Monday at the World Cup: How will Brazil cope without Neymar? Can Heung-Min Son kickstart South Korea cost? | Football News

Brazil will face Switzerland in the World Cup on Monday without their talisman Neymar, dominated out by an ankle harm suffered of their opening 2-0 win in opposition to Serbia on Thursday, however midfielder Casemiro thinks they’ve a number of younger expertise to step in for him.

“We could spend several days talking about Neymar, the player he is, his qualities and how important he is for our team. It’s unavoidable, he is our biggest player, the difference maker in our team,” Casemiro informed a information convention on Saturday.

“However, we have other players that have been performing in the same level like Vinicius Jr, Raphinha, Richarlison, Gabriel Jesus…

“We, those that play in the again finish, typically joke that we really feel sorry for our rivals as a result of we will substitute Raphinha for Antony, Richalison for Gabriel Jesus. We have Rodrygo, Gabriel Martinelli.

“We have a wide array of options (on the bench). It’s great for us. But it does not change the fact that Neymar is our best player.”

The World Cup favourites skilled behind closed doorways at the Al Arabi Stadium forward of their Group G second recreation in opposition to Switzerland.

Elsewhere on Monday, Cameroon and Serbia each look to safe their first factors of the event – with the losers eradicated – whereas Cristiano Ronaldo is again in motion later in the night with Portugal in a position to affirm their place in the spherical of 16 with a win over Uruguay.

World Cup fixtures – November 27

• Cameroon vs Serbia – Group G, kick-off 10am
• South Korea vs Ghana – Group H, kick-off 1pm
• Brazil vs Switzerland – Group G, kick-off 4pm
• Portugal vs Uruguay – Group H, kick-off 7pm

Shaqiri: We’ve bought extra expertise this time

Midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri mentioned on Sunday that Switzerland have been going into their World Cup group-stage match in opposition to Brazil with extra expertise and poise than they did after they drew with the Brazilians at the 2018 World Cup.

Monday’s Group G match in Qatar will be the third time that Switzerland have performed Brazil at the World Cup. The groups final met in the group stage of the 2018 event in Russia, the place they drew 1-1.

Shaqiri, who has represented Switzerland in 4 consecutive World Cups, mentioned the Swiss felt able to getting a greater end result in opposition to Brazil this time.

“That was a positive outcome,” Shaqiri mentioned of the 2018 draw. “We are aware of what we can do and I think we have made progress. We have more experience and have been challenged by greater teams since.”

Switzerland have reached the knockout stage in three of their final 4 World Cups however crashed out at the group stage in 2010. Brazil, unbeaten in qualifying for Qatar, have gained the World Cup 5 instances and are favourites to win a record-extending sixth title.

Murat Yakin, Switzerland’s supervisor, mentioned Neymar’s absence from the Brazilian line-up on account of an ankle harm had no influence on the Swiss preparation or ways.

“I think that team has enough excellent players to build three teams,” Yakin mentioned of Switzerland’s opponents. “The challenge is not going to get easier for us.”

Switzerland edged Cameroon 1-0 of their opening match, and a win in opposition to Brazil would see them by way of to the spherical of 16 if Serbia fail to win in opposition to Cameroon on Monday.

Shaqiri mentioned Switzerland couldn’t afford to squander any scoring alternatives in the event that they needed to have an opportunity of defeating the mighty Brazilians.

“If you don’t get a lot of opportunities, you really need to take advantage of them,” he mentioned. “That’s what we want to do tomorrow.”

South Korea calm forward of Ghana match

South Korea head coach Paulo Bento mentioned he’s below no stress for Monday’s World Cup Group H match in opposition to Ghana, the place each groups want a victory after dropping factors in the first recreation.

South Korea performed out a gritty 0-0 draw with Uruguay however have been poor in the ultimate third and Ghana misplaced 3-2 to Portugal.

The Koreans are tied with Uruguay on one level, behind Portugal on three. Ghana prop up the standings and one other defeat would knock them out of the World Cup.

“I said earlier I do not feel any pressure, I never did and never will,” Portuguese Bento informed reporters on Sunday.

“During the first game, we had a chance of at least ensuring a third-place finish. In the second game, we will keep this opportunity… we will enter the field with a focus on a win.

“I do not really feel any stress in any way. I might love the gamers to really feel the means I do, however I do know they arrive from a distinct tradition… We will have a tough recreation however we’re in a position to do effectively.”

After a miserable showing at the Cup of Nations this year, when they were dumped out in the group stage with only one point, Ghana are hoping for a better performance in Qatar.

“We have nice and utmost respect for an incredible staff in Ghana and the gamers who compete at a really excessive stage,” Bento said of Otto Addo’s side.

“For our technique, we’ve to attempt to be ourselves. We are very effectively conscious of the expertise and the way good Ghana are, this will be a match the place in some moments we will have the capability to manage the recreation.

