Brazil, France and other World Cup heavyweights started the build-up to their quarter-final matches in earnest on Wednesday after Portugal made a huge statement of intent against Switzerland.

Five-time winners Brazil, defending champions France, Lionel Messi’s Argentina and England are all still in the mix as the tournament in Qatar paused for a first rest day.

But 2010 winners Spain were licking their wounds after crashing out to Morocco, ruminating on an identity crisis as they jetted home.

Portugal added their name to the list of favourites with a 6-1 hammering of Switzerland on Tuesday, with young gun Goncalo Ramos smashing in a hat-trick after replacing Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ramos was only two years old when Ronaldo made his debut for Portugal and has often spoken of his admiration for the 37-year-old, who came on as a late substitute to a raucous reception.

“Not even in my wildest dreams did I think of making my first start in a World Cup knockout game and scoring three goals,” said the 21-year-old.

“But we have to think game by game and prepare for the game (quarter-final with Morocco). This result doesn’t matter now. We’re going to go all out in the next game.”

Spain were sent packing, knocked out by Morocco on penalties after a match they totally dominated — a familiar story for their long-suffering fans.

They attempted over 1,000 passes but ended up with nothing to show for it, forcing Yassine Bounou into only one save before an embarrassing penalty shootout, which they lost 3-0.

Spain’s exit means they have not lifted a major trophy since Euro 2012, while they have not won a single knockout game at the World Cup since triumphing in South Africa in 2010.

“We dominated the game but we lacked a goal,” lamented Luis Enrique.

“We could have been more effective in the final third, but I am more than satisfied with what my players did.

“They represented perfectly what my idea of football is.”

But there was joy for Morocco, who qualified for the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in their history.

“We had agreed not to take possession — not out of fear,” Regragui said. “We are humble enough to say that we are not yet France, Germany or England, to compete with them in terms of possession.

“Nobody managed to steal the ball from them, so I accepted not having the ball. I’m not a magician.”

‘Best ever’

FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Wednesday hailed the World Cup group stage in Qatar as the “best ever”.

The opening phase featured some eye-catching shocks, with Saudi Arabia’s win over Argentina the first major upset.

Japan also beat Germany and Spain to finish top of their group, while Morocco saw off Belgium and drew with Croatia to finish top of their pool.

“I have seen all the matches, indeed, and put very simply and very clearly, this has been the best group stage of a FIFA World Cup ever. So, it’s very promising for the remainder of the FIFA World Cup,” said Infantino.

“The matches have been of great, great quality in beautiful stadiums — we knew that already. However, as well, the public who was there was incredible. Over 51,000 on average.”

Brazil, who face beaten 2018 finalists Croatia in the first of the quarter-finals on Friday, remain favourites to lift a sixth World Cup in Qatar after their 4-1 mauling of South Korea.

Argentina, who have hit their stride since their shock defeat against Saudi Arabia, will come up against an in-form Netherlands team, who remain unbeaten.

On Saturday, Morocco take on Portugal before focus shifts to the late kick-off between England and France.

England midfielder Declan Rice missed training on Wednesday due to an unspecified illness.

Source: AFP

With shouts, songs, cries and tears, Moroccans exploded with joy Tuesday as their football team beat Spain to reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup for the first time.

“There were millions behind Morocco — this team represents a spirit, a union,” said Imad Ait Ounejjar, from a noisy, crowded restaurant in the coastal city of Casablanca.

“This victory is for Morocco, Africa, the Arab world and all the nations that believed in us. We are proud to be Moroccans,” added the young man, who works as a project manager.

Morocco is the last remaining team from Africa and the only Arab team left in Qatar, and will face either Portugal or Switzerland in a quarter-final on Saturday.

“I can’t believe it, this team is performing miracles! It’s so beautiful!” said Lamia Afria, 24. “I feel proud, we did the unthinkable.”

For the loyal supporters of the Morocco’s team — dubbed the “Atlas Lions” — it was a dream come true after long years of waiting and frustration.

Supporters, both men and women, wrapped in red national flags or wearing the team strip, kept up a solid chant of support for their sporting heroes.

After the victory, the crowd chanted as one: “Next!” and then “Always with Morocco.”

Morocco are just the fourth African team to reach the last eight of the World Cup — after Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002 and Ghana in 2010.

Before Tuesday’s game, Morocco’s best result at the football World Cup had been in 1986, when they reached the last 16.

