The 2022 World Cup in Qatar is rapidly nearing its conclusion, as the first round of knockout matches have already been played. But who will win the fight for the semis? as we wait for another round of human emotions on both sides of the coin? Who will enjoy ecstasy while others face agony? The knockouts were much more predictable than the group stage fixtures, but that doesn't mean that there weren't any surprises in store for us. We saw a stubborn Australia play their hearts out against Argentina, who only managed to scrape past them 2-1, courtesy of Messi's magic. A last-minute save from Emiliano Martinez saved the Albiceleste from the grueling thirty minutes of extra time and possible penalties. Last night, we saw the first major shock in the knockouts as Morocco held Spain for 120 minutes before Yassine Bounou's heroics in the shootout ensured that the Atlas Lions reached the quarterfinals for the first time in their history. We also witnessed heartbreak as The Samurai Blue's magical run was ended by last year's finalists Croatia, as another goalkeeper, this time Dominik Livakovic, proved himself to be a national hero. But with all of the Round of 16 fixtures done and dusted, we now move on to the quarterfinals. Each team is now potentially 3 games away from ascending into the annals of history and having their name written in gold. Read More: Can Brazil Win the FIFA World Cup for the 6th Time? Croatia vs Brazil Brazil and Croatia greet us in the first quarterfinal as the Samba Stars look to continue their mission hexa. Croatia, on the other hand, will try to outdo Russia by winning their first ever title.Two teams head into this quarterfinal with vastly different Round of 16 performances. Croatia broke Japanese hearts on penalties to go through after they came from behind in the second half. Brazil, on the other hand, demolished South Korea 4-1, with starman Neymar coming close to Pele's all-time record for Brazil. The Brazilians will be coming into the contest with heaps of confidence, while Croatia will be a little shaky after their 120-minute draw against a stubborn Japan. With the form that the Brazilian attackers are in, especially Vinicius Junior and Richarlison, you'd be hard-pressed not to back them in this contest. As for Croatia, their key advantage should be their exceptional midfield. Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic, and Marcelo Brozovic need to be at their best in order to get the better of the Samba midfield. But all in all, the Brazilians should get the victory in what should be a tight contest. Winner: Brazil Read More: Goncalo Ramos scores first hat-trick of Qatar 2022 as Portugal breeze past Switzerland 6-1 to reach QF Netherlands vs Argentina An all-time World Cup classic awaits us in the second quarterfinal as Argentina take on the Netherlands.Argentina progressed after a nervy encounter with Australia, where Lionel Messi gave one of the performances of the tournament to ensure a 2-1 victory for the Albiceleste.The Netherlands had a fairly easier affair than their counterparts as they strolled past the USA 3-1, courtesy of a wonderful performance from Denzel Dumfries.Both Memphis Depay and Cody Gakpo are in red-hot form in attack, and with Frenkie de Jong having a good tournament as well, the Dutch look a dangerous prospect for the Argentinians.Lionel Messi and co. will have another grueling encounter on their hands as they strive towards the promised land of the FIFA World Cup.This matchup has always provided a great viewing experience, and the last match between them saw Argentina win on penalties. Expect the same to happen this time. Winner: Argentina Read More: Spain's Qatar World Cup run ends after penalty shootout heartbreak Morocco vs Portugal Morocco served up the first surprise of the knockout stages when they beat Spain on penalties. Portugal were impressive as well, to say the least, handing an absolute spanking to the Swiss, beating them 6-1 courtesy of a Goncalo Ramos hat trick. Morocco held Spain on for 120 minutes in a dogged defensive performance, and in the end, Yassine Bounou proved himself to be a national hero as he saved three penalties to cause another upset in this surprise World Cup. Portugal was the most impressive team in the Round of 16 after fielding a Ronaldo-less XI. Goncalo Ramos' hat trick meant that they demolished Switzerland 6-1 in a very one-sided encounter. Morocco's underdog aura will give them a massive boost that just might be enough to make them the first African nation to reach the semi-finals. But if they do achieve that, they'll have to do it on the back of their highly impressive defense. Winner: Morocco Read More: Will Deepika Padukone unveil FIFA World Cup trophy at the finals? France vs England In the fourth and final quarterfinal, France and England, two of the most expensive squads in Qatar 2022, will face off, and one of them will have to give up on their dream of bringing it home.Le Bleu will look to retain their crown on the back of Kylian Mbappe's undeniable class. The PSG man has been the man of the tournament so far, scoring five goals already. France beat a tough Poland team 3-1 to qualify for the quarterfinals with a very impressive performance. England were magnificent in their match against Senegal as well. Their incredible all-round performance made sure they got the job done against the Lions of Teranga easily, winning 3-0.A match between the heavyweights will be highly exciting, as no team will leave no stone unturned in order to take one step closer to the elusive trophy. A full fit Kyle Walker could finally be the defender to stop Kylian Mbappe as Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden, and Harry Kane pit their best against the French defense. Harry Maguire and John Stones will have to do their best to stand any chance against the ruthless French attack. In the middle of the park, England just about edges the French with no significant injuries and proper quality all over the pitch and in all roles. England could just about get the win, but honestly, this is going to be one unpredictable encounter. Winner: England Read More: Qatar World Cup: Brazil thump South Korea 4-1 and advance to quarterfinals Verdict Matchups of the highest caliber await us in the quarterfinals as the magic of the Qatar World Cup nears its final stages. New heavyweights, old classics, and underdogs This round has it all, and each and every contest promises to be filled with blood, sweat, and tears. In the end, two emotions will remain and prevail. Unlimited joy and unbearable sadness await, and the matches will be even tougher than the previous round. The football world now waits to see which teams make it to the last four.

