4 video games are scheduled on day 5 — Thursday, November 24 — of the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
The Schedule:
Switzerland vs Cameroon (Group G): 1pm (10:00 GMT), Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah
Uruguay vs South Korea (Group H): 4pm (13:00 GMT), Training Metropolis Stadium, Al Rayyan
Portugal vs Ghana (Group H): 7pm (16:00 GMT), Stadium 974, Doha
Brazil vs Serbia (Group G): 10pm (19:00 GMT), Lusail Stadium, Lusail
What to anticipate
Switzerland vs Cameroon
Switzerland has featured at 11 World Cups and in current many years the Swiss have emerged as match regulars with the Swiss aspect’s look in Qatar set to mark a fifth successive World Cup outing.
The Swiss have reached the quarter-finals twice earlier than, although that was many many years in the past. Can they ever get again to that previous type? Perhaps not, however they’re more likely to trigger upset to others throughout their marketing campaign.
Cameroon had a rocky path to World Cup qualification in what’s their eighth look within the match, essentially the most ever by an African group.
It will likely be a Trojan activity for Cameroon to get out of the grouping with Switzerland, Serbia and pre-tournament favourites Brazil.
However, they’ve campaigned effectively earlier than: The Indomitable Lions made historical past in 1990 after they certified for the World Cup quarter-finals, the primary group from the African continent to take action – solely Senegal (2002) and Ghana (2010) have finished so since.
Cameroon needed to beat defending champions Argentina 1-0 to get there.
Gamers to observe:
Switzerland is led by Granit Xhaka and the group possesses expertise and high quality in key midfield and defensive positions. However will probably be Xhaka, 30, who’s important to Swiss success in Qatar.
However his temperament will likely be beneath scrutiny, notably when the Swiss face off in opposition to Serbia on December 2.
Xhaka, who’s of Kosovo-Albanian heritage, is notoriously feisty on the pitch and was fined by FIFA for making an eagle hand gesture 4 years in the past whereas celebrating scoring in a 2-1 win over the Serbs on the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
The nationalist gesture symbolises the double-headed eagle on Albania’s nationwide flag.
If Cameroon are to go away their mark on this World Cup that achievement will likely be led by goalkeeper Andre Onana and star midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa who each play within the Italian Serie A, in addition to captain and veteran ahead Vincent Aboubakar of Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr FC.
Uruguay vs South Korea
The highway to Qatar was not a straightforward one for Uruguay – La Celeste – who have been vulnerable to lacking out fully and never qualifying at one stage. However they’ve arrived, and with excessive hopes – and with good cause.
Uruguay are of their group alongside Portugal, Ghana and South Korea, which will likely be laborious work however La Celeste have crushed every of those three groups in earlier World Cups, together with knocking Portugal out of the match in 2018 and beating South Korea of their round-of-16 encounter in 2010.
The Qatar World Cup 2022 will likely be South Korea’s tenth consecutive look on the match and eleventh in complete.
No group from Asia has performed in as many World Cups because the Taeguk Warriors.
South Korea have solely made it previous the group phases as soon as in 4 makes an attempt since 2002 and have received simply three of their previous 13 World Cup matches. One match was in 2018 in Russia, the place they famously defeated defending champions Germany 2-0 and knocked them out of the match.
Their solely look within the round-of-16 previously 10 years got here in 2010 after they have been defeated by Uruguay, their opponents of their opening recreation on Thursday.
Participant to observe:
Luis Suarez was the star performer for Uruguay within the qualifiers, and whereas the presence of Liverpool ahead Darwin Nunez bolsters their assault, the Uruguay entrance line continues to be led by the 2 veteran forwards.
Suarez and Edinson Cavani, each aged 35, have additionally been the protagonists of Uruguay’s success previously decade, and this World Cup may very well be their ultimate act. Between them, they’ve scored 9 of Uruguay’s final 13 World Cup objectives.
South Korea’s and Tottenham Hotspur ahead Son Heung-min is hailed as an icon of South Korean soccer.
Although Son has struggled along with his type with Tottenham this season, he enters this World Cup having scored 4 objectives in his previous six worldwide appearances.
Portugal vs Ghana
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo is on a mission. That is his final probability to win Portugal its first World Cup.
Portugal have reached the Euro semi-finals (2012), received their first main trophy (Euro 2016) and in addition lifted the inaugural Nations League title in 2019.
But, the group have been abysmal in World Cups and Portugal has not made it to the quarter-finals since 2006.
So, once more, Portugal’s destiny on the World Cup is intently tied to at least one man: Ronaldo – although his World Cup type raises some questions.
Doubts have been solid over Ghana’s – the Black Stars – prospects in Qatar even earlier than they arrived, as going into the World Cup, public sentiment on the streets of Accra and Kumasi was overwhelmingly destructive.
How issues have modified in simply 12 years when again then Ghana develop into the third only-African aspect to achieve the last-eight and solely the second African group to advance to the knockout phases in back-to-back World Cups.
That momentum seems to have deserted the squad and of their grouping, they may face among the finest attackers on the earth of soccer: Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, Uruguay’s Edinson Cavani and South Korea’s Son Heung-Min.
Gamers to observe:
One phrase: Ronaldo
Brazil vs Serbia
Within the World Cup qualifiers, Brazil chalked up an unbeaten path to Qatar, scoring 45 objectives and conceding simply 5.
However the hardest battles are but to return and Brazil has left the final 4 World Cups early after defeats by the hands of Europe’s footballing powerhouses: France and Zinedine Zidane in 2006, the Netherlands and Arjen Robben in 2010, Toni Kroos and Germany in 2014, and Belgium and Kevin De Bruyne in 2018.
However, Brazil are five-time world champions and will likely be bursting with confidence in Qatar 2022 as a result of they’re now not solely depending on star striker Neymar, who’s simply three objectives in need of Pelé’s goal-scoring report for Brazil.
A brand new technology of Brazilian gamers has taken the burden off Neymar’s shoulders.
Serbia is making solely its third look on the World Cup as an unbiased nation after debuting in South Africa in 2010.
Beginning their marketing campaign in opposition to Brazil – the World Cup’s perennial match favourites, Serbia won’t be discovered wanting as they’re a spirited and tight-knit aspect who’re identified for his or her power in attacking.
In addition they certified for the World Cup by beating Portugal away from dwelling and topping their qualifying group.
Gamers to observe:
Brazil has a brand new crop of footballing stars in Vinicius Junior, Richarlison de Andrade and Raphael Dias Belloli (Raphinha) – all ones to observe on this match.
Serbia’s Aleksandar Mitrovic, 28, is claimed to be in peak situation for this World Cup marketing campaign. He was the highest aim scorer of their World Cup qualifying group, forward of Cristiano Ronaldo, with eight objectives, and he additionally scored one other six objectives within the Nations League.
Mitrovic has an enormous function to play for Serbia on this marketing campaign.
Go Deeper:
View the total 2022 World Cup schedule right here and you’ll want to go to Al Jazeera’s AI match predictor to see how your group is projected to carry out in Qatar.