USA advance at World Cup 2022, Wales go home
The story continues to build. USA advance at World Cup 2022, Canada and Wales stumble and Morocco continue to impress. Meanwhile, hosts Qatar lost all 3 of their games by a 2-0 margin. By Dave Bowler.
Japan 0 Costa Rica 1 (Group E)
Germany’s next opponents, Costa Rica, did them a huge favour by beating Japan. After their 7-0 thrashing by Spain, it was no surprise to see Costa Rica fall back into blanket defence. Japan made five changes but could not find the cohesion, nor the invention, to discomfort them. Costa Rica showed little real ambition in the game, understandably, after their first game mauling. They grew in confidence in the second half. Fuller’s deflected strike after 81 minutes was enough to win three points and put them level with Japan, albeit on a goal difference beyond rescue.
Would Germany be able to break them down? If not, Germany will be out and a draw could see Costa Rica through. Japan looked to have blown their chance of reaching the knockout stage. Victory today would have had them home and hosed. Now, they would need at least a draw with Spain, and perhaps a win. Maybe the Germans would be sticking around a little longer after all.
Spain 1 Germany 1 (Group E)
Germany were on the edge of disaster against Spain in Group E. The four-time World Cup winners were seven minutes away from a second successive defeat and likely elimination. They went a goal down to a clever finish from Morata. Fullkrug lashed in a late equaliser in a lively game. The Germans deserved the draw that gave them some hope of pulling off a Houdini act.
It was still a German side that failed to convince, however. They were a team in development rather than being anywhere near the finished article. But they had that typical German cussedness, that refusal to give up. They were hanging on by a fingernail, but they were still in the fight.
Belgium 0 Morocco 2 (Group F)
Morocco built their side very much on the back of a redoubtable defence that gave nothing away. Six clean sheets in a row tell you plenty about where their strengths lie. Certainly, Belgium had run out of ideas long before the end of this game.
With real pace on the break, Morocco always looked a threat. They eventually found their goal when Courtois fell asleep at a free-kick and was beaten at the near post in the 73rd minute. From there, there was only one winner. Morocco confirmed victory in added time, deservedly, if not excitingly, so.
The result left Group F in an intriguing position going into the final games. On the face of it, Morocco had the best chance of progress. A draw against Canada would be sufficient to see them through. Belgium and Croatia would be fighting over one place in their game. Belgium would almost certainly have to win to progress. On what we’ve seen from their golden generation gone rusty so far, that is hard to imagine.
Croatia 4 Canada 1 (Group F)
Canada’s World Cup 2022 hopes bit the dust with what was eventually a comprehensive defeat at the hands of Croatia. Despite losing to both them and Belgium, Canada contributed richly to the tournament with their high-octane approach to the game.
Ultimately, class told against them. A wily Croatian side knew how to pick them off on the break. In terms of the spectacle, Canada’s style of play was something to enjoy, out of step with an otherwise very cagey World Cup so far.
Can they preserve this style for 2026, rather than thinking that pragmatism is the only way for smaller footballing nations to earn success? We’ve seen too much of that already.
Brazil 1 Switzerland 0 (Group G)
The Brazilians joined France in the last 16 with a 1-0 win over Switzerland. The Swiss had clearly come to eke out a goalless draw against the tournament favourites. In a game where the spectacular was conspicuous by its absence, it was somehow appropriate that it was Casemiro who made the difference.
He is a crucial cog in the Brazilian machine. He tidied things up in the midfield, giving others licence to play. He offered the insurance policy. It’s an undervalued role, but today, he got his moment in the sun. He galloped into space down the left to receive a pass and finish clinically with a first-time drive.
It was a different side of Brazil, lacking inspiration – and the injured Neymar. But finding a way to win a stultifying game would do wonders for their belief. If Neymar is properly fit by the round of 16, then having a couple of games of extra rest would also do them very nicely indeed.
Cameroon 3 Serbia 3 (Group G)
The Swiss would now need to get at least a draw out of their game with Serbia to advance. That looked far from certain after the Serbs played out a brilliantly entertaining 3-3 draw with Cameroon. Serbia would be cursing that they didn’t take all three points. Mitrovic alone could have had three more goals to add to the one he did score. But it’s hard to deny Cameroon their point for Aboubakar’s scooped finish alone. That one really should have counted double.
It was the kind of barmy game that can ignite a tournament. Cameroon looked set to go in at the break a goal ahead, only to lose two goals in added time. At 3-1 behind, the Indomitable Lions looked down and out. But I don’t suppose they’re called ‘indomitable’ for nothing. Two goals in three minutes had them level, and that was how it finished.
Only a very unlikely win over Brazil in the final game would see them through now, but who knows, especially if Brazil rest half a team?
South Korea 2 Ghana 3 (Group H)
Ghana and South Korea played out a breathtaking game in Group H. Neither side looked as if they’d spent much training time working on their defending. It was Ghana who took the early initiative, two goals to the good and rampant against a South Korea side who had apparently never tried to defend a cross in their lives before. They didn’t start today either.