Goncalo Ramos scored the first hat-trick of Qatar 2022 in Portugal's Round of 16 fixture against Switzerland and helped his team win the match 6-1. With this victory, Portugal have booked their place in the quarterfinals. Switzerland's World Cup journey, on the other hand, have ended in a disappointing manner. FIFA World Cup 2022 match report: Portugal vs Switzerland Putting Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench, Portugal started the match with a 4-3-3 formation. In place of Ronaldo, Goncalo Ramos started along with Joao Felix, and what a great decision it turned out to be by coach Fernando Santos. Portugal only had to wait 17 minutes to get their first goal of the night as Ramos opened the scoring for them. 16 minutes later, veteran Pepe doubled the lead for Portugal with a header from close range into the top left corner. Read More: Spain's Qatar World Cup run ends after penalty shootout heartbreak Switzerland's game plan halted dramatically after conceding two early goals in the first half. They devised a 3-1-4-2 system with the goal of controlling the midfield with a crowded midfield. But that didn't work out at all, as they continued to concede goals in the second half. Goncalo Ramos made the scoreline 3-0 in the 51st minute, and four minutes later Raphael Guerreiro scored the fourth for Portugal. Within three minutes, Switzerland got one back thanks to Manuel Akanji's goal, but by that time it was all but over for them. Portugal's rampage against Switzerland continued when Goncalo Ramos completed his hat-trick in the 67th minute with a right-footed shot from the center of the box to the bottom left corner. The Swiss campaign was completely disorganized, with no idea what to do to prevent this against Portugal. Rafael Leao made it even sour for the Swiss side when he scored the sixth one in the 92nd minute, making the final scoreline 6-1. Cristiano Ronaldo came off the bench in the second half and scored, but his goal was disallowed due to an offside trap. Read More: Will Deepika Padukone unveil FIFA World Cup trophy at the finals? Aftermath This World Cup saw the first hat-trick in the last match of the Round of 16, as Portugal's Goncalo Ramos achieved it against Switzerland. Portugal will face off against a rejuvinated Moroccan team on Saturday, December 10, in their quarterfinal match of the Qatar World Cup. The Portuguese side's dominant victory over Switzerland will boost their confidence heading into the next knockout match.

Morocco have progressed to the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time in their history after beating Spain on penalties 3-0. On the other hand, La Roja's Qatar World Cup run have ended with this defeat.As always, the game was dominated by Spain, with 77% possession and 1019 passes to Morocco's 304. But the stubborn Moroccan defense only allowed a single shot on target from La Roja. Read More: FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Day 17: Portugal, Spain early favourites to advance to quarterfinalsSpanish goalkeeper Unai Simon was tested on occasion by the Moroccan players as well, but in the end neither defense conceded any goals.Extra time passed quickly, as Pablo Sarabia hit the crossbar in the dying minutes. Morocco took the first penalty and converted, as their goalkeeper Bono saved three out of three. Key Performances Bono: The hero of the match, the Sevilla goalkeeper, saved three penalties to win the match for his nation. Dani Olmo: The RB Leipzig playmaker was on hand once again as he was one of the bright sparks of the Spanish side. Read More: Will Deepika Padukone unveil FIFA World Cup trophy at the finals? Aftermath Morocco have advanced to the quarterfinals as Africa's sole representative, and will now await the winner of the match between Portugal and Switzerland.Spain have been knocked out once again from the World Cup through a penalty shootout, a repeat of their performance in Russia 2018, where they lost to the hosts.

