AL WAKRAH, Qatar - Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livaković saved penalties from Takumi Minamino, Kaoru Mitoma and Maya Yoshida before Mario Pašalić netted the winning spot-kick in their 3-1 shootout win over Japan on Monday to reach the World Cup quarterfinals.
BLOCKED! The first penalty from Japan is saved!
Japan: ❌
Croatia: pic.twitter.com/NBvPsYulJo
The United States qualified for the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup. It had been over eight years since the men’s team had last reached this stage, only to fall in overtime to a strong Belgium side in 2014. This time, the Netherlands stood between the United States and a place in the quarters.
The Dutch side was no stranger to making it all the way to the final match. Their world-class team was headlined by one of the top defenders in the world, Virgil Van Dijk, along with Frenkie de Jong, a speedy midfielder in his prime. Netherlands were clear favorites to win.
AL RAYYAN, Qatar - Speculation regarding the future of Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo and his outburst following his substitution against South Korea were in sharp focus on Monday ahead of their World Cup last-16 game against Switzerland.
The forward, who left Manchester United by mutual consent last month following a controversial interview, was linked with a potential move to Al Nassr of Saudi Arabia but Portugal coach Fernando Santos said he knew nothing about it.
DOHA - Ashraf Ali arrived at Stadium 974 six hours ahead of the Argentina-Poland World Cup match and, in desperation, raised a hand-written sign: "We need tickets."
Someone offered one for $2,000, nine times face value.
That was too steep for Ali, 30, who traveled to Qatar from Egypt to fulfill a dream to see Argentina star Lionel Messi play. Thirty minutes before kickoff, he managed to nab a ticket for $500 and witnessed Argentina's 2-0 win.
This World Cup is special for Lionel Messi — not only because he wants glory, not only because it's probably his last one, but also because his three kids are old enough to watch him play.
"From the very beginning, from kick-off to the final whistle, I'm thinking of my children," confessed the Argentine star after defeating Australia and qualifying for the quarterfinals against the Netherlands.
I feel like England vs. Senegal referee Iván Barton was all of us at home in the 23rd minute of Sunday's Round of 16 match. This was our 52nd match of a 64-game World Cup. We've all experienced a little burnout and grown a little irritable over the last two weeks. We don't have time for this; not now.
So when Senegal came hollering for a penalty on a perceived England handball that didn't exist, the 31-year-old Barton confirmed the call with the VAR and we played on.
Luis Chávez fue, sin lugar a dudas, el mejor jugador mexicano del Mundial.
El mediocampista del Pachuca tuvo un gran desempeño a lo largo de los tres partidos en la fase de grupos, coronando todo con un gol de tiro libre frente a Arabia Saudita que, para muchos, ha sido uno de los mejores de la Copa del Mundo hasta el momento.
Una bala a la escuadra.
England was clinical in dispatching Senegal 3-0 on Sunday to advance to the quarterfinals of the World Cup with defending champion France awaiting on Saturday, Dec. 10.
Senegal was playing with confidence after back-to-back wins over Qatar and Ecuador to reach the Round of 16, and the Lions of Teranga were the better side in the opening 35 minutes by forcing England into mistakes at the back. But the African champions couldn't make the Three Lions pay with Jordan Pickford keeping it level at 0-0.
En una noche en que Olivier Giroud se convirtió en el máximo goleador histórico de la selección francesa, Kylian Mbappé fue rey.
El delantero del PSG convirtió un doblete y asistió al propio Giroud en la victoria 3-1 sobre Polonia, en los octavos de final del Mundial de Catar 2022.
Francia inició el partido con ciertas dudas y durante el primer tiempo mostraron una que otra fisura en zona defensiva. El arquero Hugo Lloris dio un par de pasos en falso, pero también evitó que los polacos se pusieran en ventaja.
DOHA - Thirteen years separate France strikers Kylian Mbappé and Olivier Giroud but their devastating double act in the 3-1 last-16 defeat of Poland at the World Cup on Sunday showed the age gap is no barrier to a flourishing relationship.
Giroud, at 36, brings experience and guile to France's attack, while Mbappé, 23, is blessed with pace so explosive that the screens at the Al Thumama Stadium showed him hitting a top of speed of 22 mph as he tormented Poland's defense.