Neighbouring derby

The epic duel took on the appearance of a derby: mainland Spain is only some 14 kilometres (nine miles) from Morocco, visible across the Strait of Gibraltar at the entrance of the Mediterranean Sea.

But beyond the sporting clash, Rabat and Madrid share common interests, including economic, as well as the fight against irregular immigration.

After a diplomatic quarrel lasting almost a year over the issue of the disputed territory of Western Sahara, Spain and Morocco drew a line under the spat in mid-March.

Several Moroccan internationals play in the Spanish league, including striker Youssef En-Nesyri and goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, for Sevilla, forward Ez Abde at Osasuna, and defender Jawad El Yamiq at Real Valladolid.

National team star Achraf Hakimi, whose chipped kick settled the penalty shootout for Morocco, was born in Madrid and has played for Real Madrid.

But the Atlas Lions have also won hearts outside Morocco, with scenes of jubilation erupting in Syria, Saudi Arabia and the Palestinian enclave of Gaza after the kingdom’s group matches.

Palestinian supporters even improvised a song in honour of the Moroccan team.

Morocco’s players unfurled a Palestinian flag during their on-pitch celebrations after their stunning World Cup victory.

Even in a context of acute tension between Morocco and neighbouring North African nation Algeria, football has managed to bridge a gap.

“Your brothers and neighbours are with you,” wrote Algeria’s DZfoot Twitter account, which has more than one million followers.

Several Algerian internationals also praised the Moroccan feat on social media.

“Far from all the hateful and malicious trolls of social networks, the Algerian people are behind the Moroccan people”, DZfoot added.

Source: AFP

Germany’s team director Oliver Bierhoff has stepped aside two years early after his country crashed out in the group stage for the second consecutive World Cup, the national association said Monday.

The four-time World Cup winners had a poor campaign in Qatar, which included defeat against Japan in their opening game.

Bierhoff and the German Football Association (DFB) have agreed “to terminate his contract, which runs until 2024, early,” the association said in a statement.

Former striker Bierhoff, who scored two goals in the Euro 1996 final when Germany last won the tournament, had worked for the body since 2004.

Bierhoff was an influential and very public figure alongside coaches Juergen Klinsmann, then Joachim Loew before Hansi Flick took over in 2021.

DFB president Bernd Neuendorf said in a statement that Bierhoff had “rendered great services to the (association)”.

While the last few tournaments “fell short”, he would still be remembered for “great moments”, Neuendorf said, highlighting his work at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, which Germany won.

“Even in turbulent times, he always pursued his goal and vision, and leaves a lasting mark on the DFB,” he added. The early exit for coach Flick’s team has left Germany’s once fearsome reputation in tatters.

Germany also crashed out four years ago in Russia, and went out in the last 16 in last year’s European Championship.

Neuendorf and Flick have called for an overhaul of Germany’s youth development system before the country hosts the 2024 European Championship.

Source: AFP

Croatia reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup on Monday with a dramatic 3-1 penalty shoot-out win over Japan after a tense last-16 clash ended 1-1.

Mario Pasalic struck the winning penalty to send Croatia through after Ivan Perisic had pulled Croatia level in the 55th minute of normal time following Daizen Maeda’s opener for Japan just before the break.

Croatia now face either Brazil or South Korea in the last eight and continued midfield icon Luka Modric’s stay at his fourth and likely final World Cup.

Japan’s bid to reach the last eight for the first time in their history came to a crushing end after another display of the sort which saw off Spain and Germany on their way to topping Group E.

However they could not claim one more big European scalp in the shape of the 2018 finalists and go home in the second round, as they did four years ago, after having three of their penalties saved.

Japan could easily have been ahead within three minutes when Shogo Taniguchi glanced a header wide from point-blank range, and 10 minutes later Daizen Maeda came close to turning in Junya Ito’s brilliantly placed low ball from the right flank.

In the meantime Perisic had let off a shot from a tight angle which led to a goalmouth scramble, but had Croatia scored they risked the goal being ruled out for what looked like a clear push on Takehiro Tomiyasu.

Bruno Petkovic then wasted a great opportunity in the 25th minute, strolling through almost unopposed onto a long through ball only to dawdle and fail to get a pass off to Andrej Kramaric who was charging into the box.

Kramaric was then too slow to latch on to Perisic’s dangerous flick-on and from there Japan took control, and the lead.

Daichi Kamada had already blasted over after a superb passing move when in the 43rd minute Maeda fired in the opener after Ritsu Doan’s cross was knocked down by Maya Yoshida.

