Morocco face Spain before Portugal face Switzerland as the round of 16 of the 2022 World Cup draws to a close.
The fourth and final day of the round of 16 of the Qatar 2022 World Cup will see Morocco take on Spain and Portugal take on Switzerland.
Schedule
- Morocco vs Spain – Education City Stadium, 6pm (15:00 GMT)
- Portugal vs Switzerland – Lusail Stadium, 10pm (19:00 GMT)
Morocco vs Spain
Spain go into Tuesday’s last 16 match against Morocco as favourites, but the Atlas Lions will be hoping they can pull off an upset after a strong start to their World Cup campaign.
The Spaniards, who thrashed Costa Rica 7-0 in their opening game, finished second in Group E behind Japan following a 2-1 defeat by Samurai Blue – a result that saw four champions Germany exit the competition. .
Morocco, meanwhile, failed to top Group F ahead of Croatia and Belgium and are now making their second appearance in the knockout stages.
They are the only Arab team left in the competition and will enjoy huge support at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan.
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Spain defender Cesar Azpilicueta has recovered from the injury he picked up against Japan, meaning coach Luis Enrique has a full 26-man squad to choose from.
Morocco are also healthy, with wing-back Achraf Hakimi set to play against the country of his birth as he continues to pick up a thigh injury in the Atlas Lions’ opener against Croatia.
Head to head history
Portugal vs Switzerland
Portugal and Switzerland have already met twice this year in the Nations League, winning one match each.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s strike helped Portugal beat Switzerland 4-0 in early June. But just over a week later, the Swiss scored in the first minute and survived Portugal’s onslaught in a solid and defensive defense that earned them a 1-0 win.
The match serves as a reminder that while Portugal go into Tuesday’s game at the Lusail Stadium as favourites, Switzerland have the ability to overshadow them and register yet another shocking result at a World Cup defined by unexpected surprises.
Portugal led their qualifying group, scoring six goals in three games. Switzerland finished second in their group after an impressive 3-2 win over Serbia in their last game.
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For Portugal, preparations for Tuesday’s game have been dominated by Ronaldo talks. The 37-year-old was visibly upset after being sent off 25 minutes into his side’s 2-1 loss to South Korea in their last game.
Portugal coach Fernando Santos later said he was unhappy with Ronaldo’s performance and refused to confirm whether he would lead the team against Switzerland after leading his country in the first three games in Qatar.
There had been speculation that Ronaldo, who said his frustration was directed at the player and not Santos to get rid of him, could be let go after the incident.
For Switzerland, which is aiming to reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup for the first time in 68 years, goalkeeper Yann Sommer and defender Nico Elvedi have been declared fit to play after recovering.
Their return to fitness means coach Murat Yakin has a full squad to choose from.
Head to head history
