Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – England and Portugal aim to finish on a high as the World Cup group stages draw to a close on Saturday with the final four places in the knockout rounds up for grabs. Both nations have been inconsistent in the opening rounds of the tournament, alternating between laboured performances and moments of genuine quality.
England, level on four points with Ghana after two games, take on Panama at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford looking for a victory to boost their chances of claiming top spot in Group L. In Miami, Portugal enter their clash in Group K with leaders Colombia knowing that only a win will enable them to leapfrog the South Americans into first place.
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England opened their World Cup with a swashbuckling 4-2 defeat of Croatia in Dallas last week but were held to a 0-0 draw in an attritional battle with Ghana on Tuesday. Manager Thomas Tuchel is expecting another arm-wrestle against point-less Panama on Saturday, with the South Americans expected to defend in numbers. “It’s a team that is difficult to break down, they’ve hardly allowed any chances,” Tuchel said Friday on the eve of the game. “We see a well-coached, well-drilled team and a clear identity. The world ranking is on the same level as Wales and Serbia. It’s not the most famous or the most well-known football nation, but they can play the role of underdog and play without any pressure.”
While results on Friday ensured England had already advanced to the knockout rounds, failure to beat Panama is likely to raise more questions about their right to be regarded as serious contenders for the title.
Tuchel unveiled a new-look line-up shortly before kick-off on Saturday, making five changes in a starting XI that indicates England will go on the front foot against Panama. Those changes include the return of Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford on the wing, while attacking midfielder Morgan Rogers also comes into the side.
Portugal, meanwhile, face a test of their credentials against Colombia in Miami in Group K. The Portuguese entered the tournament among the favourites but stumbled in their opening game with a lacklustre 1-1 draw with the Democratic Republic of Congo. However, Portugal sparked back to life in their next game, pummeling Uzbekistan 5-0 with two goals from 41-year-old captain Cristiano Ronaldo. A victory on Saturday could lead to a theoretically easier last 32 opponent, with the Group K winner facing a third-placed side in the next round. The team finishing second will meet the runner-up in England, Ghana and Croatia’s Group L and potentially a round of 16 meeting against Spain.
Portugal coach Roberto Martinez insists though he is not looking no further than Saturday’s opponents. “The focus is to try to win the game and not think about the next opponent,” Martinez said Friday. “If you want to do well in a tournament, you have to beat anyone and everyone. There’s no single right path or position. What matters is that we play at our best, and you can only do that by winning.”
After Friday’s hectic round of fixtures, just four places among the last 32 remain to be filled, with 28 teams having already advanced. Among those teams facing a nervous wait on Saturday to see if they will advance are Iran, who suffered heartache on Friday when they drew 1-1 with Egypt in Seattle. Iran thought they had clinched a dramatic injury-time winner that would have propelled them into the knockout rounds, only for the goal to be ruled offside. Egypt, though, goes into the round of 32, and coach Hossam Hassan played down worries over star player Mohamed Salah, who took a knock.
© 2024 AFP
