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?? Spain XI: Unai Simón; Azpilicueta, Rodri, Pau Torres, Balde; Gavi, Busquets, Pedri; Nico Williams, Morata, Dani Olmo.
?? Japan XI: Gonda; Taniguchi, Yoshida, Itakura, Nagatomo; Morita, Ito; Tanaka, Kamada, Kubo; Maeda.
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?? Costa Rica XI: Keylor Navas; Fuller, Duarte, Waston, Vargas, Oviedo; Tejeda, Aguilera, Borges; Venegas, Campbell
?? Germany XI: Neuer; Kimmich, Süle, Rüdiger, Raum; Goretzka, Gündogan; Gnabry, Musiala, Sané; Müller
Spain will hope to conquer Group E when they take on Japan at the Khalifa International Stadium on Thursday.
Spain will try to wear their scoring boots when they encounter Japan in their final group-stage match of the FIFA World Cup 2022. A draw will be enough for the La Roja to advance to the Round of 16, but they will try to finish the group stage on a winning note.
Japan sprung a major surprise by getting the better of Germany in their first match. And they were expected to beat the bush in their next clash against Costa Rica. But a defeat at the hands of Los Ticos hit them hard, and they cannot afford to lose another game as it will end their hopes of sealing a Round of 16 berth.
The Asian giants do have the resources to pile an unlikely defeat on Spain. But a draw would also be enough should Costa Rica fail to win their game against Germany or the latter refrain from scoring two or more goals against their opponent.
Spain have already shown what they can offer to the table with their excellent show against Costa Rica and Germany. They were unlucky to share the spoils with Die Mannschaft in the last game, but Luis Enrique will make sure there is no black spot in their World Cup campaign.
The absence of experienced campaigners could be a major concern for them in the long run. But so far, there has not been any kind of loopholes as they looked pretty determined to make their presence felt this time. The 1-1- draw between Spain and Germany opened a lot of dimensions in the group, and it seems the Spanish will only have to blame themselves if they fail to top the group.
Team News & Tactics
Japan
Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu and Urawa Red Diamonds star Hiroki Sakai are sweating with their hamstring issues. So, Hajime Moriyasu might have to field a starting lineup without them.
Wataru Endo could also miss out and so, a number of changes could be expected in the Japan starting lineup. Shuichi Gonda could be protected by a back four of Miki Yamane, Maya Yoshida, Ko Itakura and Yuto Nagatomo.
Ao Tanaka and Hidemasa Morita will be in charge of the midfield, while Daichi Kamada will use all his expertise to feed some balls to the attackers in front of him. Takuma Asano and Yuki Soma should get the nod on the flanks, while Ayase Ueda should start as the sole striker.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Gonda; Yamane, Itakura, Yoshida, Nagatomo; Tanaka, Morita; Soma, Kamada, Asano; Ueda
Spain
Gavi will unlikely to start the game due to an injury, while Sergio Busquets could be rested by Luis Enrique. Unai Simon will be the undoubted choice between the sticks. Pau Torres will likely partner Aymeric Laporte in the heart of the backline, and Dani Carvajal and Jordi Alba will be hovering as the full-backs.
Koke will join Rodri and Pedri in the central midfield, with Enrique preserving Gavi and Busquets for the next round. Alvaro Morata should find his name on the team sheet, and he will be joined by Dani Olmo and Ferran Torres on the wings.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Simon; Carvajal, Pau Torres, Laporte, Alba; Koke, Rodri, Pedri; Ferran Torres, Morata, Olmo
Key Stats
This will be Spain and Japan’s second meeting with each other, with Spain ending up as the winner in the first game.
Spain are on a five-match unbeaten run against Asian opponents in the World Cup.
Spain have won their final group game in eight of their last nine participations in the FIFA World Cup, with the exception being a 2-2 draw with Morocco last time out in 2018.
Japan have lost three of their last four World Cup matches (W1), as many as in their previous nine games at the tournament (W3 D3), while they are looking to avoid failing to score in consecutive World Cup matches for the first time since 1998 (vs Argentina and Croatia).
Alvaro Morata has scored in both of his appearances for Spain at the 2022 World Cup, with both goals coming as a substitute. Only one player has ever scored in his first three World Cup appearances for Spain, with Telmo Zarra doing so in 1950.
Germany need to beat Costa Rica to secure safe passage while keeping one eye on the other Group E clash, hoping for a Spanish win.
