Click on any of the links below to watch the game.
Kickoff is 15:00 GMT [3pm]
Stream Link
Lineups:
Netherlands XI: Noppert; Timber, Van Dijk, Aké; Dumfries, De Roon, F. De Jong, Blind; Klaassen; Gakpo, Memphis.
USA XI: Turner; Dest, Zimmerman, Ream, Robinson; Adams, Musah, McKennie; Weah, Pulisic, Ferreira.
Maha Ayew, daughter of Ghana captain Andre Ayew, reportedly collapsed after his penalty miss against Uruguay on Friday, December 2.
Ghana was presented with an opportunity to make it to the last 16 of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar but Andre’s effort was saved by goalkeeper Sergio Rochet.
However, Ghana went to suffer a 2-0 defeat against the two time world champions.
According to Fentuo Tahiru, Ayew’s daughter, Maha Ayew collapsed after his dad missed from 12 yards and had to pick her from the hospital after the game.
However, Black Stars captain Andre Ayew says he is disappointed with his penalty miss against Uruguay but looks forward to a bright future with the national team.
“We had the opportunity to get to the next stage,” the Al Sadd forward said after the game.
“I missed the penalty..it’s difficult to take..we did not get it right.
“I am very optimistic for the future.
“I am sad but we will try and make it better,” he added.
Ghana exited the tournament with three points and finished at the bottom of the group.
-Footballghana
Former England and Manchester United forward, Owen Hargraves has praised Kudus Mohammed, saying the youngster is destined to be a great player.
The Ajax forward was a livewire for the Black Stars scoring two goals and grabbing an assist.
The 22-year-old has been linked to Liverpool, Chelsea, and Arsenal following his explosive performance.
Barcelona Director, Jordi Cruyff has confirmed that the Catalan club has been chasing the former FC Nordsjaelland forward for years.
Speaking ahead of the final Group H game against Uruguay, Owen lauded the youngster reiterating that Kudus is destined to be a great player.
“Kudus Mohammed is destined to be a superstar,” he said on SuperSport.
“Kudus in the Ghana setup makes the team look good.
“He has scored two goals so far which is good for him and the team but for me, what he has done so far in this tournament proves that he is destined to be a superstar,” he added.
Meanwhile, Ghana suffered a 2-0 defeat to exit the tournament with three points after three games.
A place in the FIFA World Cup 2022 quarter-finals will be on the line when Argentina and Australia clash at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium on Saturday.
The group stage of the FIFA World Cup 2022 ended on Friday, with Brazil losing to Cameroon and Serbia also losing to Switzerland. And the Round of 16 will kick off on Saturday afternoon, with the day’s second game featuring Argentina and Australia at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium.
Argentina reached the knockout stages of the FIFA World Cup 2022 the hard way. La Albiceleste went down 2-1 to Saudi Arabia to kick off the campaign in Qatar. But hard-fought wins over Mexico and Poland helped Lionel Scaloni’s men top Group C.
On the other hand, Australia reaching the Round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup 2022 might not have been a part of anyone’s predictions. But the Socceroos have been one of the surprise packages of the tournament. Like Argentina, Graham Arnold’s charges began their campaign with a defeat, going down to France. But Australia beat Tunisia and Denmark against all odds to finish level on points with Les Bleus in Group D.
Argentina eked out a narrow 1-0 win the last time they locked horns with Australia, with Martin Demichelis scoring the only goal in a friendly in 2007. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Argentina
Lionel Scaloni does not have any new injury concerns hampering his preparations ahead of the game against Australia. The Argentina head coach has a full-strength squad at his disposal this weekend.
Emiliano Martinez will take his usual spot between the sticks, with Argentina lining up in a 4-3-3 formation in front of him. Lisandro Martinez will hope to earn a place in the central defensive partnership. But Cristian Romero and Nicolas Otamendi should retain their pairing. But Nicolas Tagliafico will likely replace Marcos Acuna, with Nahuel Molina continuing on the right flank.
Enzo Fernandez has been in good touch at the World Cup and should start ahead of Leandro Paredes. The in-form midfielder will sit at the base of the midfield, with Alexis Mac Allister and Rodrigo De Paul providing him with defensive support. Mac Allister will also be the bridge between the attack and the defence.
