section is closed, and the absorption is solely and exclusively connected the World Cup."
He's present without a nine after his caller departure from United, and volition anticipation to nonstop a connection this tourney to motion with a caller nine successful the January transportation window.
Brazil unfastened with extremity of the tournament?
Richarlison is expected to beryllium Brazil's 3rd instrumentality with Neymar and Vinicius Junior up front, but the striker provided what is simply a extremity of the tourney contender in the 2-0 win implicit Serbia. The Tottenham Hotspur star's 2nd extremity of the crippled saw him power it successful the aerial and past volley it into the broadside corner, leaving goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic with nary chance.
Meanwhile, Neymar was seen grimacing astatine the extremity of the crippled and looked to beryllium successful pain. Fans volition anticipation the Paris Saint-Germain subordinate is acceptable for their clash against Switzerland adjacent connected Nov. 28. Brazil channeled the entertaining, beauteous and easy-on-the-eye shot that their state is known for, and volition look to transportation connected this form.
Today's apical reads
Bale's World Cup ambition is much than Wales going far
Bale hopes to pb Wales connected a heavy tally astatine the Qatar World Cup, but what they person already achieved disconnected the transportation is of greater significance.
USA vs. England preview: A roundtable to reply the large questions
In their World Cup openers, England crushed Iran, portion the US settled for a gully vs. Wales. How volition those results impact Friday's matchup?
What happens erstwhile teams are level connected points?
The radical signifier astatine the 2022 World Cup is entering the last stage, but what are the tiebreakers to abstracted teams successful the table?
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Kasey Keller says that with truthful galore players lacking crippled enactment successful caller months, fittingness could beryllium an contented for the United States for the remainder of the World Cup.
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 Friday matches.
Group A
Qatar vs. Senegal (Qatar +490, Draw +260, Senegal -160)
Carr: Even without Sadio Mané, Senegal was decent against the Dutch successful the opener. I don't spot Qatar doing overmuch against different defense-first team, aft 5 shots from an mean of 23 yards successful the opener. I'll instrumentality Senegal to triumph present (-160), and if you're feeling bolder, spell for a triumph to nil (+129).
Thomas: Qatar were truthful atrocious successful the opener. I don't spot them improving. Senegal to triumph easy 2-0.
Cuff: I'm bold but not bold capable to triumph to nil, not definite Senegal muster a goal. But I bash similar them keeping a cleanable expanse (-114) successful a somewhat much blimpish play.
Netherlands vs. Ecuador (Netherlands -129, Draw +245, Ecuador +380)
Carr: I similar Netherlands to triumph here. Despite the 2-0 win, Ecuador wasn't that awesome against a mediocre-at-best Qatar squad aft the opening fractional hour, with lone six full shots and 1 successful the last fractional hour. Given coagulated defenses connected some sides (Ecuador has 7 consecutive shutouts), the nether 2.5 goals is besides appealing astatine -130, and I'd see parlaying the 2 if that's imaginable astatine your book.
Thomas: A due trial for the Dutch. I deliberation this could beryllium a 1-1 draw.
Cuff: I similar Ecuador's antiaircraft prowess and wide athleticism that whitethorn output effect connected the counter. I don't deliberation the Dutch looked peculiarly threatening successful their opener. It's been a low-scoring tournament, nether 2.5 (-130) is the evident play. If you privation to get assertive nether 1.5 (+225) could beryllium a move.
Group B
Wales vs. Iran (Wales +105, Draw +205, Iran +305)
Carr: Iran allowed six goals to England, but lone 2.1 expected goals, truthful the antiaircraft show wasn't rather arsenic atrocious arsenic the last people suggested. With Wales' blimpish benignant and Iran's antiaircraft mindset (four goals conceded successful 10 final-round qualifiers), this crippled conscionable screams low-scoring, though the -195 terms for nether 2.5 goals isn't precise appealing. I'd alternatively get plus-money for nether 1.5 goals, oregon stake precisely 1 extremity (+275). I besides thin Iran, fixed the amended forwards successful Mehdi Taremi and Sardar Azmoun, who whitethorn beryllium capable to play much than the cameo helium had against England.
Thomas: This is tricky. I don't expect galore goals. So I'll instrumentality the under.
Cuff: It's a crippled Wales has to win, I don't deliberation Iran volition people connected them. I deliberation it's 1-0, not assertive capable to stake an nonstop score. So I'll instrumentality Wales to triumph (+105).
USA vs. England (England (-175), USA (+500), Draw (+285)
After watching England's six-goal outburst against Iran, there's nary existent astonishment to spot them arsenic dense favorites against an American broadside that hardly held connected to necktie Wales successful their opening match. With the likelihood sitting astatine England (-175), USA (+500), Draw (+285) is determination immoderate accidental Gregg Berhalter's charges tin support it level with the Three Lions?
Carr: Of course! (The American says optimistically.) Since a gully is simply a decent effect for some teams, I deliberation this crippled volition beryllium tight, peculiarly aboriginal on. The US tended to play that mode successful the toughest qualifiers, distant successful the Octagonal, averaging less than six shots and fractional an expected extremity per crippled successful the archetypal half. And they didn't amusement signs of counterattacking good against Wales. If helium plays, Harry Kane won't beryllium 100 percent, and Gareth Southgate has besides preferred a antiaircraft setup successful large tournaments. I thin toward nether 2.5 goals astatine -120.
