South Korea need passion, cohesion and a bit of luck against Portugal
South Korea will have two things to offer when they face Portugal in their must-win final Group H game at the World Cup – collective dedication and passion – as they hope for a miracle to qualify for the last 16 on Friday.
The Koreans are third in Group H with one point and must beat Portugal to have a chance to progress to the knockout stage for the third time after 2002 and 2010. Portugal have already qualified but still need a point to guarantee top spot so might not field a reserve team at the Education City stadium. (READ MORE)
Luis Suarez was as unremorseful on Thursday as he was 12 years ago. During the pre-match press conference in Doha, a Ghanaian journalist didn’t mince words in describing how the country felt about the Uruguayan striker. “Some Ghana fans feel you are the devil itself,” the journalist began, going on to say how the country was looking forward to his retirement before eventually asking him if he’d apologise.
Suarez, rather cheekily, replied: “(sic) I did handball the ball, but the Ghana player missed the penalty, not me. Maybe I would apologise if I did a tackle, injured a player and took a red card. But in this situation… It’s not my fault. I didn’t miss the penalty. The player who missed the penalty, he would do the same. It’s not my responsibility how he shot the penalty.” (READ MORE)
In a five-goal thriller, the Swiss beat Serbia. Despite Cameroon beating Brazil it is going to be Swiss and Brazil qualifying from the group with Brazil at the top.
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Milenkovic and Xhaka get into somewhat of a shoving match, which leads to the entire team getting involved and surrounding them. Both receive yellow cards.
SRB 2-3 SUI
It’s not enough time for Serbia to get two goals, surely? you never know what happened so far in the tournament. Meanwhile, Cameroon leads against Brazil.
SRB 2-3 SUI
And time isn’t on their side, with Brazil and Cameroon still drawing the only way the Serbs can progress is with a win. Switzerland could afford to concede one and still get through.
SRB 2-3 SUI
Pavlovic has already gotten a yellow card and probably should have had another one after an even worse challenge tempers rising for the Serbians. Walking a tightrope in this game. Duricic is bleeding and the referee instructs him to get it seen.
SRB 2-3 SUI
There have been a few signs that Serbian players are starting to feel the heat – both literally and in terms of their group standing. They have already had substitute Predrag Rajkovic booked after he ran onto the pitch to remonstrate with the referee.
SRB 2-3 SUI
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic comes off for Serbia with Nemanja Maksimovic on in his place. Switzerland also makes a change with Sow and Shaqiri going off, and Fernandes and Denis Zakaria coming on.
SRB 2-3 SUI
Another Kostic ball sets this chance up, and the ball eventually makes its way back to Dusan Tadic, but the Serb skips his shot well over. The game got a bit slower after subs came in.
SRB 2-3 SUI
The Serbian manager making the subs to induct some urgency in the name of Nemanja Gudelj and Luka Jovic come on for Serbia, Vlahovic and Veljkovic go off for an early bath.
SRB 2-3 SUI
Remo Freuler puts Switzerland back in front, the goals keep coming in this game. It is like where we left at halftime. Let's see what Serbia has to offer.
SRB 2-3 SUI
With plenty of action in the first half let us see what the second half has in store for us. Serbia kick us off for the second period, playing right to left in this half. No substitutions from either manager at half-time.
SRB 2-3 SUI
Another twist in the chaotic first half. Swiss comeback with Embolo's goal. Poor defence by Serbia. We are where we started all square Swiss in the top two.
SRB 2-2 SUI
Dragan Stojkovic’s decision to go with two out-and-out strikers in Dusan Vlahovic and Aleksandar Mitrovic has paid dividends already, with both his dangerous men getting on the scoresheet.
SRB 2-1 SUI
Vlahvoic scores, Serbia's strikers are doing the damage here. Swiss after taking the early lead trail here in the game. Swiss are out of the top spots as it stands now.
SRB 2-1 SUI
Serbia has responded. Mitrovic scores are where we have started we are all square. This game is turning into a humdinger both teams going at each other.
SRB 1-1 SUI
Shaqiri puts his side ahead. The Swiss talisman steups when needed. Serbia needs to score here to qualify for the next stage of the tournament.
SRB 0-1 SUI
With a thunderous strike from the wingback, the ball bounced off the post of the Switzerland goal. It looks like Mitrovic could get it on the rebound but it just ricochets off him and into the hands of goalie Kobel.
SRB 0-0 SUI
Nothing serious Vargas just hangs a ball into the box but puts too much weight on it and it sails into the hands of Vanja Milinkovic-Savic in goal.
SRB 0-0 SUI
Switzerland attacked Serbia right from the off and came close in the first minute. Serbia now gets a half-chance with a header. Everything indicates we could have another classic on our hands
SRB 0-0 SUI
Switzerland as the away side gets this game underway wearing all white, playing right to left on your screens. Serbia as the home team has an all-red kit.
