Matt Doherty's World Cup diary | 2 December
Fri 02 December 2022, 14:15|
Tottenham Hotspur
Matt Doherty looks back at Thursday's action and the final group matches on Friday as he continues his World Cup diary...
Now capped 33 times by the Republic of Ireland, Matt has 12 Spurs team-mates in Qatar, plus the experience of playing against eight countries in the competition. He will give us his insight into the busy group stage running until Friday, then into the knockout stage which starts on Saturday.
Yesterday’s results
Canada 1-2 Morocco
Croatia 0-0 Belgium
Costa Rica 2-4 Germany
Japan 2-1 Spain
Today’s matches
Group G - South Korea v Portugal (3pm, BBC)
Group G - Ghana v Uruguay (3pm, BBC)
Group H - Serbia v Switzerland (7pm, ITV)
Group H - Cameroon v Brazil (7pm, ITV)
Our players in action today
Heung-Min Son - South Korea v Portugal
Rodrigo Bentancur - Ghana v Uruguay
Richarlison - Cameroon v Brazil
What caught my eye yesterday
Matt: "Canada-Morocco, I always fancied Morocco. They have some nice players, sharp, fast, clever players, plus players who are at the highest level. They've got Spain next (last 16 on Tuesday) and they could do something there. Croatia-Belgium. Lukaku probably hasn't slept since... I just thought they'd nick something, and they probably should have. Croatia with Modric, Brozovic, Kovacic, Perisic, the experience there is unbelievable. They just know how to take the sting out of games. I was flicking between Germany and Spain. Fair play to Costa Rica coming back from where they were (lost first match 7-0 against Spain). Germany were probably always going to win the game but, now, out. It feels like they're starting again, young-ish players. You were thinking Japan might nick a result here and there, but they're through, and that result against Spain was with the likes of Tomiyasu, Minamino and Mitoma on the bench."
What I’m looking forward to today
Matt: "Ghana-Uruguay, that's a good game, an even game. Ghana have some good players. I hope Rodrigo goes through but that's a toss of a coin, 50-50. Korea, I fear for them a little, if Portugal go strong I think they'll have enough. Serbia-Switzerland has a draw written all over it. I think Brazil can win the World Cup - but they need Neymar to come back into the team (he was injured v Serbia). They'll need him to do something special, somewhere."
If you only watch one game today
Matt: "Cameroon v Brazil will be an entertaining game, the atmosphere as well, lively but in terms of tension, I'd go for Ghana v Uruguay. There's a lot riding on it, as well."
Player to watch
Matt: "I'm going to go with Vincent Aboubakar of Cameroon. He looked lively when he came on and scored against Serbia earlier in the week."
My predictions
Ghana 1-1 Uruguay
South Korea 0-2 Portugal
Brazil 3-1 Cameroon
Serbia 1-1 Switzerland
