Explainers

ARGENTINA face Australia as they look to progress to the quarter-finals of the World Cup.Lionel Messi and Co will not find it easy facing the Socceroos who are on a high after beating Denmark to qualify for the last-16.

How Argentina lined up against Poland
The South Americans have put together a good run of results after losing to Saudi Arabia on the opening group match.
And they must be in form if they are to progress past a resilient Australia side, with a solid defence marshalled by Harry Souttar.
This will be the first time since 2006 that Australia have reached this stage of a World Cup, and only the second time in the nation’s history.
Graham Arnold’s men will be hoping to go one step further than 16 years ago however which saw them narrowly lose to eventual winners Italy at this stage.
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How did they get here?
Argentina fell victim to the first of many huge upsets in the tournament as far, with Saudi Arabia stealing a shocking 2-1 victory from the grasps of the Lionel Scaloni’s side in their opening fixture.
However they bounced back impressively winning their next two games 2-0 against Mexico and Poland respectively to finish on top of Group C
Australia began their campaign in similar fashion, losing 4-1 to reigning champions France after going a goal ahead.
But like their opposition, consecutive wins in their final two games over Tunisia and Denmark meant Australia qualified in second place, just missing out on top spot due to goal difference.
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Team news
Both sides are set to have fully fit squads to choose from when they face off in the last-16.
However, with such a short turnaround to games, the managers could opt to make several changes ahead of the clash.
Lisandro Martinez could return for Argentina while Nicolas Tagliafico will also aim to start ahead of Marcos Acuna at left-back.
Enzo Fernandes has impressed in recent games and will be hoping to beat Leandro Paredes to a place in the starting XI.
For the Socceroos, Aaron Mooy will be hoping to keep his place while Mitchell Duke will look to lead the line after impressing during the tournament so far.

How Australia lined up against Denmark
Who will be the star men?
Lionel Messi, who will be playing his 1000th career game, has undoubtedly been Argentina’s star man for the last decade, and the PSG forward has continued to impress during the tournament, winning the man of the match award against Mexico.
Premier League duo Alexis Mac Allister and Julian Alvarez will also be looking to capitalise on their good performances against Poland which saw them grab a goal each.
Australia’s Harry Souttar has been their star man of the tournament so far, with the defender keeping a tight ship at the back.
Julian Alvarez scored his first World Cup goal against PolandCredit: Getty
Messi has two goals and an assist for Argentina at the World Cup
Despite conceding four goals to France in their opener, Souttar has played an integral part in helping Australia keep consecutive clean sheets for the first time at a World Cup.
What’s the head to head?
The last-16 clash will be the first time the two sides have met in 15 years, with their 2007 match ending in a 1-0 victory for Argentina.
It’s the South American side who have the better record between the two, coming out with five wins from seven matches as well as one draw and a single Australia victory in the first meeting between the pair in 1988.
SunSport prediction
Argentina 2 Australia 0
Australia’s Mitchell Duke has done well leading the line so farCredit: AP
Leckie is leading the charts for Australia
When is Argentina vs Australia?

Argentina face Australia on Saturday, December 3.
The match will kick-off at 7pm UK time.
The last-16 clash will be held at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Qatar.

What channel is it and can it be live streamed?

Argentina vs Australia will be shown live in the UK.
Viewers can tune in to watch live on ITV 1.
You can live stream the action from the ITV X app, which is available for download onto your mobile or tablet device.
Coverage of the game will get going from 6pm GMT.

Can I watch for FREE?

Yes, you can watch Argentina vs Australia for FREE, so long as you have a TV licence.

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Odds

Argentina – 2/11
Draw – 6/1
Australia – 14/1
Argentina to qualify – 1/25
Australia to qualify – 10/1

*Odds courtesy of Betfair and correct at time of publication. More

SPAIN have their hands full with African giants Morocco in a World Cup last-16 encounter – but they’ll be eager to recover from what happened against Japan.The 2010 champions suffered a defeat in their final group match courtesy of Ao Tanaka’s late winner despite the ball seemingly going out of play in the build up.
Japan’s winner stood despite the ball seemingly going out of playCredit: Reuters
Achraf Hakimi and Hakim Ziyech have been instrumental in Morocco’s successCredit: Getty
But Spain will still be confident in their ability to get the job done which was shown in their opening 7-0 thrashing on Costa Rica.
However, Morocco just became the first African nation to top their World Cup group since 1998 – finishing above Croatia and Belgium.
Furthermore, the Moroccans find themselves on a eight-match unbeaten run and they’ll be determined not to let that slip.

When is Morocco vs Spain?