SRB 0-0 SUI
It is another packed stadium. With all that has preceded the previous games and groups, there is no telling what drama awaits here tonight. The only way to find out is to wait for the next 90 minutes. Serbia needs to go for it and get three points hence their selection of two strikers makes their intentions loud and clear.
SRB 0-0 SUI
Serbia and Switzerland had played each other only once before, during the group stages of the 2018 World Cup in which Switzerland defeated Serbia 2-1. History says advantage, Swiss.
Serbia XI: Vanja Milinkovic-Savic, Nikola Milenkovic, Milos Veljkovic, Strahinja Pavlovic, Andrija Zivkovic, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Sasa Lukic, Filip Kostic, Dusan Tadic, Dusan Vlahovic, Aleksandar Mitrovic.
Switzerland XI: Gregor Kobel, Silvan Widmer, Manuel Akanji, Fabian Schar, Ricardo Rodriguez, Remo Freuler, Granit Xhaka, Xherdan Shaqiri, Djibril Sow, Ruben Vargas, Breel Embolo.
South Korea, who were given no chance two hours ago, will now play Brazil (probably) or Switzerland in the last 16.
Its official: South Korea have qualified for the 2022 World Cup knockout stages as Group H runners up.
South Korea's players watch mobile phone footage of Ghana vs Uruguay. As things stand Korea are still going through.
PEEP! PEEP ! It's full-time between Portugal and South Korea. Hwang Hee-chan is he hero for the Koreans and its his goal that has made a difference. All eyes are on the Uruguay game where the South Americans need one goal to go through.
Portugal - 6pts (+2GD)
South Korea - 4pts (0GD)
Uruguay - 4pts (0GD)
Ghana - 3pts (-2GD)
South Korea are going throught courtesy of goals scored
Hwang Hee-chan scores right at the end! Korea were unable to keep the ball at their feet and Portugal had a corner. But a sloppy ball in and the Korean defenders kick it away to Son Hueng-min who makes a superb run down the right side on the counter-attack. He takes on a couple of defenders and through the ball from Son is delightful. Hwang Hee-chan times his run to perfection. What a sensational moment. KOR 2-1 POR
Time is passing by and we can expect a chunk of added time but Korea needs something to happen. As things stand they are going home. Portugal are maintaining good shape and defending properly. KOR 1-1 POR
Just as we were saying Kim Young-Gwon is taken off and Son Jun-Ho comes on. Hwang Ui-Jo is also sent on. Meanwhile, Portugal too make a couple of changes as Bernardo Silva and William Carvalho replace Joao Mario and Vitinha. KOR 1-1 POR
Dalot, on the right, comes forward and this time he doesn't go aerial and fires a low ball across the surface inside the opposition box. The Korean defence stands tall and clears it away. Meanwhile, Kyung-won Kwon seems to be struggling a bit. KOR 1-1 POR
Korea win a free kick but Lee Kang-In sends it over the bar. Should have delivered that into the box rather than going for glory. KOR 1-1 POR
Son hit a volley but Cancelo, who has been a wall, takes one on the ribcage. The Koreans are appealing for a penalty but referee acundo Tello is not entertaining that one. KOR 1-1 POR
Hwang In-Beom takes a shot and Diogo Costa has to make a good save. Korea are trying everything. Time for substitution as Wolves striker Hwang Hee-chan comes on for Jae-sung Lee. KOR 1-1 POR
Ruben Neves, Matheus Nunes and Cristiano Ronaldo are coming off. Andre Silva, Rafael Leao and Joao Palhinha come on. So Ronaldo's outing comes to an end. He returns to dugout without a goal in the final game of the group stage. KOR 1-1 POR
Hwang In-beom with a sliding tackle stops the Portuguese counter. A minute later, Korea make a change as centre-back Kwon Kyung-won comes on for Kim Min-jae. KOR 1-1 POR
Ricardo Horta takes a knock and goes down on the field. The medical team runs it and attends to him immediately. The Portuguese forward is back up and no worries for coach Santos. KOR 1-1 POR
Chance! Vitinha is found from the left flank and he flicks it to Ronaldo who goes for the shot but end up scuffing it. But it doesn't matter coz its an offside. KOR 1-1 POR
Portugal gets the match back underway for the second half. There haven’t been any changes during half-time so it’s as they were for both teams. KOR 1-1 POR
At halftime, here’s a reminder about the permutations.
Portugal have qualified.
Uruguay must win, and hope that South Korea do not win against Portugal. If both Uruguay and South Korea win, then their relative goal differences will decide who qualifies. Uruguay start with a goal difference one worse than South Korea, so would have to beat Ghana by more than South Korea beat Portugal