Group E has come down to the wire on Matchday 3, as bottom sides Costa Rica and Germany go head to head in this pivotal clash. Both teams are in with a chance to qualify but desperately need Spain to defeat Japan. The South Americans gave themselves a chance to qualify with a late goal against the Asians in the last game.
Keysher Fuller’s 82nd-minute strike greased the palms of Japan keeper Shuichi Honda before finding the top corner. That goal kept their hopes alive, but Costa Rica now face a different kettle of fish in Germany and will need to beat them to guarantee qualification.
Having started the campaign on a sour note and shipped seven goals against Spain, Costa Rica find themselves well behind Japan on goal difference. A draw against Germany would suffice for them to progress, provided Spain beat Japan. A win for the Blue Samurai would mean the end for South Americans.
Germany will enter the final group game in an optimistic mood following their draw with Spain. Alvaro Morata’s second-half goal meant Hansi Flick’s men were starring down the barrel on another catastrophic end to their World Cup campaign.
Substitute Niclas Fullkrug’s late equaliser instilled hope in the German camp. They are now confident of sealing progressions, albeit as Group E runners up. The road to the next round is by no means simple, as many scenarios could play out for or against Germany.
Ideally, Germany would need a victory and hope Spain defeated Japan. But, to state the obvious, a win for Japan would eliminate both Germany and Costa Rica, while a loss or draw for Flick’s men would send them packing.
Team News & Tactics
Costa Rica
Luis Fernando Suarez may have wanted to keep the lineup intact, but he could make changes. Defender Francisco Calvo will miss the clash with a suspension after picking his second yellow of the World Cup against Japan.
The Costa Rica head coach called upon young defender Daniel Chacon in the latter stages against Japan, and he did admirably at the back. Yet, Suarez will likely go with experience and may call upon Juan Pablo Vargas to reinforce the backline. If the manager proceeds with a back five, Chacon might have a place in the team.
Meanwhile, there could be a place in the team for Jewison Bennette. The Sunderland man got dropped to the bench against Japan. But neither Gerson Torres nor Anthony Conteras were impressive. Hence, Suarez might recall Bennette.
With ageing veterans likely to take the mantle in the tough clash against the Germans, Suarez will have to rely more on the system and a back five to keep the opposition quiet. Contreras is likely to lead the line from the front, with a midfield four in support behind him.
Probable Lineup (5-4-1): Navas; Fuller, Duarte, Vargas, Watson, Oviedo; Torres, Borges, Tajeda, Campbell; Contreras
Germany
After a terrible first half against Spain, Hansi Flick might consider making critical changes to his lineup. Leroy Sane provided a boost after returning to fitness and coming off the bench to good effect in the last game. The Bayern Munich attacker could get a run out in the team.
Sane could replace Serge Gnabry on the left flank, with Jamal Musiala switching to the right side of the attack. Thomas Muller could stay in the team as his experience would prove critical in breaking down a stubborn Costa Rica defence.
Flick will have to make a critical decision on the frontline. Either he continues deploying Muller as the no.9 or pushes him behind the central striker, where he could prove effective. In the latter scenario, goalscorer Niclas Fullkrug could lead the line for Germany. Alternatively, the manager might look to keep him as an impact substitute.
Meanwhile, Ilkay Gundogan could go back into central midfield alongside Joshua Kimmich. Flick will ponder over bringing Nico Schlotterbeck and replacing Niklas Sule. Meanwhile, Lukas Klostermann is also looking to displace Thilo Kehrer at right-back.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Kehrer, Rudiger, Schlotterbeck, Raum; Kimmich, Gundogan; Musiala, Muller, Sane; Fullkrug
Key Stats
Costa Rica and Germany last played each other at the 2006 World Cup, with Die Mannschaft running out 4-2 winners.
Costa Rica have three wins from their last six games across all competitions.
Costa Rica have won consecutive World Cup games only once, which came during the 2014 World Cup.
Germany have only two wins from ten games across all competitions.
Germany are yet to win a game in this edition of the World Cup.
Belgium have no margin for error after their Morocco shocker and head into their final Group F game against Croatia with their World Cup hopes hanging by a thread.
Croatia and Belgium will square off at the Ahmed bin Ali Stadium on Thursday, with both teams needing a result to confirm their qualification to the knockout stages.
Group F is perfectly poised for the final matchday. Canada are already out of the running but will want to earn their first World Cup points when they face Morocco, who, along with Croatia and Belgium are competing for the two slots in the next stage.