Japan looked the better team and ready to inflict more damage but out of the blue Croatia’s most dangerous player Perisic levelled the scores with a bullet header from Dejan Lovren’s deep cross.

Almost immediately afterwards Wataru Endo responded by having a good strike tipped over the bar by Dominik Livakovic, before Shuichi Gonda pulled off the save of the match to keep out Modric’s beautifully-struck, dripping shot.

Modric was replaced nine minutes into the first half of extra-time in which Japan had the best chance, Kaoru Mitoma’s effort well tipped away by Livakovic.

With penalties drawing close, one final chance fell to Modric’s replacement Lovro Majer, who dragged his shot wide, but his team prevailed in the shoot-out to end the Blue Samurai’s entertaining adventure.

Source: AFP

World Cup fans in Qatar say the atmosphere is different without alcohol — but they are divided over whether that is good or not.

Some say the absence of booze in stadiums and its limited availability elsewhere in the Arab nation has detracted from the atmosphere inside and outside stadiums.

Others say it has made no difference or even improved it, making it more family-friendly and less aggressive, and want it replicated at future World Cups.

The sale of alcohol at World Cup stadiums in Qatar was banned two days before the tournament in a policy U-turn, although it is available at fan zones and most international hotels.

“It has brought some positivity to the World Cup,” said Ghana fan Assenso Ata Peter ahead of the Black Stars’ tournament-ending defeat to Uruguay on Friday.

“The conduct of the supporters has been so very good, so nice because they are not drinking alcohol,” added the 40-year-old.

“If we continue with this, the tournament can continue to be successful every time.”

Mike and Luke, in Qatar to watch Australia’s surprise run into the knockout stage, were clutching water and soft drinks as they caught the game between South Korea and Portugal at Education City Stadium.

“It’s hard, it’s hard (without alcohol), it definitely takes the edge off the atmosphere, it’s not as… it’s different,” said Luke, 39.

“It’s more like a family atmosphere as opposed to a party atmosphere — you’ve got families, kids, they’re the ones that are doing the cheering,” added 36-year-old Mike.

Kang Yong-ki, who was at the same game, said no alcohol was allowed at matches at home so he could live without it.

“I suspect some of the atmosphere would be higher (more intense) if alcohol existed but generally it’s not very different with alcohol or not,” said the 45-year-old from Seoul.

“But of course it’s good for families,” he added.

For the majority of men and women supporters AFP spoke to, they said it made no difference to them, either because they do not drink alcohol or it is never allowed at football in their country anyway.

And matches particularly involving teams from South America and North Africa have still played out in front of electric atmospheres.

“I really don’t care, I’m just here to watch Cristiano Ronaldo,” said “Amanda” from Lebanon, who preferred not to give her real name.

“I don’t know why the world is making such a big deal of it.”

‘Most diverse tournament’

England fans have long been associated with alcohol-fuelled disorder and the final of the European Championship at Wembley in the summer of 2021 between the home side and Italy was marred by hooliganism.

There was heavy drinking, and also drug-taking, among some England supporters.

Kevin Fulcher and Kevin Hall, who have travelled across the globe to watch England, said they had no problem with the lack of alcohol.

“I think in some ways, when people have had a drink, the edges can get a bit blurred and it might create issues among football fans,” said Hall, 63.

“Whereas if you’re sober, you’re less inclined to have confrontation.

“We’ve not seen any confrontation whatsoever — you’re all mixing coming out of the ground.

“We’ve been to other tournaments and I think this one is more diverse than any other in terms of youngsters.”

Fulcher added: “You see families, kids, I’ve seen babies in stadiums.”

They could not pinpoint the reason for that but said it was not necessarily down to the lack of alcohol.

Chief Constable Mark Roberts, head of Britain’s football policing, called the behaviour of England and Wales fans in Qatar “exemplary” and said there had been no arrests or incidents among those supporters.

He said that the atmosphere at games involving England and Wales had been “passionate but friendly”.

“It would be wrong to entirely attribute good behaviour to the restrictions on alcohol, but I do think it has helped to some degree,” he said in comments to AFP.

Source: AFP

France proved too strong for Poland on Sunday as a Kylian Mbappé brace and a record-setting goal by Olivier Giroud made for a 3-1 victory in the World Cup last 16. Giroud became France’s all-time leading scorer with 52 goals, eclipsing the mark he shared with Thierry Henry.

Vincent Aboubakar was shown a red card for taking off his shirt as he celebrated his stoppage time goal for Cameroon against Brazil on Friday.

