World Cup 2022: Luis Suarez left in tears as goal-shy Uruguay crash out while Gabriel Martinelli shines for Brazil even in defeat – hits and misses | Football News

Brazil surprised however Martinelli shines

Brazil is not going to bear in mind their last sport group sport fondly. They had been lucky the late 1-0 defeat to Cameroon didn’t value them prime spot in Group G. But for Gabriel Martinelli it’d show a springboard.

The Arsenal ahead, whose name-up for the event shocked some in Brazil, was handed his first begin for the nationwide aspect as Tite made wholesale adjustments, rising from the encounter as considered one of few gamers to have enhanced his credentials.

As a part of a entrance 4 together with his Arsenal workforce-mate Gabriel Jesus, Manchester United’s Antony and Real Madrid’s Rodrygo, he was by far essentially the most harmful participant, his velocity and directness from the left flank unsettling Cameroon all through.

On one other day he would have had a purpose to reward his efforts however Cameroon goalkeeper Devis Epassy thwarted him on three separate events, first tipping an early header over the bar, then saving two highly effective efforts from additional out.

There had been three profitable dribbles, greater than anybody else on the pitch, and glimpses of creativity as nicely as purpose menace. At one level, Martinelli teed up substitute Bruno Guimaraes for a chance from which he ought to have performed higher.

It was his velocity, although, that the majority stood out. In an usually turgid sport, he was a catalyst. At one level in the second half, Cameroon’s solely choice was to haul him down as he threatened to race by means of on purpose, goalscorer Vincent Aboubakar taking a yellow card which might later see him despatched off in the closing phases.

It was telling, too, that while Jesus, Antony and Rodrygo had been all withdrawn in the second half, Martinelli was stored on for the length. His taking part in time at this World Cup amounted to solely three minutes earlier than this sport. On the proof of his efficiency right here, and with Neymar’s health nonetheless unsure, we are able to anticipate him to characteristic extra prominently in the knockout phases.
Nick Wright

Suarez, Nunez, Cavani – so how did Uruguay go out on targets scored?

The World Cup group phases had been selected the best of margins, nevertheless it’s nonetheless shocking that Uruguay merely didn’t rating sufficient targets to undergo.

Giorgian de Arrascaeta’s targets in opposition to Ghana had been the one ones Uruguay scored on the event. They drew 0-0 in their opener with South Korea earlier than dropping 2-0 to Portugal only a few days in the past.

De Arrascata’s targets had been Uruguay’s twenty fourth and twenty fifth makes an attempt on purpose – the form of numbers you’d anticipate for a squad of their calibre. But to return away with simply two targets to indicate for their work is an actual concern.

Indeed, Uruguay’s squad contains two world-class forwards who’ve been there and performed it. Between them, Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani have scored 126 worldwide targets with 273 caps.

They rotated into the beginning XI alongside Liverpool ahead Darwin Nunez, who on the age of 23, is the way forward for Uruguay’s ahead line. Suarez and Nunez mixed nicely in the primary half in opposition to Ghana – the previous aiding De Arrascaeta’s second purpose – however in the end had been only a foot wanting seeing Uruguay by means of.

Then there’s De Arrascaeta, with a clamour amongst followers for him to begin in opposition to Ghana, having solely come on as a 62nd-minute substitute in opposition to Portugal till Friday. He justified his inclusion too with each targets nicely taken. But it maybe says rather a lot that in the present Uruguay squad, he’s now the third-highest scorer behind Suarez and Cavani with 10 targets.

Some might level to numerous selections by head coach Diego Alonso that contributed to the exit – not taking part in De Arrascaeta in earlier video games and taking off each Suarez and Nunez on Friday when extra targets had been wanted. That being stated, hindsight is an excellent factor.

As information of South Korea’s winner filtered by means of, Suarez turned more and more tearful and frantic as he urged his workforce-mates ahead earlier than breaking into inconsolable sobs at full-time. This will probably be the ultimate time we see Suarez and Cavani at a World Cup and it is a devastating approach to finish it.

But to finish on a optimistic notice – that is Uruguay squad in transition. The likes of Diego Godin, Sebastian Coates and Martin Caraces is also making their last appearances on the event, however there’s new expertise coming by means of.

While Uruguay’s marketing campaign in 2022 is not going to go down as their biggest, they now have 4 years to organize for their subsequent crack at World Cup glory.
Charlotte Marsh

Rollercoaster group stage carves World Cup broad open

Vincent Aboubakar’s dramatic stoppage-time header to nick a late win over Brazil ensured no workforce completed on most factors in the group stage.

In truth, it’s the first World Cup to see no aspect win all three of their group video games since 1994.

It is a stat which suggests this event is broad open with the standout nations after the primary two video games of the event – Brazil, France and Spain – all struggling defeats in their last group video games.

It leaves simply 5 groups unbeaten in Qatar – the Netherlands, Morocco, Croatia, USA and encouragingly England.