“They have skilled players from a technical standpoint and they are also very quick in attack. We want to control the game, and also the moments when they are in attack.”

The Ronaldo Show wheels again into city

Portugal might qualify early for the subsequent section of the World Cup with a recreation remaining in the event that they beat Uruguay on Monday, a activity most likely a lot simpler mentioned than carried out.

Uruguay have the World Cup edge in successful the event twice, albeit a number of generations in the past, and are greater than aware of Portugal, having knocked them out of the contest in 2018 in the spherical of 16.

Although Cristiano Ronaldo stole the present on Thursday, setting a file by scoring in his fifth World Cup in Portugal’s 3-2 win over Ghana, his staff lacked inspiration and have a lot to do to shake off a dismal run of World Cup kind since reaching the semi-finals in 2006.

Uruguay, whereas failing to attain any targets and even file any photographs on the right track of their opener in opposition to a gritty South Korea on Thursday, have been composed, organised and like a staff able to one other deep World Cup run, with veterans and neophytes combining seamlessly and shifting the ball with confidence.

All 5 targets of Portugal’s opening recreation got here in a frenetic ultimate 25 minutes likened by coach Fernando Santos to a storm. He mentioned he’s untroubled going into the Uruguay match as a result of he is aware of what wants fixing.

“It’s nothing I’m worried about because I know that my players can do better than that, but that’s football,” he mentioned. “I am totally confident that they can perform much better than this.”

Portugal, with a behavior of taking place to the wire in the World Cup group phases, might need to keep away from that this time with a ultimate match in opposition to South Korea, the staff that ended Germany’s title defence in 2018.

Equally, Uruguay will need to keep away from defeat in opposition to Portugal so their destiny can stay in their very own arms of their ultimate match in opposition to Ghana.

Uruguay have regarded good since Diego Alonso took over late final 12 months and turned issues round in qualifying. He has each participant out there in his squad, besides Barcelona’s Ronald Araujo, who’s recovering from thigh surgical procedure.

Alonso’s defence regarded sturdy in opposition to South Korea and he’s blessed with loads of attacking choices by way of Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani – regardless of their age – and Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez and Manchester United’s Facundo Pellistri, who regarded harmful on their World Cup debuts.

Alonso expects a troublesome recreation on Monday and for the group to be determined in the ultimate match.

“Obviously the second game is key as is the third,” he mentioned. “Whether we qualify or not depends on us.”

Team information

Five-time world champions Brazil may very well be without midfielder Lucas Paqueta for his or her subsequent World Cup Group G recreation in opposition to Switzerland.

Brazil have been already set to overlook their talisman Neymar and dependable full-back Danilo, each dominated out by ankle accidents suffered of their opening 2-0 win over Serbia.

Coach Tite gave no clue about staff choice in his information convention on Sunday. But Paqueta was unable to coach absolutely, affecting Tite’s plans to compensate for Neymar’s absence in opposition to the Swiss.

Real Madrid prodigy Rodrygo could be the first possibility if Tite decides to make use of the identical system with 4 up-front alongside Vinicius, Richarlison and Raphinha.

The versatile 21-year-old ahead performed in Neymar’s place in three observe video games in Turin earlier than the World Cup.

But the possibility of pairing Fred together with his Manchester United team-mate Casemiro to strengthen the midfield can be very a lot in play, pushing Paqueta ahead right into a playmaking position if he recovers in time.

Real Madrid’s versatile centre-back Eder Militao is prone to substitute Danilo. The 24-year-old performed as a full-back of their pleasant in opposition to Ghana in September and would add the solidity wanted to steadiness the ultra-offensive ways Tite is deploying.

Another possibility could be 39-year-old veteran Dani Alves, the solely proper again out there in the squad.

South Korea defender Kim Min-jae is uncertain after struggling a calf harm in the final recreation, whereas ahead Hwang Hee-chan is unavailable to face Ghana due to a hamstring harm after he was an unused substitute in opposition to Uruguay.

Son lately returned from surgical procedure to stabilise a fracture round his eye and performed in a black protecting masks on Thursday, spearheading the South Korean assault which didn’t have a lot influence as that they had six makes an attempt at aim however none on the right track.

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Cameroon vs Serbia

• This is the first assembly between Cameroon and Serbia in all competitions since a 4-3 pleasant win for the Serbs in June 2010.
• Serbia have misplaced each of their FIFA World Cup video games as an impartial nation in opposition to African sides, doing so in opposition to Côte d’Ivoire in 2006 (2-3) and Ghana in 2010 (0-1).
• Cameroon have now misplaced every of their final eight matches at the World Cup, with these defeats coming throughout 4 tournaments (2002, 2010, 2014 and 2022). Defeat right here would equal the longest ever dropping run by a nation at the World Cup, set by Mexico between 1930 and 1958 (9 in a row).
• Serbia have misplaced eight of their 10 World Cup video games as an impartial nation (80%), the highest loss proportion of any aspect to have performed at least 10 video games in the competitors.

