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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Martin Belam

World Cup 2022: Argentina into last 16, crunch time for Germany and Belgium – as it happened

Belgian ambassador Nicolaas Buyck watches as Gibbon Kent and his pack choose food from one of the bags in the colours of Belgium and Croatia predicting the match result later on Thursday.
Belgian ambassador Nicolaas Buyck watches as Gibbon Kent and his pack choose food from one of the bags in the colours of Belgium and Croatia predicting the match result later on Thursday. Photograph: Denis Lovrović/AFP/Getty Images

Right it is less than ten minutes until this afternoon’s games get going, so I am going to wrap up here. Rob Smyth has got you covered for Croatia v Belgium

Barry Glendenning is your man for Canada v Morocco, which is going to be my poison of choice on the old tellybox this afternoon.

I hope you enjoy today’s matches, and I will see you here again tomorrow.

Serbia coach Dragan Stojkovic hopes to find holes in Switzerland’s defences, like in their famous cheese, when they meet in their final World Cup Group G game as they bid to qualify for the knockout stages for the first time.

Bottom side Serbia sit two points behind second-placed Switzerland and must win to have any hope of progressing to the last 16, while the Swiss would need only a draw if Cameroon do not beat Brazil.

Asked if Serbia would be up against a Swiss side that ticked over with the precision of their famous watches, Stojkovic said on Thursday he would rather compare them to Swiss cheese and exploit the “holes”.

“We’d really like to talk about their cheese and find their weak spots – the holes – to get the result we aspire to,” Reuters reports Stojkovic told reporters ahead of Friday’s game at Stadium 974.

“We knew after the draw was held that Brazil is an entirely different dimension and we would be fighting for second place with Cameroon and Switzerland. These forecasts brought us to this point.

“We knew the match with Switzerland would be of major importance as the last one in the group, and this is what we’re now faced with. We’ve witnessed a lot of surprises at this World Cup, but we will be ready.”

Serbia's coach Dragan Stojkovic attends a press conference at the Qatar National Convention Center in Doha.
Serbia's coach Dragan Stojkovic attends a press conference at the Qatar National Convention Center in Doha. Photograph: Andrej Isaković/AFP/Getty Images

Stojkovic said Dusan Vlahovic is fit after missing the first two games, but would not confirm if the Juventus forward would be named in the starting lineup alongside Mitrovic.

“Vlahovic is ready for the match and his physical state is a lot better than it was when we came to Doha. He could start tomorrow but I cannot share this with you today,” Stojkovic said.

“As for the formation, we will see tomorrow. One, two or three attackers – all options are on the table. Whatever we decide, they have to play together as a team. Since I became head coach, it has always been about team spirit.

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