Sports07:00 · 6h ago

Portugal Faces Spain in Top Round of 16 Clash as Brazil Meets Norway

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Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba

Key points

01Portugal and Spain meet in the most anticipated round of 16 match Sunday at 22:00.
02Brazil faces Norway Sunday at 23:00 in a rematch of their 1998 World Cup encounter.
03Argentina plays Egypt Tuesday at 19:00, with Messi aiming to extend his scoring record.
04Mexico hosts England between Sunday and Monday at 3:00, both seeking to advance past the round of 16.
05The U.S. faces Belgium Tuesday-Wednesday at 3:00, missing key player Paul Arriola.
06Morocco and Canada open the round Saturday at 20:00, with Morocco favored despite Canada’s home advantage.

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PlacesHouston, Mexico City, Russia, France, Morocco

The story · English

The first-ever round of 32 in the World Cup has concluded, advancing the tournament to the round of 16, where no team is safe from upsets, as seen with the early exits of the Netherlands and Germany. The matches are ranked from most to least attractive, though every game now carries high stakes.

The round opens with Canada facing Morocco in Houston on Saturday at 20:00. Morocco, fresh from a tough win over the Netherlands, is favored despite Canada’s home advantage. Switzerland and Colombia meet Tuesday at 23:00, with Switzerland aiming to break a long quarterfinal drought, while Colombia has impressed with solid performances. The U.S. plays Belgium between Tuesday and Wednesday at 3:00, with the U.S. missing key player Paul Arriola and Belgium riding a dramatic comeback win against Senegal.

Paraguay, fresh off a shock elimination of Germany, faces France late Saturday night. France, led by Kylian Mbappé, looks strong and experienced, contrasting Paraguay’s defensive style. Argentina meets Egypt Tuesday at 19:00, with Lionel Messi seeking to extend his scoring lead against an Egyptian side making its first round of 16 appearance. Mexico hosts England between Sunday and Monday at 3:00, with England’s Harry Kane starring and Mexico aiming to advance past this stage for the first time since 1986.

Brazil and Norway clash Sunday at 23:00 in a highly anticipated match recalling Norway’s 1998 upset over Brazil. Brazil showed resilience against Japan, while Norway’s Erling Haaland has been a standout. The tournament’s marquee match is Portugal versus Spain Sunday at 22:00, featuring Cristiano Ronaldo against rising star Anssumane Fati. Both teams, co-hosts of the next World Cup along with Morocco, bring star power and tactical depth, promising a dramatic encounter that could mark Ronaldo’s last World Cup moments.

Each match in this knockout stage carries significant weight, with teams battling to advance and create historic moments in the tournament’s second phase.

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