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This summer’s World Cup has thrilled us all for nearly a month now, but of the 48 teams who travelled to North America to participate, just 8 remain as the tournament nears its conclusion. Here we look at how some of the sides have fared in their knockout matches so far and predict how the rest of the World Cup could unfold.
Norway
Norway qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 1998, but they haven’t just made up the numbers in this year’s tournament. An excellent Group Stage campaign saw the Vikings finish second in Group I behind France, with Erling Haaland netting four goals in three games, but would he have the same impact in their knockout matches? His team faced Senegal in their Round of 32 fixture, with the World Cup providing an opportunity for young stars to have breakout tournaments and this has certainly been the case for Norway winger Antonio Nusa. The 21-year-old opened the scoring shortly before half time, cutting in from the right and curling an excellent effort into the top right corner from just inside the box, Norway going in with a 1-0 lead at the break.
Throughout the second half, the Norwegians continued to probe in search of a second goal, but against the run of play, their opponents drew level, Amad Diallo striking off the bench to level the tie with a quarter of an hour left to play. The match wouldn’t be level for long, though as soon after they forfeited their advantage, Norway regained it through Haaland. Midfielder Patrick Berg cut the ball back for the goal machine to prod home from close range with five minutes left to play, his team holding on to secure a 2-1 victory and advance to the next stage where they would face much stronger opposition.
Their Last 16 clash against Brazil looked to potentially be a step too far for Norway and many would have expected them to be defeated, but they came into the game in good form and their players looked ready for the challenge as the match kicked off. Their opponents started well and were given a good opportunity to open the scoring from the penalty spot, with defender Kristoffer Ajer adjudged to have fouled Mattheus Cunha in the box following a VAR review. Bruno Guimaraes stepped up for his team, but saw his penalty saved superbly by Norway goalkeeper Orjan Nyland. The Vikings dominated possession throughout, their backline managing to keep Brazil’s forwards quiet as the half drew to an end.
At the start of the second period, Brazil started to get frustrated and the Norway grew in confidence, taking an unlikely lead through a familiar source. Substitute Andreas Schjelderup found himself in space down the left and his cross to Haaland was an excellent one, the Norwegian machine rising above his Premier League arch-nemesis Gabriel Magalhaes to head into the net and put his team ahead. In the 90th minute, the pair would combine again, Schjelderup picking out Erling Haaland on the edge of the area. The talismanic forward took his second goal extremely well, rifling a powerful shot into the bottom corner to give his team a two-goal cushion.
Brazil managed to finally breach the Norway defence late on in added time, pulling a goal back through a Neymar penalty, but this was the last act of the game, the final score reading 2-1. The Brazilians might have had the better side on paper, but the Norwegians were a more cohesive unit on the day and thoroughly deserved the victory as they go through to a first ever World Cup Quarter Final. Despite these brilliant performances and having already knocked out one of international footballs historic giants, I think they will bow out to England at the Quarter Final stage, but they have been impressive so far and could spring a surprise once again.
England
Thomas Tuchel’s England topped Group L with 7 points, but had yet to really impress, with some supporters growing frustrated at some slow build up play and a few nervy moments in defence. England met DR Congo in their first knockout outing and were left having to come from behind after an early Congolese onslaught saw winger Brian Cipenga beat Jordan Pickford at his near post to give the African side an early lead. The Three Lions reacted well to this deficit, with attempts from Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, and Marcus Rashford all kept out by Congo ‘keeper Lionel Mpasi-Nzau.
DR Congo continued to threaten on the break towards the end of the half and probably should have had a two-goal lead, striker Yoane Wissa hitting the post from close range, his team going in 1-0 up at half time. The second half started similarly to how the first had played out, with England dominating possession, but struggling to find a way through Congo’s resolute defence. Just when it seemed like one of those days for Tuchel’s side, captain Kane stepped up, heading past Mpasi-Nzau from an Anthony Gordon cross fifteen minutes from time.