A win or a draw will send Luka Modric and company to the Last 16, and the same goes for Morocco. As for Belgium, it is a win-or-go-home situation, meaning securing a draw would not suffice after losing to Morocco.
Meanwhile, Croatia’s much-anticipated opener against Morocco was lacklustre, to say the least, as the 2018 World Cup finalists were unable to break down their stubborn opponents, playing out a scoreless draw.
They were put on the back foot early in the game against Canada after falling behind to Alphonso Davies’s second-minute header. But the Vatreni rolled up their sleeves to thump Les Rouges 4-1 and showed why they deserve more respect in this tournament.
On the other hand, second-ranked Belgium have not lived up to their status or ranking in this year’s tournament. As if the disappointing and gutless display in the deserved 2-0 defeat at the hands of minnows Morocco was not enough, there have been rumours of a rift within the squad.
Jan Vertonghen, 35, reacted to Kevin De Bruyne’s comments about Roberto Martinez’s ‘ageing’ squad in his post-match interview by hinting at Belgium’s ineffective attack. Subsequent reports have claimed the pair had to be separated in the locker room as tensions boiled.
While skipper Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois have come out to deny any altercations, the former himself remarked the Belgium defenders in the team were “old and slow.” It is safe to say there is a lot of friction and nervousness among the members of the squad, which is not ideal heading into the tie against Croatia.
Team News & Tactics
Croatia
Andrej Kramaric was a man on a mission against Canada, bagging a brace before being substituted midway through the second half when he surely would have backed himself for a hat-trick.
He will play off of central striker Marko Livaja, who replaced Nikola Vlasic ahead of the win over Canada and will spearhead the attack for Croatia against Belgium. Ivan Perisic ought to be the wide man once again, providing the forwards with delightful service from the flanks. Manager Zlatko Dalic will set his side up in a 4-3-3 system and could name an unchanged eleven.
The Vatreni’s true strength and quality lie in the midfield, where Marcelo Brozovic will sit alongside captain Luka Modric in the middle of the park, controlling the tempo of the game. In addition, Mateo Kovacic will have the freedom to foray forward and act as an attacking midfielder.
At the back, Dejan Lovren ought to pair up with highly coveted 20-year-old defender Josko Gvardiol, who is turning heads at many elite-bracket European clubs with his commanding displays for both club and country.
Josip Juranovic will take up the right-back slot, with attacking full-back Borna Sosa starting on the left side of Croatia’s defence. Finally, Dominik Livakovic will take his place between the sticks against Belgium.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Livakovic; Juranovic, Lovren, Gvardiol, Sosa; Modric, Brozovic, Kovacic; Kramaric, Livaja, Perisic
Belgium
Roberto Martinez was under a bit of pressure heading into the World Cup, and Belgium’s dire display against Morocco will have done little to silence the critics. The Red Devils came into the competition as the favourites to win their group. And while they were victorious on day one, they struggled in their triumph over Canada before collapsing against Morocco, and now find themselves in a make-or-break scenario.
Martinez will probably be inclined to revert to a 3-4-2-1 formation after the failed experiment with 4-2-3-1 against Morocco and might make a handful of changes to his starting eleven for this game.
There is no looking past Thibaut Courtois between the sticks for Belgium. And Martinez could opt for a back three of Timothy Castagne, Jan Vertonghen, and Toby Alderweireld for this game. The defensive trio needs to be on their toes and work collectively to keep the dynamic Croatian attackers at bay here.
Belgium’s midfield will be led by Axel Witsel and Youri Tielemans as they try to seize control of the game in the middle of the pitch. Yannick Carrasco will play as the left-sided wing-back, while Thomas Meunier will try to make an impression on the right flank. Both will be granted permission to make overlapping runs to offer width.
With rumours that Romelu Lukaku was required to break up a dressing room scuffle between Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne, it will be intriguing to watch whether Martinez plays both players in this vital encounter. Martinez does have other choices, like Jeremy Doku, Luis Openda, and Leandro Trossard, who have been underutilised at this tournament.
Romelu Lukaku, Belgium’s all-time leading scorer, might make his first start at this year’s World Cup after coming on as a substitute against Morocco. The 29-year-old has 68 goals in 103 Red Devils appearances and will look to get his team over the line, replacing Michy Batshuayi up top.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Courtois; Castagne, Alderweireld, Vertonghen; Meunier, Tielemans, Witsel, Carrasco; De Bruyne, Eden Hazard; Lukaku
Key Stats
This is the first meeting between Croatia and Belgium at the FIFA World Cup.