The last two Round of 16 fixtures will be held on Day 17 of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. Portugal will start as favourites against Switzerland, while 2010 World Cup champions Spain will be hoping to overcome an energetic Moroccan side. Portugal vs Switzerland The match between Portugal and Switzerland will be held at Lusail Iconic Stadium. The game will kick off at 1 a.m. Wednesday (Bangladesh Standard Time).  Read More: Will Deepika Padukone unveil FIFA World Cup trophy at the finals?Portugal had a good couple of wins in the group phase, beating Ghana 3-2, followed by a 2-0 victory over Uruguay. However, they struggled against South Korea in the third match, losing 2-1.Portugal have some world-class players on their roster who can rise to the occasion and make the difference for their sides. There are some injury concerns in Portugal's campaign, as Nuno Mendes was ruled out for the rest of the tournament. Danilo and Otavio are doubtful for this fixture as well.Switzerland finished second in their group behind Brazil. They had two wins in the group phase and one loss against Brazil.Switzerland will give Portugal a real test in this fixture, as both sides know each other very well.Switzerland have some talented players on their roster who could surprise the Portuguese. But can they overcome Ronaldo’s Portugal in this very fixture that will be there to be seen. Verdict: Portugal 2-1 Switzerland Spain vs Morocco The match between Spain and Morocco will be held at the Education City Stadium. The game will kick off at 9 p.m. Tuesday (Bangladesh Standard Time). Read More: Qatar World Cup: Brazil thump South Korea 4-1 and advance to quarterfinalsSpain started as one of the favourites to win the Qatar World Cup, and they started as one by beating Costa Rica 7-0 in their opening fixture. But they were off-color in the next two games, drawing 1-1 with Germany and losing 2-1 to Japan.Spain, however, finished second in the group and will try to show their true potential in their Round of 16 match against Morocco. The Spanish side has some seriously talented young players who are the future of their football.Are Spain capable of reaching all the way to the final? That’s maybe debatable, but Luis Enrique's side is certainly good enough to play in the quarterfinals.Morocco have surprised everyone with their counter-attacking and hyperactivity on the field. Achraf Hakimi, Hakim Ziyech, and other important players from Morocco have implemented their coach’s game plan really well.Morocco came first in their group by beating Belgium, Canada, and drawing with Croatia. The confidence level is so high at the moment in the Moroccan campaign. Therefore, overcoming this revitalized African side will be a tough task for the Spanish side.Verdict: Spain 3-2 Morocco Read More: Croatia beat Japan on penalties, progress to quarterfinals Aftermath The ongoing Qatar World Cup 2022 Round of 16 will conclude on day 17 of the competition. Two of the world’s strongest teams, Portugal and Spain, will play their fixtures tonight. They will certainly start as favourites in their respective games. However, Switzerland and Morocco are well-equipped teams to beat Portugal and Spain, respectively. Qatar 2022 should have another exciting day.

Brazil easily beat South Korea 4-1 in their Round of 16 fixtures and have moved on to the quarterfinals. The five-time champions will take on the 2018 runner-up, Croatia, in their quarterfinals match on December 9. On the other hand, South Korea's Qatar World Cup journey ended in the last 16. FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022: Brazil vs South Korea match report It was all but over in the first half when Brazil scored four goals against South Korea inside 36 minutes. From there, making a comeback was almost impossible for the Korean side. The South Korean side did score a goal in the 76th minute thanks to Paik Seung-Ho's shot outside the D-box, which beat the Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson. Read More: Brazil run riot against South Korea, 4-0 up inside 36 minutes In the second half, the Brazilian side was more in a defensive mindset with no proper intention of aggression. Coach Tite made some necessary changes as he wanted to give his key players some rest for the crucial quarterfinal encounter against Croatia. The Korean side understood that they were out of the contest after conceding four goals in the first half. Their main aim was to minimize the margin of defeat, but they were only able to score one goal and ultimately accepted a 4-1 defeat. Earlier in the first half, Brazil scored their first goal in the seventh minute as Vinicius Jr. opened the scoring. Six minutes later, Neymar Jr. doubled the lead through a well-taken penalty. Ricahrlison in the 29th minute and Lucas Paqueta in the 36th minute then scored the third and fourth goals for the Brazilian side, taking the game away from the South Korean side completely even before the end of the first half. Read More: Croatia beat Japan on penalties, progress to quarterfinals Aftermath After confirming their quarterfinal berth, Brazil will now have to turn their focus on Croatia, who will not be an easy opponent to beat. But the Selecao have sent a strong message to their rivals with a 4-1 victory over South Korea, indicating that they are more than ready to win their hexa in the Qatar World Cup 2022.