Lionel Messi has blown hot and cold thus far at the World Cup. And Argentina’s captain will be desperate to make his mark by scoring his first-ever goal in the knockouts of a World Cup. Angel Di Maria and Julian Alvarez should support the 35-year-old in the final third, with the latter likely starting ahead of Lisandro Martinez.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Emiliano Martinez; Molina, Romero, Otamendi, Tagliafico; De Paul, Enzo Fernandez, Mac Allister; Di Maria, Messi, Alvarez
Australia
Like his counterpart in the Argentina dugout, Graham Arnold does not have any new concerns to deal with ahead of the trip to the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium. The Australia head coach will have a fully-fit squad at his disposal on Saturday.
Mathew Ryan picks himself between the sticks, and Australia will line up in a 4-1-4-1 formation in front of the Socceroos’ captain against Argentina. The system will morph into a 4-3-3 in the defensive phases to create overloads in the middle of the park.
Harry Souttar and Kye Rowles will form the central defensive partnership, with the duo looking to keep things tight. They will need to keep Lionel Messi in check and not get swayed by the Argentina captain’s positioning. Fran Karacic and Aziz Behich should start as the full-backs on Saturday.
Aaron Mooy will be the deepest midfielder for Australia. The 32-year-old will aim to hold the fort in the middle of the park, looking to cut off the supply to Messi. Riley McGree and Jackson Irvine will provide defensive support to Mooy. But the duo will primarily hope to push Australia forward in the final third.
Mathew Leckie has been the in-form player for Australia at the World Cup. And the 31-year-old will carry a significant threat from the right flank. Craig Goodwin will bring directness from the left wing, with Mitchell Duke spearheading the attack.
Probable Lineup (4-1-4-1): Ryan; Karacic, Souttar, Rowles, Behich; Mooy; Leckie, Irvine, McGree, Goodwin; Duke
Key Stats
Saturday’s clash will be the first meeting between Argentina and Australia since a friendly in September 2007, won 1-0 by Argentina thanks to a goal from Martin Demichelis. It is their first-ever meeting at the World Cup.
Saturday’s match-up will be Australia’s fifth World Cup match against a South American opponent, with the Socceroos winless in the previous four (D1 L3).
Argentina’s only previous meetings with a team from Oceania are their seven games against Australia, none of which have come in the World Cup.
Australia have reached the knockout stages of the World Cup for only the second time, also doing so back in 2006 under Guus Hiddink. They lost 1-0 to eventual winners Italy in the Round of 16 that year, with Francesco Totti scoring a last-minute penalty to eliminate them.
Australia have won their last two World Cup matches, as many as in their first 17 games combined in the competition (D4 L11). They have also opened the scoring in all three games in 2022, having only done so twice in 16 games across the editions in 1974, 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018.
Lionel Messi is looking to score for Argentina in the knockout stages of the World Cup for the first time, with all eight of his goals coming in the group stage. He has had 23 efforts without scoring in the knockout stages. But Messi has assisted in the Round of 16 in each of the tournaments in 2010, 2014 and 2018, making him the only player to provide an assist in the knockout stages of the three previous editions.The Khalifa International Stadium will host the first Round of 16 clash, as the Netherlands take on the USA on Saturday.
The Netherlands will be targetting a place in the quarter-finals without defeat when they commence the Round of 16 against the USA. Louis van Gaal will be delighted with how their campaign has panned out after the Oranje took the top spot in Group A with seven points on the board.
Their faltering performance against Ecuador proved only a minor blip as the Netherlands finished off their final clash with a comprehensive victory over hosts Qatar. Cody Gakpo became only the third Dutch payer to score in three consecutive World Cup games and will target a fourth against the USA.
The Netherlands come into this clash on an impressive run of 18 unbeaten games since their Euro 2020 elimination at the hands of the Czech Republic. Moreover, Louis van Gaal’s 10-game unbeaten run at the World Cup is one behind Mario Zagallo’s mark and two behind Luiz Felipe Scolari’s all-time record of 12.
The USA will come into this clash full of confidence for the manner of their performances in this World Cup. Having started with a draw against Wales, they shifted the goalless affair with England. They then rounded off their group-stage action with a convincing 1-0 win over Iran.
They needed that victory over their Asian adversaries, as a draw or loss would have thrown them out of the competition. A Christian Pulisic goal was enough to secure three points and progress to the next round. The USA are yet to beat a European side at the World Cup since 2002, losing five and drawing six of the games they have played since that edition.
That win over Iran was also their first in six games across all competitions. The USA do not have a good record against the Netherlands, losing four times in friendly encounters. However, their most recent one against the Oranje saw the USA secure a comeback 4-3 victory in 2015.