Morocco’s exciting last-16 match against Spain will take place on Tuesday, 6 December.
The World Cup contest is scheduled to get underway at 3pm UK time.
Education City Stadium is the allocated arena for this encounter and it can host approximately 44,667 fans.
It ended 2-2 when these two huge nations met in at the 2018 World Cup.

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What TV channel is it on and can it be live streamed?

Morocco vs Spain will be shown live BBC One in the UK.
Coverage is set to commence from 2:30pm UK time – 30 minutes before kick-off.
Viewers also have the option to stream the game live via the BBC iPlayer app or through the BBC Sport website.

Can I watch it for free?
YES! Fans in the UK can watch Morocco’s mouth-watering match against Spain for FREE as long as you have a valid TV license.
What are the odds?
After 90 mins:

Morocco 11/2
Draw 11/4
Spain 11/20

To qualify:

Morocco 16/5
Spain 2/9

Odds courtesy of Betfair are correct at time of publication More

JAPAN’S route to earning a World Cup last-16 tie with Croatia has been full of drama to say the least – and not many predicted they would get this far.The Asian giants found themselves in a tough group with Germany and Spain, but they immediately stunned the world by beating the Germans 2-1 on their opening day.
Japan beat Germany and Spain to book their spot in the World Cup last-16Credit: Rex
However, Japan were quickly brought back to reality by Costa Rica four days later courtesy of a late Keysher Fuller strike.
But with the help of a very controversial VAR call, the Japanese stars managed to slay the Spaniards which ultimately helped them secure a last-16 place.
And now, Hajime Moriyasu’s men come up against a Croatian side who were forced to fend off Belgium’s golden generation to get here.

When is Japan vs Croatia?

Japan’s huge World Cup match against Croatia will take place on Monday, December 5.
It is scheduled to get underway from 3pm UK time.
Al Janoub Stadium is the designated venue for this clash and it can host approximately 44,325 supporters.
Nothing could separate the sides when they met at the 2006 edition of the World Cup as it ended 0-0.

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What TV channel is it on and can it be live streamed?

Japan vs Croatia will be shown live BBC One in the UK.
Coverage is set to commence from 2:30pm UK time – 30 minutes before kick-off.
Viewers also have the option to stream the game live via the BBC iPlayer app or through the BBC Sport website.

Can I watch it for free?
YES! Fans in the UK can watch Japan’s mouth-watering match against Croatia for FREE as long as you have a valid TV license.
What are the odds?
After 90 mins:

Japan 11/4
Draw 21/10
Croatia 21/20

To qualify:

Japan 31/20
Croatia 1/2

Odds courtesy of Betfair are correct at time of publication More

ENGLAND head into the knockout stages of the World Cup as they face Senegal in the last 16.The Three Lions topped Group B after comfortably beating Wales 3-0 on Tuesday evening.

How England lined up against Wales
Marcus Rashford grabbed himself a brace and Phil Foden scored the other on a glorious night for manager Gareth Southgate.
But now Southgate’s side must focus on the knockout stages, where they’ll face AFCON 2022 champions Senegal.
The Lions of Teranga came second in Group A, which also contained Holland, Qatar and Ecuador.
Senegal had to beat Ecuador in their final group game and they did so thanks to Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly’s late winner.
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How did they get here?
England began their campaign in thrilling fashion as they thrashed Iran 6-2, with young Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka picking up two goals.
After a disappointing draw to USA, The Three Lions secured top spot in the group after beating rivals Wales 3-0, leaving The Dragons to finish bottom of the group.
Senegal had a harder start to life in Qatar, losing their opener to Netherlands due to two late goals.
However wins over hosts Qatar as well as a tight fought battle with Ecuador meant that Senegal had qualified for the Round of 16 for the first time since 2002.

Team news
England are set to have a fully fit squad for their last-16 match-up with Senegal.
Southgate, however, may decide to hand Marcus Rashford a start following his brilliant performance in the win over Wales.
Foden also impressed, but Bukayo Saka could come back into the side, as could Mason Mount, who dropped to the bench in favour of Jordan Henderson on Tuesday night.
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Kieran Tripper may also come back into the XI alongside Kyle Walker, but that would most likely see England’s system change from a 4-3-3 to one that favours five at the back.
Senegal will also have a mostly fit squad but Sadio Mane will be OUT of the game, as he recovers from knee surgery.

How Senegal lined up against Ecuador
Who will be the star men?
Southgate will have a decision headache after standout performances from many of his players as far. But Harry Maguire has been one of the surprising packages this tournament, being a stable character at the back as well as a potential goal threat from set pieces.
Maguire’s Manchester United teammate Marcus Rashford has also shone, netting three times whilst sitting joint first on the golden boot. But he will face tough competition for his spot with the likes of Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden also on great form.
Ismaila Sarr has seemed to fill the void of Sadio Mane for the Senegalese team, looking like a constant threat up top as well as scoring a cheeky no-look penalty against Ecuador.
Chelsea duo Edouard Mendy and Kalidou Koulibaly will also be looking to keep out the goals as they hope to advance to the quarter-finals.
Marcus Rashford scored a brace against WalesCredit: AP
What is the head to head?
This will be the first meeting between the two clubs.
England will be looking to continue their unbeaten streak against African nations at the World Cup which has seen them win six and draw three.
SunSport Prediction
England 2 Senegal 1
When is England vs Senegal?