Gordon had been introduced on the hour mark by Tuchel in the hope that he could help inspire a comeback and this plan had certainly come to fruition. As England continued their purge on the DR Congo goal, in the 86th minute, Gordon found Kane on the edge of the area, who glided past two defenders and fired an excellent shot into the top right corner. The Three Lions had turned the game around and held on for a 2-1 win, advancing to the Round of 16 stage.
England visited Mexico in an extraordinary knockout showdown at the Estadio Azteca, a stadium in which the hosts had only lost 2 of 89 games prior to this fixture. The opening of this hugely tough test for the Three Lions unfolded as expected, with Mexico penning England in their half and looking for the breakthrough, striker Raul Jimenez forced a great low save from Jordan Pickford with a brave header. England head coach Thomas Tuchel has made plenty of bold calls with his squad selection, leaving out some big names such as Cole Palmer and Phil Foden in favour of Jude Bellingham and the manager’s faith in the Real Madrid man was rewarded once again in this match.
The opener was crafted as England broke away following a spell of Mexican pressure, the ball ending up with Bukayo Saka on the right. Saka found Bellingham with a brilliant cross and he nodded past El Tri keeper Raul Rangel, giving his side the lead. Just two minutes later, Bellingham and England would have a second. Another counter attack lead to Jude playing a one-two with Kane before finishing well from inside the box.
A fast Mexican response would take some of the gleam off of England’s start, as shortly before half time, winger Julian Quinones pulled a goal back with a brilliant volleyed finish following a set piece. Quinones’ fourth goal in five games meant that the English would only take a one goal lead into half time, with things getting even more difficult for Tuchel’s players as the second half began, Jarell Quansah sent off for a high lunge on Mexico’s Jesus Gallardo. The referee initially hadn’t awarded a foul to Mexico, but eventually showed Quansah a red card after consulting with his VAR team.
Despite having their numbers depleted to ten, England would go on to score the next goal, Kane striking from the penalty spot after Gordon had been hacked down in the box by the onrushing Rangel. England’s captain would be involved in another penalty incident soon after, but not in his team’s favour, as he was adjudged to have fouled substitute Brian Gutierrez while attempting to clear the ball. The referee again went to VAR, gave the penalty, and Jimenez buried it, rendering England’s challenge of hanging on with ten men an even tougher task.
Against all odds and even with the unhelpful addition of ten minutes injury time, England held on for a famous win in Mexico City and will now face Norway in the Quarter Finals. Knocking out host nation Mexico at the Azteca will have done a lot for confidence in the England camp and they remain undefeated ahead of the Quarter Finals. I have had a feeling all along that England will be knocked out in the Semis, but the Three Lions certainly have the talent to prove me wrong and bring it home if they can stop conceding sloppy goals. Their manager has instilled a winning mentality in the players and he could have the expertise needed for success at the business end of this tournament.
Argentina
Argentina have scraped their way through to the Quarter Finals, despite not having performed at their best, with close calls in both their Round of 32 and Last 16 ties. Lionel Scaloni’s side took on surprise knockout qualifiers Cape Verde and wouldn’t find things quite as easy as expected in knockout action. La Albiceleste started the match on top and were ahead through an almost inevitable goal from Lionel Messi, their captain latching on to a pinpoint pass over the top from Lisandro Martinez and finishing into the top corner inside half an hour.
Messi and co. pushed for another goal in the second half, but they would be pegged back as Cape Verde managed to find the net following a good spell of pressure, Deroy Duarte finishing well past Emiliano Martinez from a tight angle. Verde managed to take the match into extra time, but they were undone just two minutes into the first period, defender Lisandro Martinez adding to his earlier assist with a goal from a corner.