Team News & Tactics
Netherlands
Jeremie Frimpong was the only injury concern ahead of the USA clash after he suffered an ankle problem on Wednesday. The defender has since returned to full training, meaning Louis van Gaal will have all his players fit and available for the knockout round.
Denzel Dumfries is the preferred choice to play on the right wing, meaning Frimpong’s potential absence may not have proven problematic. Van Gaal has a potential problem with Matthijs de Ligt and Nathan Ake, with both centre-backs walking a suspension tightrope. If they are to receive yellow cards against the USA, they will miss the quarter-finals, provided the Netherlands progress.
Cody Gakpo will lead the line once more as van Gaal is likely to name an unchanged lineup for the USA clash. The central midfield will consist of Marten de Roon and Frenkie de Jong. Jurrien Timber could continue on the right side of the back three.
Gakpo will have Memphis Depay for company in the strike partnership, although the Barcelona star will play slightly behind the in-form 23-year-old. Davy Klaassen will slot in behind the front two and provide the creative spark for the Dutch in the attack.
Probable Lineup (3-4-1-2): Noppert; Timber, van Dijk, Ake; Dumfries, De Roon, de Jong, Blind; Klaassen; Depay, Gakpo
USA
With Gregg Berhalter set to manage his first World Cup knockout game, he may have to do without star man Christian Pulisic. The Chelsea attacker suffered a pelvic injury against Iran but is yet to be completely ruled out. The forward took to social media to affirm he would be fine for the game, which will boost the manager. Berhalter has also provided a positive update on Pulisic.
Meanwhile, there are concerns about Josh Sargent and Weston McKennie. The former could sit this one out with an ankle problem, while the Juventus midfielder is a doubt with a quad problem. The latter could come back fit and take his place in the USA midfield.
Cameron Carter-Vickers and Tim Ream are set to continue in the central defensive partnership. Tyler Adams will hold the midfield together, with McKennie and Yunus Musah alongside him. Haji Wright should lead the line for the USA, while Brenden Aaronson could replace Pulisic if the Chelsea star is not fit to start.
Timothy Weah will provide pace and another attacking dimension from the right-hand side. After the Wales game, the attacker’s game has dipped a bit, but he will continue to start and hope to make a mark against the Netherlands.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Turner; Dest, Carter-Vickers, Ream, Robinson; Musah, Adams, McKennie; Weah, Wright, Pulisic
Key Stats
The Netherlands have kept a clean sheet in five of their last six FIFA World Cup games.
Louis van Gaal has lost none of his 10 World Cup games in charge (W7 D3), the outright most for a manager without ever losing in the competition. Only Felipe Scolari (12) and Mario Zagallo (11) had longer unbeaten starts as managers in World Cup history.
The Netherlands only have eight shots on target so far at the FIFA World Cup 2022.
USA are winless in their last 11 World Cup games against European nations (D6 L5) since beating Portugal 3-2 in 2002. Overall, they have won just three of their 23 World Cup games against European sides (D7 L13), also beating Belgium in 1930 and England in 1950.
Cody Gakpo could become the first Netherlands player to score in each of his first four World Cup appearances, with Christian Vieri the last European player to do so in 1998. Gakpo could also become the first Dutchman to score in four consecutive World Cup games overall.
12 of Europe’s biggest clubs are fighting for Ghanaian midfielder Mohammed Kudus’ signature after a breakthrough year for club and country.
According to Fichajes, who say that there are four big clubs interested for the 22-year-old, who has scored ten goals already this season for Ajax. They are Liverpool, who see him as a replacement for Sadio Mane (didn’t they already replace him with Luis Diaz?), Real Madrid, Chelsea (who could spend, spend, spend in January) and PSG.
Kudus would help to reinvigorate a Liverpool side that has been lacking in energy and purpose after their draining pursuit of four trophies last season.
Jurgen Klopp has had to rely on youngster Harvey Elliott and veteran James Milner more than he would like over recent months as others have struggled for form and fitness.
Chelsea’s direction under new owner Todd Boehly remains unclear with a raft of signings made over the summer before Thomas Tuchel was sacked in September.
The German manager, who led them to success in the Champions League the year before, has been replaced by Brighton’s Graham Potter.
Although he lacks the status and pedigree of some of his predecessors, Potter has a proven track record of developing young players from different backgrounds.
