Mandatory Credit: Photo by Naoki Morita/AFLO/Shutterstock (13637087am) Vinicius (BRA) – Football / Soccer : FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group G match between Brazil 2-0 Serbia at Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar. FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, Lusail, Qatar – 24 Nov 2022

World Cup Friday Preview: Brazil and Portugal look to sweep group play in Qatar’s Matchday 3 finale

Clovis Shropshire
December 1, 2022
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17 minutes read

Group H: Portugal (No. 9) vs. South Korea (No. 28)

When, where: 9 a.m. CT, Education City Stadium (Doha, Qatar)

What to expect: Portugal and South Korea face off in just the second-ever meeting between the two nations on the pitch at Education City Stadium in Doha, Qatar, on Friday. South Korea defeated Portugal 1-0 in their lone meeting at the 2022 World Cup, and the South Koreans will need to make it two wins in a row on Matchday 3 in order to avoid an early exit in Qatar. South Korea needs both a win and Ghana loss or draw versus Uruguay in order to qualify for the Round of 16, while Portugal can win the group with a win or a draw coupled with a Ghana loss. Cristiano Ronaldo’s national club has already punched its ticket to the knockout stage, but it will still be motivated for a win in order to avoid a Round of 16 matchup against No. 1 Brazil. Portugal can earn its third straight World Cup victory with a win against No. 28 South Korea here, and it will surely put forth a max effort in the process. With a first-place finish in Group H, Portugal will face off against the Group G runner-up nation, which looks likely to be the winner between Switzerland and Serbia, who play at 1 p.m. CT on Friday’s Matchday 3 finale.

Chris Dell’s Prediction: Portugal 2, South Korea 1

Group H: Uruguay (No. 14) vs. Ghana (No. 61)

When, where: 9 a.m. CT, Education City Stadium (Doha, Qatar)

What to expect: Uruguay will look to avoid being the only team to exit Qatar without a single goal scored when it battles the Black Stars of Ghana at 9 a.m. CT on Friday at Education City Stadium in Doha, Qatar. Uruguay will also need at least one goal in order to avoid a disappointing group stage exit. The Uruguayans can still qualify for the knockout stage with both a win and a South Korea loss or draw versus Portugal. If Uruguay wins and South Korea defeats Portugal, however, then it will come down to tiebreakers between the two nations for the second spot in Group H. The No. 61-ranked Ghanaians, on the other side, can simply qualify for the Round of 16 with a win or a draw, although a draw would mean they would still need to have a better goal difference than South Korea if South Korea defeats Portugal in Group H’s other Matchday 3 contest. Uruguay and Ghana will both be out for blood in this match, and it would surely be a surprise to see the Uruguayans struggle to score once more here. Ghana has allowed five goals in two matches, including multiple scores in each game played so far. The two nations have faced off only one time in history, playing to a 1-1 draw at the 2010 World Cup, although it’s the Charrúas of Uruguay who have the far more experienced and accomplished side in this battle between South America and Africa. Uruguay’s decision to move legend Luis Suárez to the bench didn’t move the needle offensively for the South American side on Matchday 2, and it will be interesting to see how much time on the pitch Uruguay gives to its aged star on Friday in a desperate, must-win scenario. Ghana has played like anything but the lowest-ranked FIFA squad of all 32 World Cup nations so far, giving each team a clear path to victory based on defensive soundness and nerves. Uruguay has too much talent to go goalless through three matches though. Look for Suarez and Cavani to finish their gloried World Cup careers with one more win, with the help from rising stars Federico Valverde and Darwin Núñez

Chris Dell’s Prediction: Uruguay 3, Ghana 2

Group G: Brazil (No. 1) vs. Cameroon (No. 43)

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

What to expect: The No. 1-ranked Brazilians battle Cameroon on Friday in their second straight match without the services of global superstar Neymar. It shouldn’t matter much again here against a far less talented Cameroonian side that doesn’t have the offensive talent or depth to contend for a win. Brazil has won three straight matches against Cameroon, dating back to a 4-1 victory at the 2014 World Cup and a 2-0 win at the Men’s Olympic Tournament in 2008. Cameroon does have one win against Brazil, which came in 2003 at the FIFA Confederations Cup. Brazil will look to not only win Group G with a win here but also earn the bragging rights of being the only team out of 32 World Cup nations to not allow a single goal in 2022 World Cup group play. Even with a starting lineup of mostly backups, look for Brazil to dominate early and often on both sides of the ball. Cameroon hasn’t won an international match outright in its past six attempts, its last win coming against Burundi on June 9. Since then, the Indomitable Lions have dropped decisions to Equatorial New Guinea, Uzbekistan, South Korea, and most recently Switzerland in Group G play in Qatar. The Cameroonians will surely play loose and free here as heavy underdogs, but it won’t be enough to overcome the world’s deepest roster. Brazil will officially win Group G with a win or a draw paired with a Switzerland loss. Cameroon, on the other hand, can qualify for the Round of 16 with both a win and a Switzerland loss, or a win by at least two goals versus Brazil and a Switzerland draw.

Chris Dell’s Prediction: Brazil 4, Cameroon 2

Group G: Switzerland (No. 15) vs. Serbia (No. 21)

When, where: 1 p.m. CT, Stadium 974 (Doha, Qatar)

What to expect: Friday’s Matchday 3 finale could end in offensive fireworks when Switzerland and Serbia take the pitch at Stadium 974 in Doha, Qatar. The Serbians showed off their offensive prowess in a 3-3 draw versus Cameroon on Matchday 2, jumping out to a 3-1 lead behind the services of Aleksander Mitrovic before nearly suffering a loss in dramatic fashion in the same match. Switzerland, on the other hand, currently sits in second place in the Group G standing due to its elite defense. The Swiss blanked Cameroon 1-0 in their opening group match before nearly drawing 0-0 to Brazil on Matchday in an eventual a 1-0 loss. The No. 15-ranked Swiss won their last and only meeting against Serbia 2-1 when the two teams played each other in the 2018 World Cup, although Switzerland was considered a big underdog in that matchup. The script has flipped this time around as No. 21-ranked Serbia will enter Matchday 3 as slight underdogs according to pundits and public alike. Outside of its 2-0 loss to Brazil on Matchday 1, Serbia hasn’t lost an international match since June 2’s 1-0 defeat to Norway. Since then, the Serbians have rattled off victories against the likes of Slovenia, Sweden twice, Norway, and Bahrain, all of whom pale in comparison to the current form of the Swiss national team. Look for a closely contested affair in this match, as Serbia can still qualify for the knockout stage with a win and a likely Cameroon loss to Brazil. Switzerland qualifies with either a win or a draw. Whichever team is able to force its style should emerge victorious here, although the Swiss will still be happy with a low-scoring draw as well.

Chris Dell’s Prediction: Switzerland 1, Serbia 1

Friday’s Schedule (Dec. 2, 2022): Matchday 3 of 3