Then came undoubtably one of the greatest goals of the tournament as Cape Verde drew themselves level once again, left back Sidny Cabral cutting in on his right foot and curling a superb strike into the top right corner, causing concern for the Argentinians as it looked likely the match would go to penalties. Scaloni’s men still found a way to snatch it at the death, however, as a header from Cristian Romero deflecting in off of Verde defender Diney Borges for an unfortunate own goal. Argentina were through, but this had hardly been a convincing display.
This theme would carry on into Argentina’s Round of 16 tie against Egypt as La Albiceleste, having made a bright start to proceedings with plenty of possession and a few half chances, dropped their energy and concentration momentarily and were punished. Through their first and only corner of the contest, Egypt opened the scoring, defender Yasser Ibrahim heading past Martinez to give his team an unlikely lead a quarter of an hour in to the game.
Around five minutes after, Argentina would be given an opportunity to draw level from the penalty spot, with Tagliafico fouled in the box, but Messi would see his penalty saved, his second miss from the spot at this World Cup. Argentina trailed at half time, looking like a team running out of ideas and to add to an already dire situation, a brilliant Egypt counter attack saw Mostafa Ziko double Egypt’s lead in the second half, leaving La Albiceleste with a mountain to climb.
Argentina did mount a reaction, pulling a goal back from an unexpected source as defender Cristian Romero got up from the back to head in a quality Messi cross. Just four minutes later, they were back on level terms, the little magician involved once again as a goalmouth scramble saw Messi rifle an excellent first-time effort through Cape Verde keeper Vozinha and into the net for the equaliser.
Not long after they had levelled the tie, Argentina would complete the turnaround, an incredible cross from substitute Lautaro Martinez found Enzo Fernandez, who headed home to put his team 3-2 up and send them through. Following on from that incredible comeback victory, Argentina meet Switzerland in the Quarter Finals and they should certainly have too much for them in this fixture, but then again, they only narrowly beat minnows Cape Verde in extra time. I think they will reach the final, though I can’t see them winning it, as there are too many questions to be asked over their backline. La Albiceleste do have a never say die attitude, reacting extremely well to set backs and the Messi factor is also a big one, with the tournament’s top scorer having scored in his last nine consecutive World Cup matches going into the competition’s final stages.
Spain
Having won Group H, Spain advanced to the Round of 32 stage having not conceded a single goal in the Group Stage. Their first knockout tie against Austria saw La Roja again dominate possession, pinning their opposition into their own half and limiting them to very little on the break. In-form frontman Mikel Oyarzabal opened the scoring after half an hour with a clever finish from an incisive Pedri pass.
Spain continued to control the game at the end of the first half and carried this dominance into the second period, eventually doubling their advantage as both full backs collaborated, a whipped delivery from left back Marc Cucurella finding the late run of right back Pedro Porro who nodded in his first goal his country. Oyarzabal added his second and a third for his team after Cucurella had sent him through one on one with a clever pass, their red-hot striker finishing with aplomb past the goalkeeper and into the bottom corner, the final score remaining 3-0. Another clean sheet had been kept by his sturdy backline, but De La Fuente’s men would go on to face a much more powerful European adversary in their next match.
Spain and Portugal met in a colossal Last 16 bout, but the game struggled to meet heavy expectations as both managers opted for a more pragmatic approach. Despite a lack of real goalmouth action throughout the match, Luis De La Fuente’s side have often been able to find a way to get on the right side of tight games and they managed to do so here, substitute Mikel Merino popping up with a huge goal off the bench in the 89th minute. Cristiano Ronaldo was raging, Portugal were out, and Spain had kept yet another clean sheet.
Luis De La Fuente has landed on a settled side now, having named an unchanged lineup for both of their knockout matches, his team have an in-form striker in Oyarzabal and also have plenty of quality off the bench if required. Spain play Belgium in their Quarter Final tie and should have too much for their European rivals, the team will be full of confidence after knocking out Portugal, looking solid at the back, and having scored plenty at the other end. For these reasons, plus the fact that their manager has already guided them to success at Euro 2024, I fancy La Roja to go all the way and win the tournament.