South Korea vs Ghana

• This is the first assembly between Korea Republic and Ghana since a pleasant in June 2014, with Jordan Ayew netting a hat-trick in a 4-0 win for the Black Stars.
• Korea Republic have scored precisely twice in every of their three FIFA World Cup conferences with African nations, beating Togo 2-1 in 2006, drawing 2-2 with Nigeria in 2010, and dropping 4-2 to Algeria in 2014.
• Following their 2-0 win in opposition to Germany in 2018, and their 0-0 draw with Uruguay on MD1 this 12 months, Korea Republic have saved a clear sheet in consecutive World Cup video games for the first time. Their earlier two shutouts in the competitors came visiting a interval of 16 video games between 2002 and 2018.
• Ghana are winless of their final 5 matches at the World Cup (D2 L3). Defeat right here would see them exit in the group phases in consecutive appearances at the competitors (additionally 2014), having reached the knockout rounds in each of their first two (2006 and 2010).

Brazil vs Switzerland

• Both earlier conferences between Brazil and Switzerland at the FIFA World Cup have led to a draw (2-2 in 1950, 1-1 in 2018). No aspect have Brazil confronted extra at the competitors without ever successful than the Swiss (additionally two vs Portugal and Hungary).
• Switzerland have gained two of their final 4 conferences with Brazil in all competitions (D1 L1), having did not win any of their first 5 (D3 L2). The Swiss have scored precisely as soon as in every of their final six in opposition to Brazil.
• Switzerland have gained simply one among their eight FIFA World Cup video games in opposition to South American sides (D2 L5), beating Ecuador 2-1 in 2014 in Brasilia.
• Brazil are unbeaten of their final 16 group stage video games at the World Cup – no aspect has ever gone 17 without defeat in the group phases of the competitors earlier than (together with ultimate and second group rounds in earlier editions).

Portugal vs Uruguay

• This is the second FIFA World Cup assembly between Portugal and Uruguay, with the South Americans eliminating Portugal in the second spherical of the 2018 version in Russia.
• Uruguay have gained 4 of their final 5 FIFA World Cup matches in opposition to European nations (together with a 2-1 victory over Portugal), although did lose to France of their final such match. The Sky Blue had gained simply two of their earlier 25 such matches earlier than this run (D8 L15).
• Portugal have gained simply one among their final 9 conferences with South American nations in all competitions (D3 L5), beating Argentina 1-0 in a pleasant in November 2014.
• Following their 3-2 win in opposition to Ghana, Portugal need to win their opening two group video games for the third time at the World Cup. They beforehand did so in 1966 and 2006, finally reaching the semi-finals in each of these editions.

Elsewhere at the World Cup

Iran coach Carlos Queiroz lambasted Jurgen Klinsmann for criticising his staff’s World Cup conduct, calling his remarks a “disgrace to football” and urging him to give up his FIFA put up, as Iran’s soccer federation demanded an apology.

In feedback as an analyst with broadcaster BBC, Germany’s 1990 World Cup winner Klinsmann accused Iran of systematic gamesmanship throughout their gorgeous 2-0 stoppage-time win over Wales on Friday and mentioned Queiroz’s file with different nationwide groups made him the proper match for Iran.

“That’s their culture and that’s their way of doing it and that’s why Carlos Queiroz, he fits really well in the Iranian national team,” Klinsmann mentioned throughout an evaluation of Friday’s match.

“This is not by coincidence, this is all purposely. This is just part of their culture, that’s how they play it and they work the referee… constantly in their ears, they’re constantly in your face on the field.”

Iran play the United States in a decisive Group B match on Tuesday and have an opportunity to achieve the final 16 for the first time.

Queiroz, 69, who has been a coach with Real Madrid, Portugal and Manchester United and is in his second stint as Iran boss, mentioned nobody might damage the integrity of his staff.

“You question my character with a typical prejudiced judgment of superiority,” he mentioned in an open message to Klinsmann, in remarks shared by the Iran staff.

“No matter how much I can respect what you did inside the pitch, those remarks about Iran culture, Iran national team and my players are a disgrace to football.”

Klinsmann, chatting with the BBC on Sunday, mentioned his feedback had been taken out of context and he would discuss to Queiroz and “calm things down”.

“I have never criticised Carlos or the Iranian bench,” he mentioned.

“All I described was their emotional way of doing things, which is actually admirable in a certain way. The whole bench lives the game.

“They’re leaping up and down and Carlos is a really emotional coach, he is continuously on the sidelines attempting to offer his gamers all his vitality and course.”