Editorial Use Only Mandatory Credit: Photo by Dave Shopland/Shutterstock (13626449k) Kylian Mbappe of France. France v Australia, FIFA World Cup 2022, Group D, Football, Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah, Qatar – 22 Nov 2022

2022 World Cup Saturday Preview: Argentina vs. Mexico and France vs. Denmark headline star-studded weekend

Clovis Shropshire
November 25, 2022
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19 minutes read

Group D: Tunisia (No. 30) vs. Australia (No. 38)

When, where: 4 a.m. CT, Al Janoub Stadium (Al Wakrah, Qatar)

What to expect: Tunisia and Australia look to keep their Group D qualifying hopes alive in the first of four Saturday matches at the 2022 World Cup when they face off at Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah, Qatar. The Tunisians played to an impressive 0-0 draw against No. 10-ranked Denmark in its opening match on Tuesday. Prior to the World Cup, Tunisia had also earned impressive victories against both Japan and Chile to help earn a top 30 FIFA ranking. Australia, on the other hand, enters Matchday 2 play with a chip on its collective shoulder after being routed 4-1 by France despite taking an early 1-0 lead against the defending 2018 World Cup champions. The confidence gained by Tunisia against battle-tested Denmark, which included edging the Danes in total shots (13-10) and earning nine corner kicks against a top-end defense, should be more than enough to give them added confidence coming into this match. The Eagles of Carthage are also much better defensively than Australia and have a closer advantage of playing near home, less than a five-hour plane ride than do the Aussies.

Chris Dell’s Prediction: Tunisia 2, Australia 1

Group C: Poland (No. 26) vs. Saudi Arabia (No. 51)

When, where: 7 a.m. CT, Education City Stadium (Doha, Qatar)

What to expect: Coming off arguably the greatest upset in World Cup history, Saudi Arabia now must prove it is not a fluke. The Saudis will need their offensive firepower to continue with the help of Salem Al-Dawsari and Saleh Al-Shehri, who each scored in a span of less than five minutes in the second half of the Green Falcons’ thrilling 2-1 win against Argentina on Tuesday. Poland enters the pitch at Education City Stadium in Doha, Qatar, with another similar superstar to Argentina’s Lionel Messi. This time, it is Robert Lewandowski that the Saudi defense must contend with, although Lewandowski has been far from superior in his World Cup play throughout his career, including a disappointing missed penalty kick against Mexico earlier this week. Both teams will still be in contention to qualify from Group C with a draw here, although a win will certainly make a strong case for cementing Poland for the knockout stage. If the Saudi’s win, their ticket will already be punched into the elimination round. Do not take the Saudi defense lightly here, though, as Poland has been one of the most underwhelming nations over the past 15-20 years when it comes to the World Cup stage. I expect that to continue on Saturday.

Chris Dell’s Prediction: Saudi Arabia 1, Poland 1

Group D: France (No. 4) vs. Denmark (No. 10)

When, where: 10 a.m. CT, Stadium 974 (Doha, Qatar)

What to expect: Two of the top 10 teams in the world, according to the latest FIFA men’s world rankings, will square off in a highly anticipated Group D matchup at Stadium 974 in Doha, Qatar. Denmark has beaten France on back-to-back occasions now, including a 2-0 triumph back in September and a 2-1 victory in June. The two sides have split evenly down the middle in their last five head-to-head meetings (2-2-1), however, with France continuing to hold the title of higher-ranked national team and defending 2018 World Cup champs to boot. Look for Denmark to come in a bit more motivated in this matchup, though, especially after a surprising and disappointing 0-0 draw against the Tunisians on Matchday 1. The Danish know how to play to France’s weaknesses well, and with a qualifying berth on the line and a cluster of injuries for the French, this time, the services of Kylian Mbappé will not be enough like it has in the past.

Chris Dell’s Prediction: France 2, Denmark 2

Group C: Argentina (No. 3) vs. Mexico (No. 13)

When, where: 1 p.m. CT, Lusail Iconic Stadium (Lusail, Qatar)

What to expect: Lionel Messi’s World Cup swan song tour could indeed come to a bitter and abrupt halt on Saturday if Argentina suffers another upset like it did against the Saudis this past week. Argentina will face a talented, albeit offensively lifeless Mexican side in this clash of powerhouse nations, with each team desperately searching for three points and a win to catapult back to the top of the Group C standings. Argentina is 4-0-1 against Mexico in the teams’ past five meetings dating all the way back to the 2010 World Cup, with Messi’s squad outscoring Mexico 8-0 in three shutouts over their past three contests. The last time Mexico was able to score against the Argentines was all the way back in 2015 when an international friendly ended in a 2-2 draw. Mexico will have to cross its fingers and hope it still has a qualifying chance if it drops another loss here to a motivated and desperate Argentina side. It is tough to envision “el Tri” doing much offensively to force the issue in this one, a continued struggle for them, although we have seen crazier things happen already in less than one full week of World Cup action.

Chris Dell’s Prediction: Argentina 2, Mexico 1

Saturday’s Schedule (Nov. 26, 2022): Matchday 2 of 3