With his skill, vision and composed finishing, Kudus is considered one of the most exciting prospects in world football.
He arrived at Danish side FC Nordsjælland from the Right to Dream academy, which has helped to develop many Ghanaian internationals.
After a couple of years in Denmark, he moved to Ajax(opens in new tab) and contributed to two consecutive Eredivisie titles under Erik ten Hag, who praised his ‘incredible potential’.
Kudus has reached a couple of impressive milestones in recent months, building on his first Champions League goal against Rangers with a brace to beat South Korea in the World Cup.
It’s fair to say that Everton – who almost signed him last summer – no longer have a chance.
Black Stars captain, Andre Dede Ayew has reacted to the Black Stars performance after Ghana’s elimination from the ongoing world cup in Qatar.
Speaking to journalists after Ghana’s 0-2 defeat to Uruguay in the last group stage game of group H , a game that Ghana only need a draw to secure a spot in the round 16 stage of the competition Andre Ayew expressed his disappointment in how the team’s poor performance led to Ghana’s elimination.
According to Ayew Ghana’s most capped footballer with over 110 caps for Ghana, the team had the opportunity to get to the next round of the tournament through a penalty he miss, a difficult situation to come to terms with but will have to cope with.
Talk about the future, the 33 years old footballer who is nearing the end of his footballing career stated that he is very optimistic for the future as Ghana looks for the participating in the next AFCON tournament slated for Cote D’Ivoire in 2024.
“We had the opportunity to get to the next stage…I missed the penalty..it’s difficult to take..we did not get it right..I am very optimistic for the future
“I am sad but we will try and make it better”
Ghana Black Stars coach has stepped down from his role as the head coach of the Black Star after failing to secure a place in the round 16 of the world cup happening in Qatar.
Speaking at the post match press conference after his team’s 0-2 defeat to Uruguay, Otto Addo who has become the first Ghanaian to participate in the world cup as both a player and a coach confirmed his decision to step down as the head coach of the Ghana team who was the youngest team at the competition, stating he had only one job , which was to qualify the Ghana team to the world cup and coaching the team in the tournament .
“I said before, when I started as an assistant coach… it was clear to me that I will stop after the world and at the moment I have a job in Germany and I like my role at Borussia Dortmund, I am very very happy there and so from the first time we said when we qualify to the world cup i will not continue even if we are world champions . This is my decision”
With a win rate of 33.% , Otto Addo’s team managed a win and two defeats at the World Cup. Former Brighton and Hove Albion manager Chris Hughton who is the current technical adviser of this Black Stars team is set to takeover as the Head Coach going into the AFCON qualifiers.
Ghana coach Otto Addo confirmed he would be leaving after the team’s exit from the World Cup on Friday, having already said before the tournament in Qatar he would not be staying on after.
The inexperienced 47-year-old, a former Ghana international who was born in Germany and played for the Black Stars in their first World Cup finals appearance in 2006, had been a surprise appointment, parachuted in between Ghana’s ignominious exit at the January Africa Cup of Nations finals and their March World Cup qualifying playoff tie against Nigeria.
Although his only previous coaching experience was with the youth teams of Hamburg and Borussia Dortmund, he had former Newcastle United and Brighton & Hove Albion manager Chris Hughton as his advisor as Ghana rode their luck to edge Nigeria for a place in Qatar.
“I said before, it was clear I would stop after the World Cup. At the moment, me and my family see our future in Germany, I like my role at Dortmund,” Addo said after Ghana exited the tournament following a 2-0 loss to Uruguay at the Al Janoub Stadium.
Addo works as “talent coach” at the Bundesliga club, where he previously played.
“I said I would resign after the World Cup even if we were world champions,” he added.
Addo’s departure means Ghana must move quickly to get a new coach in place before they continue their Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign in March.
Addo joins Roberto Martinez (Belgium), Carlos Queiroz (Iran) and Gerardo Martino (Mexico) as coaches who immediately left their jobs after World Cup elimination this week.
©Reuters
Click on any of the links below to watch the game.
Kickoff is 19:00 GMT [7pm]
Stream Link
Lineups:
?? Cameroon XI: Epassy; Fai, Tolo, Wooh, Ebosse; Ngamaleu, Anguissa, Kunde; Aboubakar, Choupo-Moting, Mbeumo
?? Brazil XI: Ederson; Dani Alves, Militao, Bremer, Alex Telles; Fabinho, Fred, Rodrygo; Antony, Gabriel Jesús, Martinelli