The second round of the Qatar 2022 tournament's group stage will end today. Four group-phase matches from Groups G and H will take place today. Two of the favourites of the tournament, Brazil and Portugal, have matches today, and both sides can ensure their place in the Round of 16. Let’s take a look at the group-phase matches that are all set to take place on Day 9 of the Qatar World Cup 2022.
Group G
Cameroon vs Serbia and Brazil vs Switzerland are the two Group G matches that will be held today. The Cameroon-Serbia game will kick off at 4 p.m. (BST), and the Brazil-Switzerland match will kick off at 10 p.m. (BST).
Cameroon vs Serbia
For both Cameroon and Serbia, this fixture is massively important in their quest for Round 16. Cameroon opened their campaign with a 1-0 loss to Switzerland, while Serbia conceded a 2-0 defeat to Brazil. Neither of the teams can afford to lose the match, and even a draw may not be good enough as well.
Cameroon will face Brazil in their final fixture of the group phase on December 2. So, overcoming the hot favourites will be tough for them. The African Lions should target the Serbia match to get all three points. They will also expect Switzerland to lose against Brazil to make the final round even more intriguing.
Serbia also have the same equation in mind when facing Cameroon today. However, they will be in a more comfortable position to move on to the next round than Cameroon if Switzerland lose against Brazil today. In that case, Serbia will advance to the Round of 16 if they win their remaining fixtures.
Brazil vs Switzerland
Neymar will likely miss the remaining group-phase fixtures for Brazil due to an ankle injury. On the other hand, the Brazilian campaign should not be concerned about replacing Neymar in the remaining group stage clashes because they have plenty of world-class options to replace him. The Selecao will secure a place in the Round of 16 with a match in hand if they beat Switzerland today.
Switzerland are in second place in the points table with 3 points. The Swiss side will try to capitalize on the absence of Neymar and will be hoping to take a point from this contest. Therefore, they may play with a bit of a defensive mindset and counter-attack when they get an opportunity.
Group H
South Korea vs Ghana and Portugal vs Uruguay are the two Group H matches that will be held today. The Korea-Ghana match will kick off at 7 p.m. (BST), and the Portugal-Uruguay game will kick off at 1 a.m. Tuesday (BST).
South Korea vs Ghana
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This Asia-Africa clash will be exciting to watch because both teams will be desperate for all three points.South Korea will have the advantage because of the Asian atmosphere, but Ghana will be equally up for the contest.
The Koreans are in second place with one point after drawing with Uruguay in their first match.On the other hand, Ghana lost an interesting battle against Portugal 3-2 in their first match.
This is probably the most open group as all four teams can sense that they have a genuine chance to qualify. But after today’s match, the scenario for the group could change completely. Ghana can’t afford to lose the match against South Korea. On the other hand, Korea Republic will be aiming to take the top spot by beating Ghana today.
Portugal vs Uruguay
Cristiano Ronaldo made headlines after becoming the first player in World Cup history to score in five different tournaments in Portugal's first match against Uruguay. He will once again be the center of all attention in this contest. Portugal will advance to the Round of 16 if they beat Uruguay today and leave it to the other four teams to fight for second place.
Uruguay didn’t show enough intensity against the Korean Republic and eventually settled for a draw. Luis Suarez and co. should have the hunger and intention to play with aggression against the Portuguese side. Uruguay may well lose this fixture if they fail to control the midfield.
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Aftermath
Despite the absence of superstar Neymar, Brazil vs Switzerland will be the main attraction on Day 9 of the FIFA World Cup 2022. The clash between Portugal and Uruguay would attract football fans as well. The outcome of today's fixtures may change the overall scenario in Groups G and H.