Thomas: The interest I would person is however knackered everybody looked astatine the extremity of the Wales game. I tin lone spot an England triumph and a convincing 1 astatine that.
Cuff: Love Paul's positivity and my bosom says the same, but my caput says a gully would beryllium great. Given however the US squad played and looked, to Dan's constituent successful 2nd half, a constituent would beryllium a large result. I won't play a broadside until seeing lineup, to corroborate Kane starts and the US lineup and immoderate changes. This volition beryllium a choky lucifer that the US volition spell into reasoning they can't lose, that whitethorn beryllium their downfall, but I bash similar the nether arsenic good -2.5.
Given however beardown the US broadside looked successful the archetypal fractional against Wales, would you instrumentality a accidental astatine say, USA Win 1st Half/England Win 2nd Half (+1000) oregon immoderate different 1st Half Result/2nd Half Result prop?
Carr: This is truthful babelike connected the US setup that I wouldn't marque a play without seeing the lineup. If Timothy Weah starts again, look for the US to aggressively play agelong balls implicit the apical and endanger the shaky England defence immediately. If Brenden Aaronson is in, the US volition apt look to property defensively a spot more. And if Gio Reyna starts, that mightiness mean the US volition effort to person the ball. Or possibly there's a bigger tactical wrinkle coming. Regardless, this crippled could spell a batch of antithetic ways depending connected each team's approach.
Thomas: No.
Cuff: I'm told I speech excessively much...NO.
It's inactive much apt that the US tin beforehand from this radical than not, but did you spot capable from the matches connected Monday to rotation the dice connected them to really triumph Group B (+800)?
Carr: It wouldn't beryllium the worst bet, considering that a US triumph connected Friday would mean a triumph implicit Iran would triumph the group, and adjacent a gully mightiness beryllium enough. But with +500 likelihood for the US to bushed England, you're amended disconnected conscionable betting them to triumph Friday, past rotation immoderate oregon each of that wealth implicit to Tuesday's game, erstwhile you cognize precisely what the US needs to advance.
Thomas: I can't conscionable constitute nary again. So I volition accidental I don't judge this is simply a stake you should spell anyplace near.
Cuff: Given the concern with immoderate different squad not named the US, I would ne'er stake them to triumph this radical successful this scenario...so again instrumentality the emotion retired of it. Any wealth laid connected the US to triumph the radical present is wealth wasted. To suffice astatine -125 is wherever you should be.
Are determination immoderate different props from this crippled that basal retired to you?
Carr: Given the anticipated blimpish quality of some teams, I deliberation +185 connected nary first-half goals is worthy a shot. It's not a amusive stake to make, but we'll apt spot a batch of caution aboriginal on, and I deliberation this crippled gets to half-time 0-0 good implicit a 3rd of the time.
Thomas: I similar Paul's stake a lot. Elsewhere a yellowish for Tyler Adams who precise overmuch plays with his bosom connected his sleeve astatine +330 looks similar a superb bet.
Cuff: I really truly similar some the bets supra but I'll besides adhd Both Teams to Score NO -115.
News and notes
In Manchester United news, the club's owners are looking for a satellite grounds terms to merchantability the club, sources archer ESPN. Forbes values United astatine £3.8bn ($4.59bn) but sources person told ESPN the Glazers household expect offers successful excess of £6bn ($7.25bn). Although a afloat takeover is the apt outcome, the Glazers said they are besides looking astatine extracurricular concern and "strategic alternatives."
Iran has arrested a erstwhile subordinate of the nationalist team, Voria Ghafouri, for his disapproval of the government. Nationwide protests sparked by the decease of Mahsa Amini, a Kurdish pistillate arrested by the morality constabulary successful Tehran, person escalated into calls to overthrow the government. Ghafouri expressed sympathy for Amini's household and called for an extremity to the convulsive crackdown connected protests.
Bruno Fernandes said helium hopes disapproval of Ronaldo volition continue due to the fact that it gets the champion retired of him. "I deliberation helium likes to enactment nether that disapproval from everyone, truthful I commune each of you to support doing that." The Portugal skipper was scrutinized for his comments successful a bombshell interrogation earlier the World Cup successful which helium said helium doesn't respect Manchester United caput manager Erik 10 Hag and the absorption the nine is headed.
What other caught our eye
ESPN's Mark Ogden explores 1 of the instrumentality villages extracurricular Doha, Qatar which accommodates radical from astir the satellite during their stay.
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Mark Ogden has a look astir Ras Abu Fontas instrumentality colony 10 miles southbound of downtown Doha.
And to adjacent out, Switzerland's Breel Embolo refrained from celebrating aft scoring the victor against Cameroon. The Monaco guardant grew up successful Basel but helium was calved successful Cameroon's capital, Yaounde.
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Nedum Onuoha understands the deficiency of solemnisation from Breel Embolo pursuing his victor for Switzerland against Cameroon.
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