Tuesday was less tension-packed than the first day of knockouts. Norway was dominated but found a way to win late on through Haaland’s fifth goal of the tournament; France was mesmerizing in demolishing Sweden while Mexico dominated their matchup with Ecuador at their home stadium in Mexico City. Now attention shifts to the bottom half of the bracket, where England, Belgium and the United States all begin their knockout campaigns.
Preview: England vs DR Congo
Players To Watch:
England: Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham
DR Congo: Yoane Wissa, Aaron Wan-Bissaka
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England won its group, but Thomas Tuchel still has one big decision to make and one injury-induced adjustment to make. Should he continue with Marcus Rashford on the left wing instead of Gordon? And who does he replace at right back, as first James and then Quansah have been injured? The likely replacement is Djed Spence. Whoever gets the nod, England has looked most dangerous when the wide players attack defenders and free up space for Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane in the middle.
DR Congo has become one of the surprise packages of the FIFA World Cup. They’ve defended with discipline, stayed compact and made life uncomfortable for every opponent. Wissa, who is very familiar with the England team given his long Premier League experience at Brentford and Newcastle, has been their biggest attacking threat, while Mbemba has marshalled a back line that has rarely been pulled out of shape. Aaron Wan-Bissaka has been immense at right back and will relish matching up with his old Manchester United teammate Marcus Rashford.
What The Winner Gets
A Round of 16 meeting with Mexico in Mexico City.
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tactical battle
Expect England to have 65-70% of the ball. The challenge is not possession. It’s moving DR Congo around quickly enough to create gaps. Kane will likely drop into midfield to overload the center of the pitch, leaving space for England’s wingers to attack behind the back five. If DR Congo can keep this level after an hour, the pressure shifts onto England.
Preview: Belgium vs Senegal
Players to watch:
Belgium: Kevin De Bruyne, Thibaut Courtois
Senegal: Ismaïla Sarr, Sadio Mane
Belgium finally found its rhythm in the last group game and looked far more balanced going forward. De Bruyne has controlled the tempo, Doku is back and Trossard has chipped in with goals at the right moments. They are not as reliant on Lukaku for goals.
Senegal has looked exactly as expected. Organized, athletic and difficult to break down. Sarr has delivered on goals. It’s time for Mane to show up on the scoresheet and take Senegal to the next round.
tactical battle
The key is whether Belgium can stop Sarr before he gets running at their back line. If De Bruyne is given time to play forward, Belgium should create enough chances. If Senegal wins the midfield battle, this becomes a very different game. It might be time to start Onana with Tielmans to get better control in the middle of the park.
What The Winner Gets
A Round of 16 meeting with the United States or Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Preview: United States vs Bosnia and Herzegovina
Players To Watch:
United States: Weston McKennie, Christian Pulisic
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Ermedin Demirovic, Sead Kolašinac
The United States has grown into the tournament. Mauricio Pochettino has his side pressing aggressively, defending higher up the pitch and playing with far more confidence than many expected. Tyler Adams has been the heartbeat of that approach, while Christian Pulisic has delivered in the big moments. The front four, led by Balogun, has been dynamic, interchangeable and direct. This is the most exciting US team ever.
Bosnia has taken a different route. They’ve stayed compact, defended their box well and punished mistakes. Demirovic has led the line intelligently, while Kolašinac has been the leader of a defense that has frustrated opponents throughout the group stage.
tactical battle
This is all about the first twenty minutes. If the United States wins the ball high and scores early, Bosnia will have to abandon its defensive shape. If Bosnia keeps the game scoreless and physical, frustration could creep into the American performance. The Bosnians will wait for dead-ball situations where their aerial presence is their best chance to score.
Watch Tyler Adams. If he dominates midfield and prevents Bosnia from playing through the first line of pressure, the US should control the game.
What Winner Gets
A Round of 16 meeting with Belgium.
(By Sanjay Reddy)
