World Cup 2022, Day 8: The schedule and what’s at stake for groups | Qatar World Cup 2022

4 video games are scheduled on day eight — Sunday, November 27 — of the Qatar 2022 World Cup.

The Schedule:

Japan vs Costa Rica (Group E): 1pm (10:00 GMT), Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan

Belgium vs Morocco (Group F): 4pm (13:00 GMT), Al Thumama Stadium, Al Khor

Croatia vs Canada (Group F): 7pm (16:00 GMT), Khalifa Worldwide Stadium, Al Rayyan

Spain vs Germany (Group E): 10pm (19:00 GMT), Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor

What to anticipate:

Japan vs Costa Rica

Japan and Costa Rica have acknowledged {that a} win is essential forward of their second match on the World Cup on Sunday.

Japan are second in Group E with three factors, behind leaders Spain on objective distinction.

The Asian giants now face bottom-placed Costa Rica, with a victory assuring them of a spot within the knockouts if Germany fail to win towards Spain.

Japan’s supervisor Hajime Moriyasu has inspired his gamers to rapidly “neglect” their opening win against Germany and give attention to Sunday’s Group E encounter with Costa Rica.

Their victory over Germany on Wednesday was one of the crucial shocking outcomes from the primary spherical of group-stage video games, with Japan upsetting the four-time World Cup winners 2-1.

Whereas Moriyasu repeated his view on Saturday that the match was a “historic victory” for Japan, he insisted now was not the time for reminiscing.

Japan are hoping to advance to the Spherical of 16 for the fourth time in seven appearances within the World Cup. Their best-ever end was ninth in each 2002 and 2010.

Costa Rica, in the meantime, want to regroup after Spain handed them a crushing 7-0 defeat of their opener and so they face an uphill — although not mathematically inconceivable — battle to advance to the Spherical of 16.

Former Arsenal ahead Joel Campbell stated: “So long as we now have the likelihood to progress we might want to depart all the pieces on the pitch.”

“It received’t be simple after all, however we’re very excited as a result of we will nonetheless progress to the subsequent section and we have to battle for that. We’ll carry our A-game tomorrow.”

Costa Rica coach Luis Suarez stated his group won’t repeat the identical errors as with Spain towards Japan.

”Everybody learns from their errors, however you might want to be robust to maintain on going,” Suarez stated.

Belgium vs Morocco

Morocco have been in good spirits as they educated forward of assembly Group F leaders Belgium on Sunday, following their match the place they held Croatia to a impasse of their opening World Cup recreation.

Belgium, then again, secured an underwhelming 1-0 win towards Canada of their first group recreation, and Morocco head coach Walid Regragui has warned that the Belgians ought to anticipate a stern check on the Al Thumama Stadium in Doha on Sunday.

The match may have added spice as quite a lot of gamers within the Morocco squad have been both born in Belgium or play their membership soccer there.

Damage has been a problem, nevertheless. Noussair Mazraoui and Achraf Hakimi sustained accidents within the Croatia recreation, ruling Mazraoui out of Sunday’s match, whereas Hakimi joined Saturday coaching and should function in Regragui’s lineup.

Following the underwhelming 1-0 win over Canada, the Belgian group have been again on the coaching pitch on Saturday. Supervisor Roberto Martinez will anticipate an enormous enchancment from his gamers, who have been lucky to beat Canada courtesy of a medical end from Michy Batshuayi.

Martinez was unable to name upon highly effective ahead Romelu Lukaku, who missed the Canada recreation because of a thigh harm. Though Lukaku is again in coaching, Martinez has confirmed that he won’t be prepared to start out on Sunday.

If Belgium beat Morocco, they’ll change into the primary group in World Cup historical past to win 9 consecutive group video games. Belgium are unbeaten in all 4 of their World Cup conferences with African groups.

Croatia vs Canada

Canada educated in Umm Salal on Saturday, the eve of their pivotal World Cup Group F match towards Croatia. Canada head coach John Herdman described his squad as “gentle, vivid and clear, able to go” into what successfully is a ‘must-win’ recreation for the Canucks.

They presently lie on the backside of the standings after the slim 1-0 defeat to Belgium of their opening fixture on Wednesday.

The sport will even mark Canada skipper Atiba Hutchinson’s one hundredth look for his nation.

Croatia drew their opener towards Morocco 0-0, and Croatia head coach Zlatko Dalia has known as on his group to undertake a extra aggressive angle, be extra energetic and lift the tempo once they face Canada on Sunday.

Following their tame goalless draw with Morocco on Wednesday, Croatia have been criticised for his or her lacklustre efficiency, however Dalia stated on Saturday that he’s assured the ‘actual face’ of the group will come to the fore towards the Canadians.

“We’re Croatia, let’s face it,” Dalia stated. “If we simply play our recreation, we may have a constructive efficiency, a constructive final result.”

Spain vs Germany

Germany and Spain have been in coaching on Saturday forward of their Sunday showdown, with the Germans going through a second consecutive World Cup first-round exit ought to they lose to the Spanish.

Since Germany’s shock 2-1 defeat to Japan on Wednesday, coach Hansi Flick has been working time beyond regulation to choose his gamers up off the ground after the opener loss.

Flick’s group have now received simply two of their final 9 internationals throughout all competitions and they’ll now search to keep away from shedding successive group-stage video games at a World Cup event for the primary time.

However they’re up towards a strong Spanish facet taking part in with actual freedom, as exemplified by Spain’s 7-0 hammering of Costa Rica.

Flick had nothing however reward for Spain coach Luis Enrique on Saturday.

“I actually like speaking to him. He’s arrange this new younger group with younger gamers with a unbelievable high quality,” he stated.

For his half, Enrique, who on Saturday described Germany because the group that was probably the most just like Spain, stated he anticipated an open contest between the 2 European rivals.

Ought to Japan keep away from defeat towards Costa Rica within the earlier kickoff on Sunday, Germany should beat Spain in the event that they want to keep away from back-to-back group-stage eliminations on the World Cup.