DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Brazil and Portugal have already advanced to the knockout round, so the focus is on the final day of the World Cup. the group game must be in the other six teams trying to avoid elimination.
Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon, South Korea, Ghana and Uruguay have a chance on Friday to reach the round of 16.
Unfortunately, the focus will continue to be on Brazil and Portugal.
Both teams need to win or draw their games to guarantee top spot in their respective groups and avoid a head-to-head in the knockout round.
“If we were to play each other, it would be a game between two great teams,” Portugal coach Fernando Santos said. “But our wish, and that of Brazil, is that we meet later.”
Brazil will be without Neymar for their match against Cameroon. The star striker injured his right ankle in Brazil’s opening game and the team plans to reassess his condition after the match.
Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to play for Portugal despite missing training on Wednesday. Santos did not reveal whether he plans to rest the 37-year-old team captain for the knockout round.
“If he’s physically fit enough, he’ll be playing,” Santos said. “I don’t even know if the probability is 50-50. It depends on our training session. I hope he can play.”
CAMEROON-BRAZIL
Neymar is surely out against Cameroon, and many of Brazil’s stars can join him on the bench.
Brazil can guarantee first place in Group G with a draw, so coach Tite was expected to make changes in almost every position against Cameroon.
“Tite had already told us after the game against Switzerland that he intended to make changes to the line-up,” Brazilian midfielder Fabinho said. “He said he wanted everyone to play and we’re happy with that decision.”
Tite planned to use only reserve players: Ederson will replace Alisson in goal, with Dani Alves, Fabinho, Antony and Gabriel Martinelli expected to start.
If Alves, 39, does play, he would become the oldest Brazilian to play in a World Cup, ahead of Thiago Silva, 38, who captains Brazil in Qatar. Alves’ last match at a World Cup was in the round of 16 of the 2014 tournament in Brazil. He was injured four years ago in Russia.
Cameroon needs to beat Brazil and that might not be enough to advance beyond the group stage for the first time since reaching the quarter-finals in 1990. But Cameroon is at the mercy of the results of other matches, let alone Serbia. as Cameroon win their games, then advancing would come down to goal difference.
“We are going to be focused and very disciplined during the 90 minutes,” Cameroon coach Rigobert Song said. “I want to see the determination and commitment that will allow us to get the three points.”
Cameroon sent goalkeeper Andre Onana home for disciplinary reasons following a dispute with Song. He was dropped from the line-up before Cameroon’s second game and the Inter Milan goalkeeper was sent home earlier in the week.
SERBIA-SWITZERLAND
It is a head-to-head elimination match between Serbia and Switzerland in Group G.
A draw for Switzerland is enough if Brazil wins or draws against Cameroon. But if Cameroon beat Brazil and Switzerland take a point, second place will be decided on goal difference.
Switzerland does not even think of a draw.
“I don’t know of a single team in the world that would go out on the pitch looking for 0-0. That is really dangerous,” said Swiss midfielder Djibril Sow.
Switzerland have progressed from the group stage to the knockout round at the last two World Cups and the last two European Championships.
Serbia has not played a World Cup knockout match since becoming an independent nation. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic said Serbia’s mandatory winning position was expected.
“Of course. When we saw the draw and the schedule, we knew that everything was going to depend on the last game,” said the midfielder. “We need to seize this opportunity with both hands.”
Serbia’s draw with Cameroon was a missed opportunity as Serbia led 3-1 in the second half.
GHANA-URUGUAY
Ghana’s match against Uruguay is a replay of one of the most controversial matches of the World Cup: Luis Suárez in 2010 used a deliberate handball on the goal line at the end of extra time in the quarterfinals to deny Ghana a sure goal and a place in history as the first African team to reach the semi-finals
Suárez was sent off for the handball, but celebrated on the sidelines when Asamoah Gyan headed the penalty past the crossbar. Uruguay won the ensuing penalty shootout.
“The truth is that it was worth it,” Suárez said in 2010 and has not changed his mind in the 12 years since.
“I don’t apologize, because I take the hand and the red card but the Ghanaian player missed the penalty. It’s not my fault because I didn’t miss the penalty,” Suárez said before the rematch.
A win for Ghana would avenge the moment by advancing the team to the round of 16 in Group H. Uruguay would be eliminated.
“For me, it’s not a big issue,” Ghana’s coach Otto Addo said. “I expect each player to do everything they can to make sure his team gets through. Even sacrificing himself with a red card. What happened in 2010 is very sad, but we cannot change it. We want to look forward and we want to win this game”.
Uruguay still has Suárez, who at 35 will probably play his last World Cup. Uruguay must beat Ghana and hope South Korea doesn’t beat Portugal to avoid elimination. The goal difference will decide if Uruguay and South Korea win.
Encouraging him further, Suárez said that the 2010 game against Ghana still means something to Uruguay.
“We are going to put our life and soul into this game,” Suárez said. “Ghana is a good team, but we know them. We’ve beaten them before and we know how to beat them again.”
SOUTH KOREA-PORTUGAL
Portugal needs a win or draw against South Korea to guarantee first place in Group H.
That would also mean that the team would avoid facing Brazil in the round of 16 if the South American team also tops their group.
“If we were to play each other, it would be a game between two great teams,” Portugal coach Fernando Santos said. “But our wish, and that of Brazil, is that we meet later.”
Santos said he did not plan to rest too many key players against South Korea. Cristiano Ronaldo may be an exception.
Three games in nine days could prove too much for the 37-year-old striker, who has played no significant minutes this season for Manchester United.
Ronaldo missed team training on Wednesday, rather than completing a gym session, and there is a chance he will be booked for the last 16. That would give Goncalo Ramos or Andre Silva a rare chance to start up front.
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