Superstar Neymar Jr. started for Brazil in their crucial Round of 16 encounter against South Korea at Stadium 974 - Ras Abu Aboud Stadium. His presence on the field has rejuvenated the Brazilian side, as they have dominated against South Korea, taking a 4-0 lead. Within seven minutes, the Selecao scored their first goal thanks to young Vinicius Jr.'s right-footed shot from the left side of the box to the right top corner. Six minutes later, South Korea conceded a penalty after Jung Woo-Young fouled Richarlison in the d-box area. Neymar Jr. stepped up and took the penalty, and his calm and composed finish put Brazil 2-0 up against South Korea in the 13th minute. Read More: Croatia beat Japan on penalties, progress to quarterfinals A few minutes later, Brazil scored again, this time through Richarlison, who put Brazil 3-0 up in the 29th minute after some nice teamwork. Lucas Paqueta then added the fourth goal for Brazil in the 36th minute, making the game completely out of South Korea’s hands. Brazil started the game with an attacking mindset in order to take an early lead, and they did find the net after a few minutes. South Korea, on the other hand, couldn't find enough time to regroup after conceding the first one. Rather, their defenders have struggled to tackle the talented Brazilian forwards. Read More: Qatar World Cup: Are Brazil and Japan favourites to meet in quarterfinals? Korea Republic now have to score four without conceding further to level the scoreline. The way Brazil have outclassed South Korea, it would be nearly impossible for them to make a comeback in the contest. The match is already done and dusted in favour of Brazil after scoring 4 goals just over half an hour time. 

Japan's fairytale run has come to an end at the hands of Croatia in the Round of 16, as they lose to the Red and Whites on penalties. The Croatian side has marched into the last 16. Japan dominated the early game and missed quite a few chances before Daizen Maeda gave them the lead in the 44th minute. Read More: Qatar World Cup: Are Brazil and Japan favourites to meet in quarterfinals? Croatia came back stronger in the second half and found their equalizer through veteran Ivan Perisic's header in the 55th minute. The game eventually ended at 1-1. The game moved on to penalties, where Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic proved himself to be the man of the match as he saved three Japanese penalties to ensure Croatia progressed to the quarterfinals. Key Performances Daizen Maeda: The Japanese striker gave his nation the lead in the 44th minute before being subbed off. Ivan Perisic: The stalwart of the Croatian game took the game to extra time with his headed goal right after half-time. Dominik Livakovic: The hero of Croatia. He saved three penalties in the shootout to put Croatia through to the quarterfinals. Read More: Unpredictable FIFA World Cup 2022: What we can expect more in the knockout rounds Aftermath Croatia have moved on to the quarterfinals after beating Japan on penalties, where they will either play Brazil or South Korea to determine who will go through to the semis. The Samurai Blue will have to go home after their mesmerizing run to the Round of 16, a run that saw them earn the love and respect of millions around the globe.

England comfortably overcame Senegal 3-0 in their Round of 16 contest and earned a spot in the quarterfinals of the FIFA World Cup 2022. England will meet France in the quarterfinals, which promises to be an exciting contest to watch. Qatar World Cup 2022: England vs Senegal match report England expectedly pushed Senegal's defense from the start with Gareth Southgate's 4-3-3 system. They managed to create some real threats with a proper attack from the back. Read More: France advance to quarterfinals with dominant victory over Poland After a while, Senegal started to gain confidence with their 4-2-3-1 formation, deploying two players in the defensive midfield position in order to tackle England's forwards. They began to counter-attack and tried to find the back of the net. Senegal's best chance came in the 32nd minute when Boulaye Dia's shot was nicely saved by English goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. At that moment, Senegal was dominating the contest. But the scenario of the game changed suddenly when England scored the first goal in the 38th minute with a counter-attack. Liverpool's Jordan Henderson scored the goal, and Jude Bellingham made the assist. After that, Senegal's defense became a bit shaky, and by capitalizing on it, England got their second goal right before the first half. This time, England captain Harry Kane was the scorer, and it was his first goal of the Qatar 2022. Senegal made some adjustments to their lineup by bringing in some fresh legs and had a positive start in the second half. But after a while, England got their third goal of the night thanks to Arsenal man Bukayo Saka's equalizer in the 57th minute. It seemed nearly impossible for Senegal to overcome the three-goal deficit with only a little over 30 minutes left in the game. The reigning Africa Cup of Nations champions tried to make some attempts till the end, but eventually they had to settle for a 3-0 defeat against England. Read More: Qatar World Cup: Neymar likely to play against South Korea Aftermath England came out on top in both sides' first-ever meeting and moved on to the quarterfinals. England also gave a statement to their close rivals for the 2022 FIFA World Cup trophy by registering a convincing victory over Senegal. On the other hand, Senegal's journey in Qatar 2022 came to an end in the Round of 16, and they should be satisfied with their overall efforts.

