[Group D] Argentina Vs Croatia
Argentina has already played in Lusail Stadium three times. The loss to Saudi Arabia was there as well as a group match against Mexico and the quarterfinal against the Netherlands. The final will also be in this stadium.
[Group D] Argentina Vs Croatia
The 32 teams competing at the Qatar 2022 World Cup were divided into eight groups - Group A to H - for the first phase. In every group, each team faces each other once in a single-headed round robin format and the top two teams from each group qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2022 Round of 16 - the first of the knockout stages.
Reigning champions France, from Group D, were the first team to make the cut for the Round of 16 after winning their first two group games convincingly. Les Bleus first beat Australia 4-1 before outplaying Denmark 2-1.
With it, France became the first defending champions, since Brazil in 2006, to avoid a group stage exit from the FIFA World Cup. Italy in 2010, Spain in 2014, and Germany in 2018, were all knocked out in the Group stage. France, however, lost their last group game against Tunisia but still went through as the toppers ahead of Australia.
Qatar, after losing their opening two games, were the first team to crash out of the race for the Round of 16. The hosts eventually lost all three of their group matches to end their campaign on a disappointing note.
[2.31%] Netherlands loses to Qatar, Ecuador draws Senegal: Ecuador (5 points) wins the group, and either Netherlands (4 points) or Senegal (4 points) advances as runner-up. If Netherlands loses to Qatar by one goal, Netherlands advances based on goal difference. If Netherlands loses to Qatar by two goals, whichever of Senegal or Netherlands scores more goals in their final match advances; if they score the same number of goals in their final match, Netherlands advances based on having previously beaten Senegal head-to-head. If Netherlands loses to Qatar by three goals or more, Senegal advances based on goal difference.
[5.32%] England loses to Wales, USA beats Iran: Team USA (5 points) wins the group, and either England (4 points) or Wales (4 points) advances as runner-up. Wales needs to win by at least four goals to advance.
[4.34%] England loses to Wales, USA loses to Iran: Iran (6 points) wins the group, and either England (4 points) or Wales (4 points) advances as runner-up. Wales needs to win by at least four goals to advance.
[4.34%] England loses to Wales, USA and Iran draw: England (4 points) wins the group, and Wales (4 points) advances as runner-up, unless Wales beats England by four goals or more. If England loses to Wales by four or five goals, Wales wins the group and England advances as runner-up. If Wales beats England by seven goals or more, Wales wins the group, and Iran (4 points) advances as runner-up. If Wales beats England by exactly six goals, Wales wins the group, and either Iran or England advances as runner-up based on goals scored, which England leads Iran by two going into the final matches. If they remain tied (i.e. Wales beats England 6-0, Iran and USA draw 2-2), England advances because it beat Iran when the two teams met head-to-head last week.
Saudi Arabia shook up Group C last week with its shock defeat of Argentina, one of the betting-odds frontrunners to win the tournament. Poland (currently with 4 points) now tops the group and only needs a draw to make it to the Round of 16. Saudi Arabia (3 points) advances with a win against Mexico, and Argentina (3 points) advances with a win against Poland. At the bottom of the table, Mexico (1 point), a team that has yet to score a goal in this tournament, needs to beat Saudi Arabia to have any hope of staying in the competition.
[17.98%] Argentina beats Poland, Mexico and Saudi Arabia draw: Argentina (6 points) wins the group, and either Poland (4 points) or Saudi Arabia (4 points) advances as runner-up. Poland advances if it loses to Argentina by two goals or fewer; Saudi Arabia advances if Poland loses to Argentina by four goals or more. If Poland loses to Argentina by three goals, either Poland or Saudi Arabia advances based on whichever team scores more goals in their final match; if they score the same number of goals, Poland advances because it beat Saudi Arabia head-to-head.
[12.42%] Argentina and Poland draw, Mexico beats Saudi Arabia: Poland (5 points) wins the group, and either Argentina (4 points) or Mexico (4 points) advances as runner-up. Mexico advances if it beats Saudi Arabia by four goals or more. Argentina advances if Mexico beats Saudi Arabia by two goals or fewer. If Mexico beats Saudi Arabia by three goals, either Mexico or Argentina advances based on goals scored, which Argentina leads Mexico by three going into the final matches. If they remain tied (i.e. Argentina and Poland draw 0-0, Mexico beats Saudi Arabia 3-0), Argentina advances because it beat Mexico head-to-head.
In Group D, reigning World Cup champion France (currently with 6 points) has already guaranteed its advancement to the knockout stage and is all but certain to be the group winner. Australia (3 points) advances if it beats Denmark. If Tunisia does not win, Australia advances with a draw against Denmark, while Denmark (1 point) advances if it beats Australia. Tunisia (1 point) needs to beat France to have a chance at progressing, though it would still depend on the outcome of the game between Australia and Denmark.