Croatia have only lost two of their 10 clashes against fellow European nations in the competition (W6 D2), with both of those defeats coming against France (1998 semi-final, 2018 final).
Belgium have come out on top in their last two meetings with Croatia across all competitions, with Romelu Lukaku netting all three of their goals across both wins.
Belgium have netted in three of their five most recent games but produced only one clean sheet during that period.
Zlatko Dalic’s team have lost just once in their last 18 outings.
Morocco will look to reach the FIFA World Cup 2022 Round of 16 when they take on Canada at the Al Thumama Stadium on Thursday.
The group stage at the FIFA World Cup 2022 is nearly over, but several positions are up for grabs for the Round of 16. In Group F, the top two finishers are yet to be confirmed. And Morocco will look to reach the knockout stage when they lock horns with Canada at the Al Thumama Stadium on Thursday.
Morocco began the FIFA World Cup 2022 campaign with a goalless draw against Croatia, with neither team looking impressive. But the Atlas Lions stepped up considerably in their second outing, beating a listless Belgium 2-0. And Walid Regragui’s men are one of only three teams yet to concede a goal in Qatar thus far.
On the other hand, Canada might be disappointed by losing the first two outings in the group stage. The Canucks have looked promising, taking the game to European powerhouses Belgium and Croatia. But John Herdman’s charges have faced defeat in both their matches, meaning they cannot reach the Round of 16.
Morocco cruised to a 4-0 win the last time they clashed with Canada in a friendly in 2016, with Hakim Ziyech scoring a brace. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the FIFA World Cup 2022 encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Canada
John Herdman does not have any injury concerns hampering his preparations ahead of the final group game. The Canada head coach will have a full-strength squad to choose from against Morocco on Thursday.
Herdman lined Canada up in a 4-4-2 formation against Croatia, but it did not yield the desired result. However, Les Rouges should play in the same system versus Morocco, with Herdman likely to hand minutes to a few fringe players. Dayne St. Clair should come in for Milan Borjan between the sticks, with the defensive line likely to witness one change.
Sam Adekugbe should replace Richie Laryea on the left side of Canda’s defence, with Alistair Johnston set to continue on the right flank. Johnston is reportedly closing in on joining Celtic. Meanwhile, Steven Vitoria and Kamal Miller will continue in the central defensive partnership.
Tajon Buchanan and Alphonso Davies have been the standout performers for Canada at the FIFA World Cup 2022. And the duo will continue as the wide attackers for Les Rouges, looking to put the Moroccan defence under pressure. But the central midfield pairing might witness one change.
With games coming thick and fast, captain Atiba Hutchinson might drop to the bench, with Jonathan Osorio starting in his stead. Osorio will join Stephen Eustaquio in the middle of the park. Finally, Lucas Cavallini should come into the starting eleven to form the strike partnership with Alphonso Davies.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): St. Clair; Johnston, Steven Vitoria, Miller, Adekugbe; Buchanan, Osorio, Eustaquio, Davies; Cavallini, David
Morocco
Walid Regragui has greeted a positive update on the team news front ahead of the final group game. The Morocco head coach will have a fully-fit squad at his disposal against Canada on Thursday.
The good news is that Yassine Bounou is fit and available after pulling out just before the game against Belgium. But Bono has recovered from the bout of illness and will likely return to face the country of his birth. Munir Mohamedi will make way for Bono between the sticks.
Morocco will line up in a 4-3-3 formation in front of Bono, with the outfield players likely remaining unchanged again. Nayef Aguerd and Romain Saiss will form a solid central defensive partnership, with Achraf Hakimi and Noussair Mazraoui continuing as the full-backs.
Sofyan Amrabat will aim to keep things tight in the middle of the park. But Azzedine Ounahi and Selim Amallah will need to support the full-backs to keep the rampaging Tajon Buchanan and Alphonso Davies quiet. The duo will also look to provide the forward thrust from the midfield.
Hakim Ziyech seemed to rediscover his best touch against Belgium. And the 29-year-old will be the creative supremo for Morocco versus Canada. Sofiane Boufal and Youssef En-Nesyri will complete the offensive unit for the Atlas Lions.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Bono; Hakimi, Aguerd, Saiss, Mazraoui; Ounahi, Amrabat, Amallah; Ziyech, En-Nesyri, Boufal
Key Stats
Morocco have never lost in three previous meetings with Canada in all competitions (W2 D1), most recently clinching a 4-0 win in October 2016.