But in the second half, it was a wholly different team who pegged Ghana back. Two goals in three minutes from Cho brought things back into balance. The second was a header that any centre-forward from any era would gladly have claimed as his own. But Ghana would not be denied and were back in front almost immediately. Despite South Korea throwing the kitchen sink, and possibly every type of electrical goods known to man at them thereafter, they clung on.
Portugal 2 Uruguay 0 (Group H)
Like Cameroon, South Korea could benefit from playing a side that has already gone through and might rest a number of players in their final game. Portugal made it two wins out of two with a pretty straightforward dismissal of a now terminally ageing Uruguayan side that could not raise a gallop until it was far too late.
Ronaldo looked to claim the first goal before it became clear that it belonged to Fernandes, who then bagged a second from the penalty spot after Ronaldo had been substituted. Chasing Eusebio’s Portuguese record of nine World Cup goals, CR7, currently on eight, was probably not amused.
Ecuador 1 Senegal 2 (Group A)
Senegal took second place in Group A with a fully deserved win over Ecuador. The South Americans had only needed a draw to secure qualification, but they rarely threatened. Senegal, by contrast, were always a threat. They had pace and athleticism to spare as they piled forward. They offered real danger throughout the 90 minutes and were well worthy of the 1-0 lead at the break. Sarr produced a sumptuous penalty kick after being mown down by Hincapie.
Statuesque defending at a corner allowed Caicedo to level things up in the second half. Within three minutes, a neatly steered volley from Koulibaly at a free-kick saw them home. It was a lovely finish, his first goal for his country. Senegal might have made life easier for themselves by taking one of two or three more very good chances that they created, but they saw the game out. If they can finally have a better day in front of goal, they could prove a muscular second-round handful for England.
Netherlands 2 Qatar 0 (Group A)
In Group A, the Netherlands topped the group with the minimum of effort necessary in their final group game. Qatar were never going to be meaningful opposition to the Dutch. The impressive Gakpo set them on their way for the third time running with a 26th-minute goal. From there the game was little more than a training exercise. They opened the second half with a second goal through de Jong. He could probably have had a couple more as they eased to victory.
On the field of play, the World Cup has been something of a disaster for Qatar. They were beaten 2-0 in each game by sides that have barely had to break a sweat. Even in the desert heat. Utterly out of their depth, even a 48-team World Cup next time might not see them qualify. As a football team, beyond their enthusiasm, they brought next to nothing to their own party. That really is not good enough from World Cup hosts.
For the Dutch, it’s the United States in the next round. They will pose a more severe test than anything they’ve faced so far. There are different schools of thought on having such a straightforward group. Certainly, it won’t have been especially taxing physically, or mentally for that matter, but will that have dulled the edge for them? I would anticipate a very tight game between the two.
Iran 0 USA 1 (Group B)
The United States made their way into the knockout stages of the World Cup, and deservedly so. A well-worked win over Iran took them to five points from an unbeaten group phase.
They were by far the better side in the first half. They dominated an Iranian side that had none of the enterprise they’d demonstrated against Wales. It was no surprise when Pulisic showed all the hunger that you want from a striker to get the decisive touch to put them in front, even at the risk of injury. Weah might well have put the game out of reach just before the break. He was flagged marginally offside. It was a surprise that it didn’t go to VAR.
Inevitably, the US dropped deeper in the second half to try to hold what they had. As a consequence, they were less convincing. However, Iran didn’t really threaten the goal, not even with ten added minutes played. The United States worked hard and ground out the result their first half showing had earned.
There were some top-of-the-range young footballers in this US side. That bodes well for 2026, but they showed enough to suggest they might yet enjoy an extended stay in Qatar. That’s iff Pulisic’s injury is not serious.
Wales 0 England 3 (Group B)
Wales’ dismal World Cup came to a suitably dreadful end with a 3-0 defeat against England. Their first visit to the finals since 1958 was a horrible anticlimax with one underwhelming performance after another. They only managed to lift themselves in the second half of the US game. That Bale did not emerge for the second half said plenty about the nightmare he’s had in Qatar. But none of his teammates can lay claim to having had a better competition.
With nothing to lose and elimination likely, I would have expected Wales to at least go down slinging punches,. Sadly this was another lacklustre 90 minutes. The first half was eminently forgettable from both sides, but England upped it a gear after the break. Wales had no answer to three goals in 17 minutes. Two for Rashford, another for Foden, settled matters quickly enough, putting England top of the group.
Qualification has been routine fare for England. Southgate’s handling of his side in-tournament remains sure-footed. Questions remain about the defence against the best sides but there is plenty to be excited about at the other end of the pitch. Getting the balance right between the two, and deciding when to let his side off the leash a little, are the key considerations for the England boss, starting with Senegal.
Read the next installment of Dave Bowler’s World Cup 2022 coverage as the group stage concludes.
Sir Alf Ramsey: England 1973 focuses on the final full year of Sir Alf’s reign as England boss. The nation that won the World Cup in 1966 failed to even qualify for the 1974 tournament. Ramsey was suddenly a man out of time, both on and off the pitch. The failing fortunes of the England team mirrored those of a post-Empire nation heading for its own fall.
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