The Three Lions are more than likely to win the event out of these 5 sides, in keeping with Opta’s predictor, with England fourth favourites general.

The predictor believes Brazil are the more than likely to win the World Cup (26.8 per cent) with Argentina, who’ve recovered nicely from their shock opening defeat in opposition to Saudi Arabia with two wins in their final two video games, the second favourites (17.1 per cent). Those two sides are on the identical half of the draw and may meet on the semi-last stage.

The solely different workforce ranked above England in the predictor is France with the defending champions given an 11.1 per cent likelihood of successful it – simply 0.1 per cent greater than England. Those two sides may meet on the quarter-last stage.

But Gareth Southgate’s aspect can be buoyed by the broad-open nature of this event. They are a workforce who can be feared by their opponents: England have the joint-greatest report of any aspect in the group stage with seven factors and boast one of the best purpose distinction of any workforce with +7.

What this topsy-turvy group stage has performed, although, is serve as a reminder of how a 4-workforce group can generate such stress and drama.

So it’s a actual disgrace to see FIFA cast off this rollercoaster format after Qatar with the subsequent World Cup in 2026 increasing to 48 groups in a 3-group format that won’t characteristic simultaneous kick-offs for the ultimate video games.
Declan Olley

Switzerland the event’s darkish horses?

Switzerland went about their enterprise quietly in the group phases. They edged previous Cameroon, narrowly misplaced out to Brazil and, although they had been examined in opposition to Serbia, booked their spot in the final 16 comparatively comfortably in the top. There was to be no drama reserved for the late phases at Stadium 974.

But ought to we’ve got seen this coming?

Since the 2006 World Cup in Germany, the Rossocrociati have now solely misplaced three of their 15 matches in the group phases of the World Cup (W8 D4) and certified for the knockout phases in all however considered one of these 5 tournaments.

Perhaps extra impressively, together with the reigning World Cup champions France, they’re the one different European workforce to have certified for the knockout phases in every of the final 5 main tournaments since 2014.

The Swiss solely wanted a degree to qualify for the final 16 on Friday evening, while Serbia needed to win to face any likelihood of progressing from the group after taking only one level from the primary two video games. They by no means regarded underneath any explicit menace, even when Aleksandar Mitrovic and Dusan Vlahovic struck to cancel out Xherdan Shaqiri’s opener.

Breel Embolo’s second of the event restored parity earlier than the break and Remo Freuler noticed Switzerland lastly take the lead. From there, there was to be no method again into the sport for Serbia. Any routes ahead had been shut off, any uncommon pictures charged down. It was sport administration at its best.

In the lead as much as the event, head coach Murat Yakin didn’t mince his phrases when he talked up his aspect’s probabilities.

“I think we are the best Switzerland national team that has ever existed – we have fantastic players who play abroad and I am convinced we will perform our best World Cup ever,” he stated.

“We have a great team with a great team spirit that has been built for the last couple of years. Football-wise we have improved a lot, and now we want to write history.”

Reaching the final 16 is nothing new, although. The Swiss have reached that stage in 4 of their final 5 appearances on the world stage. In order to jot down historical past, they might want to beat Portugal on Tuesday to advance to the quarter-finals for the primary time since 1954.

A stern problem lies forward, however Yakin and Co ought to under no circumstances be written off.
Dan Long

Hwang enters pantheon of Asian footballing greats

With a median age of 27 years and 198 days, this was the youngest Portugal aspect named for a World Cup sport since 1966 in opposition to the USSR – albeit one containing a 37-12 months-outdated Ronaldo – however take nothing away from this triumph for South Korea.

Ji-Sung Park’s place in the pantheon of Asian soccer is unquestioned – and it was he who scored the successful purpose over the Portuguese again in 2002, when South Korea co-hosted the event and superior as group winners.

It was solely his tenth purpose for his nation and first at a World Cup, however you possibly can add Hwang Hee-Chan’s identify to that glittering solid as South Korea booked their spot in the knockout phases for the primary time since 2010.

Hwang’s final purpose for Wolves got here in opposition to Arsenal method again in February. The ahead went 26 appearances with out breaking his drought at membership stage, which explains why he was omitted from the beginning line-up by Paulo Bento.

A 66th-minute substitute, these had been his first minutes of soccer in Qatar and first of any sort since taking part in for Wolves in opposition to Leeds in the Carabao Cup on November 9.

Heung-Min Son stays and not using a purpose at this World Cup however he ran himself into the bottom.

A day after Japan set the tone by gorgeous Spain 2-1 in their last sport to achieve the knockout part on an evening of thoughts-boggling drama, Son made certain South Korea’s followers may kick-begin their very own celebration in the Education City Stadium.

The Asian aspect merely refused to just accept that their World Cup dream was over and it was captain Son who epitomised the Koreans’ relentless power with a selfless show, typified by his function in the purpose for Hwang, whose late intervention means he would be the toast of Seoul all weekend.
Ben Grounds