Thursday’s clash will be Morocco’s fifth FIFA World Cup game against a non-European nation. The Atlas Lions have lost their four previous such games (vs Peru, Saudi Arabia, Brazil and Iran).
Canada are out of FIFA World Cup 2022 after losing their first two matches. They have now lost all five of their World Cup games in total, with only El Salvador (6) playing more times while losing on each occasion.
Morocco have kept a clean sheet in their last six games in all competitions, now going 622 minutes without conceding since Lyle Foster’s strike for South Africa in June. Should they keep a shut-out in this match, they will be the first African side not to let in a goal in their first three matches at a single World Cup.
In addition to scoring their only goal at this year’s World Cup, Alphonso Davies leads all Canada players for total ball carry distance (473 metres) and chances created (5).Daniel Siebert from Germany has been appointed to officiate the Group H clash between Ghana and Uruguay at Al Janoub stadium on Friday, December 2, 2022.
The 38-year-old Berlin born referee who is ranked as a UEFA elite category referee started referring in 2005 and received his FIFA badge in 2015. Siebert is currently rated as one of the best referees in the German Bundesliga.
He will be assisted by compatriots Seidel Jan (Assistant I) and Foltyn Rafael (Assistant II) while Yamashita Yoshimi serves as the 4th Referee.
Other Officials include:
Marinescu Vasile Romania – Reserve Assistant Referee
Dankert Bastian – Germany – Video Assistant Referee
Van Boekel Pol – The Netherlands – Assistant VAR
Carbone Ciro -Italy – Offside VAR
Valeri Paolo – Italy – Support VAR
Giallantini Alessandro – Italy – Standby Assistant VAR
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?? Saudi Arabia XI: Al Owais; Al Ghannam, Al Amri, Al Tambakti, Al Bulayhi; Al Hassan, Kanno, Abdulhamid; Al Brikan, Al Shehri, Al Dawsari
?? Mexico XI: Ochoa; Gallardo, Moreno, Montes, Sánchez; Pineda, Edson Álvarez, Chávez; Lozano, Martin, Vega
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?? Poland XI: Szczesny; Bereszynski, Glik, Kiwior, Cash; Frankowski, Bielik, Krychowiak, Zielinski; Swiderski; Lewandowski
?? Argentina XI: Martínez; Molina, Romero, Otamendi, Acuña; De Paul, Enzo Fernández, Mac Allister; Messi, Julián Álvarez, Di María
An invigorated Tunisia claimed a famous victory over a French team made up mostly of back-up players on Wednesday but their 1-0 win over the reigning champions was not enough for the North Africans to progress to the World Cup knockout stages.
Tunisia, who needed to beat the already-qualified France and hope for Denmark to avoid defeat against Australia in the other Group D game to advance, roared onto the pitch to challenge a disjointed French side featuring nine changes from the side that beat the Danes.
But their win against the 2018 World Cup winners failed to see them through to the next stage after Australia defeated Denmark 1-0 and clinched second place in Group D. Tunisia thus keep their unwanted record of not progressing from the group stage in six World Cup appearances.
French-born Wahbi Khazri lifted Tunisia to their third win in 18 matches at the finals, dribbling into the box in the 58th minute and slipping the ball past back-up goalkeeper Steve Mandanda, who at 37 is the oldest Frenchman to play in a World Cup match. Tunisia’s win also ended France’s six-match winning streak at the World Cup.
Tunisia also threatened early on, with Nader Ghandri flicking the ball into the net off a free kick but the play was ruled offside.
Hostility from the stands was palpable from the start, with a portion of Tunisian supporters at Education City whistling at the French national anthem as it was played before kickoff. The same had happened at an emotionally-charged 2008 friendly in Paris between France and its former colony.
In a tactic designed to rest his stars for the Round of 16, French manager Didier Deschamps gave players who generally see very little of the pitch a taste of the action. But France’s bench showed little cohesion and their back line was consistently pushed back and split wide open by a Tunisian side desperate to score.
The Tunisian captain’s goal mobilised the French into action, with Deschamps bringing in stars like Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann to jump start an attack that had so far been tepid.
Mbappe and Griezmann energised the French, who were aided by Tunisia sitting back in the hope of preserving their win. On the Tunisian bench, substitutes and staff had their eyes glued on the other decisive group stage game in the dying minutes of their own match.
Hoping to spare themselves the embarrassment of a loss, France pressed on but a stoppage-time goal by Griezmann was disallowed over an offside.
©Reuters