 Aboubakar met Jerome Ngom Mbekeli’s cross with a fantastic header two minutes into stoppage time to fire his side to a 1-0 win against Brazil in the final game of the World Cup group stage.

 Aboubakar took his jersey off as he and his team-mates went wild and was shown a second yellow card for the offence. The 30-year-old accepted the dismissal and even shook the referee’s hand.

Source: Goal.com

Vincent Aboubakar scored 2 minutes into stoppage time as Cameroon handed Brazil its first group-stage loss at the World Cup in 24 years Friday — a result that still allowed the five-time champions to win the group and eliminated the Africans.

Aboubakar was sent off with a second yellow card for taking off his shirt during his celebration after sending his powerful header past Brazil goalkeeper Ederson. The Cameroon captain then threw his shirt to the ground near the corner flag and waited for his teammates as they rushed toward him.

Cameroon hadn’t won any of its last nine World Cup matches, with eight losses and a draw — against Ireland in its opening game at the 2002 tournament.

Brazil, which played with its reserves, had won 17 straight group games since a 2-1 loss to Norway in 1998 in France. It had lost only one of its last 29 group matches at the tournament.

Brazil, which had already reached the knockout stage after victories over Serbia and Switzerland, will face South Korea in the round of 16.

Switzerland 3, Serbia 2

Switzerland advanced to the last 16 of the World Cup for the third tournament in a row after a 3-2 win over Serbia on Friday.

Remo Freuler scored the winning goal just after halftime as the Swiss secured second place in Group G. They will next face Portugal on Tuesday at Lusail Stadium.

Freuler finished off a backheel pass from Ruben Vargas after Xherdan Shaqiri clipped a ball into the penalty box.

Shaqiri put Switzerland ahead early in the first half before Aleksandar Mitrovic and Dusan Vlahovic responded for Serbia. Breel Embolo evened the score just before halftime.

Switzerland needed a win to guarantee itself a place in the knockout round after beating Cameroon and losing to Brazil in its opening two games.

Against Portugal, the Swiss will be looking to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since hosting the competition in 1954.

South Korea 2, Portugal 1

The sign said it all. Hwang Hee-chan got the message.

A young South Korea fan held up a sign that read “One More Goal” during halftime of the team’s match against Portugal on Friday at the World Cup. The teams were even at 1-1 at the time, but the South Koreans needed another goal to earn a spot in the round of 16.

Hwang delivered the dramatic goal in stoppage time, lifting South Korea to a 2-1 victory and its third trip to the knockout stage of the World Cup.

It’s South Korea third trip past the group stage at the World Cup.

The team reached the semifinals as co-host in 2002 and then made it to the round of 16 in 2010.

Hwang missed the first two group games in Qatar with a hamstring injury and entered as a substitute in the second half against Portugal.

“In the first match it was impossible for me to play and the pain got worse,” he said. “I did a little running, but I thought I could play the second match, but they held me out.”

He finally made an appearance on Friday. And it turned out to be a match-winning, World Cup-advancing appearance, too.

Uruguay 2, Ghana 0

Luis Suarez couldn’t watch as his Uruguay team slid toward a painful World Cup exit. He put his hands in front of his eyes, then pulled his shirt over his head. When his face emerged again, there were tears.

The Uruguay captain sat in the dugout after being substituted as his team beat Ghana 2-0 on Friday but was still eliminated from the tournament by a stoppage-time goal in another game.

late goal by Hwang Hee-chan secured South Korea a last-gasp 2-1 win over Portugal and a place in the last 16 from Group H at Uruguay’s expense because it scored more goals.

After the most dramatic end to the group, Portugal advanced as group winner and South Korea clinched second.

Ghana, which came into the last set of games in second place, was also eliminated.

“It is sadness and disappointment that we feel,” said Suarez, who was playing in his last World Cup.

When Suarez left in the 66th minute of the game, Uruguay was in a position to advance to the knockout stage for a fourth straight World Cup. He had played key roles in both Uruguay goals by Giorgian De Arrascaeta, which came after Ghana captain Andre Ayew missed a 21st-minute penalty.

A shot by Suarez led to De Arrascaeta’s opener in the 26th minute. Suarez then set up the second with a clever pass that De Arrascaeta volleyed in six minutes later.

By the time the final whistle blew, Uruguay’s 2-0 lead still stood but the 35-year-old Suarez’s World Cup career was over, thanks to South Korea’s late goal against Portugal.

Source: VOA