France's journey to retain the World Cup crown continues as they push aside Poland in a slightly one-sided affair where France made the most of their chances. The French side beat Poland 3-1 and have advanced to the quarterfinals.Poland got some decent chances but failed to convert them as Olivier Giroud broke through for Le Blue in the 44th minute. France came out firing in the second half, as Kylian Mbappe doubled their lead in the 74th minute. Read More: Qatar World Cup: Neymar likely to play against South KoreaHe got his brace in stoppage time along with Robert Lewandowski, who scored his second ever World Cup finals goal through a penalty that was retaken in the final minute of the game. Key Performances Olivier Giroud: The evergreen AC Milan man became France's all-time top scorer with his opener as he opened the floodgates. Kylian Mbappe: Mbappe's undeniable class was on full display as his top-class finishing got him up to 5 goals in this tournament, ahead of everyone else in the Golden Boot race. Matty Cash: The Polish fullback looked a threat for France's defence as Poland took the fight to France, making an excellent game. Read More: What Went Wrong for Germany in Qatar World Cup 2022? Aftermath France join Argentina and the Netherlands in the quarterfinals after overcoming Poland in their round of 16 fixtures, looking to win their third FIFA World Cup trophy. Poland may go home, but they can be proud of their performances, reaching their ceiling through progression from the group stages.

Neymar will likely play for Brazil in their last-16 Qatar World Cup encounter against South Korea. The 30-year-old sustained an ankle injury during Brazil's opening match against Serbia on November 24. Following his injury, Neymar Jr. posted some images of his ankle on social media, which sparked doubts about whether the star player would be able to continue competing in the ongoing event. However, the Selecao doctor was always optimistic about Neymar's recovery, particularly in the knockout stages. Updates on injuries for the Brazil team's World Cup 2022 campaign According to recent reports, Neymar Jr. is set to make his comeback against South Korea in the Round of 16 after suffering an injury a week ago. The Brazilian superstar footballer has already started training with his teammates at the Grand Hamad Stadium in Doha. A picture circulating in social media shows Brazilian coach Tite welcoming Neymar Jr. with open arms. Neymar's overall development has been satisfactory, multiple reports claim. Read More: What Went Wrong for Germany in Qatar World Cup 2022? Maybe head coach Tite needs Neymar more than ever after a like-for-like replacement, Gabriel Jesus, was ruled out for the rest of the tournament due to a knee injury. Left-back Alex Telles was also confirmed to miss the remainder of the competition after sustaining a knee injury during the game against Cameroon. The Brazilian side has been hit hard by multiple injuries since the Qatar World Cup got underway on November 20. Two of Neymar's teammates, Alex Sandro and Danilo, sustained injuries and even missed the Cameroon fixture, which the Selecao lost 1-0. These two players have been progressing well to take part in the Korea Republic match. Despite having a very skilled squad that many compare to the Brazilian team that won the World Cup in 2002, the rising number of injuries is always a serious concern. In addition, the Brazilian defense lacks enough fresh legs. They have several elite fullbacks and defenders, but the majority of their players are older, which may cost them in the competition's latter stages. Read More: Qatar World Cup: Who are likely to advance to the quarterfinals? Neymar Jr.'s inclusion in the starting lineup will therefore provide coach Tite with an advantage because he draws a lot of attention to the tactics of the opponent. After Tite's experiments with squad strength against Cameroon entirely failed, significant changes to Brazil's starting XI against South Korea are almost certainly going to be made. When will the Brazil vs South Korea Round of 16 match be held? The Brazil vs South Korea Round of 16 match of the FIFA World Cup 2022 will be held at the Stadium 974 - Ras Abu Aboud on Tuesday, November 6, at 1 a.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time). The winner of this game will take on either Croatia or Japan in the quarterfinal. Read More: Messi all set to break Maradona’s unique World Cup record Aftermath The Brazilian team is now suffering from a lot of injuries, and their spirits have taken a setback after losing to Cameroon in the 2022 FIFA World Cup group stage match. Neymar Jr.'s participation in Brazil's Round of 16 clash against South Korea would therefore certainly be a huge plus for his team.