[2.2%] France loses to Tunisia, Denmark loses to Australia: France (6 points) and Australia (6 points) advance, with the order determined by goal difference, which France leads Australia by six going into the final matches. If they remain tied, the next tiebreaker is goals scored, which France leads Australia by four going into the final matches. If still tied (i.e. Tunisia beats France 2-1, Australia beats Denmark 5-0), France wins the group since it beat Australia head-to-head.
[20%] Germany beats Costa Rica, Spain and Japan draw: Spain (5 points) wins the group, and either Germany (4 points) or Japan (4 points) advances as runner-up, based on goal difference. Germany advances if it wins by more than one goal. If Germany wins by one goal, the tiebreaker is goals scored, which Japan leads Germany by one going into the final matches. If they remain tied (i.e. Germany beats Costa Rica 1-0, Spain and Japan draw 0-0), Japan advances because it beat Germany head-to-head.
[2.1%] Germany and Costa Rica draw, Spain loses to Japan: Japan (6 points) wins the group, and either Spain (4 points) or Costa Rica (4 points) advances as runner-up. Spain advances if it loses by 13 goals or fewer. Costa Rica advances if Spain loses by 14 goals or more.
[0.7%] Germany loses to Costa Rica, Spain loses to Japan: Costa Rica (6 points) and Japan (6 points) advances, with the order determined by goal difference, which Japan leads Costa Rica by six going into the final matches. If they remain tied, the group-winner is determined by goals scored, which Japan leads Costa Rica by one going into the final matches. If still tied (i.e. Costa Rica beats Germany 7-0, Japan beats Spain 6-5), Costa Rica wins the group based on having previously beaten Japan head-to-head.
[8.12%] Croatia and Belgium draw, Morocco loses to Canada: Croatia (5 points) wins the group, and either Morocco (4 points) or Belgium (4 points) advances as runner-up. If Morocco loses by more than one goal, Belgium advances. If Morocco loses by one goal, Belgium must score more goals in its draw against Croatia than Morocco scores in its loss to Canada to advance. If Morocco in its one-goal defeat scores the same number or more goals than Belgium scores in its draw against Croatia, Morocco advances.
[1.6%] Brazil loses to Cameroon, Switzerland beats Serbia: Brazil (6 points) and Switzerland (6 points) advance, with the order determined by goal difference, which Brazil leads Switzerland by three going into the final matches. If they remain tied, the group winner is determined by goals scored, which Brazil leads Switzerland by two going into the final matches. If still tied (i.e. Cameroon beats Brazil 1-0, Switzerland beats Serbia 2-0), Brazil wins the group based on having previously beaten Switzerland head-to-head.
[1.16%] Brazil loses to Cameroon, Switzerland and Serbia draw: Brazil (6 points) wins the group, and either Switzerland (4 points) or Cameroon (4 points) advances as runner-up. If Cameroon wins by more than one goal, the team advances. If Cameroon wins by one goal, the next tiebreaker would be goals scored, which Cameroon leads Switzerland by two going into the final matches. If they remain tied (i.e. Cameroon beats Brazil 1-0, Switzerland and Serbia draw 3-3), Switzerland advances because it beat Cameroon head-to-head.
[4.59%] Portugal loses to South Korea, Uruguay and Ghana draw: Portugal (6 points) wins the group, and either Ghana (4 points) or South Korea (4 points) advances as runner-up. If South Korea wins by more than one goal, it advances. If South Korea wins by one goal, the next tiebreaker is goals scored, which Ghana leads South Korea by three going into the final matches. If still tied (i.e. South Korea beats Portugal 3-2, Uruguay and Ghana draw 0-0), Ghana advances because it beat South Korea head-to-head.
Angel Di Maria was left out as under-pressure Argentina made three changes to their starting line-up as they went in search of a much-needed win in their Group D game against Croatia on Thursday.Coach Jorge Sampaoli drafted in Gabriel Mercado in defence to replace Marcos Rojo, and Enzo Perez and Marcos Acuna were chosen in midfield instead of Lucas Biglia and Paris Saint-Germain star Di Maria.Surprisingly, Sampaoli left Cristian Pavon on the bench after the young Boca Juniors forward was widely predicted to play.Up front are Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero and Maximiliano Meza. Argentina need a victory in Nizhny Novgorod after surprisingly drawing their first game 1-1 against Iceland.Croatia, who beat Nigeria 2-0 to top the early group standings, made just one change, bringing in Inter Milan midfielder Marcelo Brozovic for striker Andrej Kramaric.Argentina (3-4-3) (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle []).push(); 041b061a72