England’s World Cup last-16 clash with Senegal will take place on Sunday, December 4.
The match will get underway from 7pm UK time.
England vs Senegal will be held at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Qatar.
The stadium holds just under 70,000 fans and played host to England’s 0-0 draw with USA.

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What channel is it and can it be live streamed?

England vs Senegal will be shown live on ITV 1 in the UK.
You can live stream the action from the ITV X app, which is available for download onto your mobile or tablet device.
Coverage of the game will get going from 6pm GMT.

Can I watch for FREE?

Yes, you can watch England vs Senegal for FREE, so long as you have a TV licence.

Read More on The Sun
Odds

England – 8/15
Draw – 29/10
Senegal – 13/2
England to qualify – 1/5
Senegal to qualify – 10/3

*Odds courtesy of Betfair and correct at time of publication. More

FRANCE will be determined to get one step closer to retaining their title when they face Poland in a World Cup last-16 encounter – and it’s not to be missed.The 2018 winners look to take another step to becoming only the third nation to retain the World Cup.

How France lined up against Tunisia
Les Blues clinched their spot in the knockout phases as early as the second game with their 100% winning record.
However a much changed line-up against stragglers Tunisia saw a loss of momentum with Didier Deschamps side upset 1-0 by the African team.
France are still nailed on favourites to progress against a Poland side who only got to knockout stage based on goal difference.
Furthermore, the Eagles haven’t got one over the French since a international friendly back in 1982.
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How did they get there?
A 4-1 annihilation of Australia started France in good stead as they carried their form onto their second game with Denmark who, despite putting up more of a fight, still came out second best, gifting France qualification after two games.
It was the unlikely roadblock of Tunisia who halted the French team after a contentious VAR decision saw Antoine Griezmann’s equaliser ruled out.
Poland squeezed through their group by the skin of their teeth on goal difference after amounting four points through 0-0 draw with Mexico as well as a 2-0 victory against Saudi Arabia.
Their final game of the Group C had them lost to table toppers Argentina, clinching onto second place by a single goal.
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Team news
France are still without Bayern Munich defender Lucas Hernandez who was taken off thirteen minutes into the opener with Australia after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament.
Ballon D’or winner Karim Benzema will also not be available for selection after suffering a thigh injury in training before the competition kicked off.
Deschamps has a fully fit squad otherwise but will make significant changes after resting many crucial player such as Hugo Lloris, Oliver Giroud and Kylian Mbappe.
Poland have all players available for selection and are expected to make minimal changes to the sqaud other than a potential reintroduction to Napoli forward Arkadiusz Milik.

How Poland lined up against Argentina
Who will be the star men?
The poster boy of French football, Kylian Mbappe, will look to reinvigorate the French side as he remains in the mix for the golden boot.
Young midfielders Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni could also play a huge part in the game as they look to introduce themselves onto the international stage.
After finally scoring his first World Cup goal, Robert Lewandowski looks to add onto his tally in hopes for an upset against the reigning champions.
Former Arsenal keeper Wojciech Szczesny has also impressed duing the tournament, making many vital saves in every match.
Kylian Mbappe helped France to secure last-16 qualificationCredit: Rex
What’s the head to head?
The two sides have come together on 16 occasions with France having the better of it with eight wins including in their last meeting, ending 1-0 in 2011.
Poland have had some success against France however, winning five of the encounters, with three ending in draws.
SunSport Prediction
France 1 Poland 0
When is France vs Poland?

France’s mouth-watering last-16 tie against Poland will take place on Sunday, December 4.
The World Cup match is scheduled to get underway at 3pm UK time.
Al Thumama Stadium is the allocated arena for this contest and it can host approximately 44,400 spectators.
Tomasz Jodlowiec’s own goal saw France scrape a 1-0 win over Poland in an friendly when they last played in June 2011.

Robert Lewandowski will be Poland’s go-to man as they look to get past FranceCredit: Getty
What TV channel is it on and can it be live streamed?

France vs Poland will be shown live on BBC One in the UK.
Coverage is set to commence from 2:30pm UK time – 30 minutes before kick-off.
Viewers also have the option to stream the game live via the BBC iPlayer app or through the BBC Sport website.

Can I watch it for free?
YES! Fans in the UK can watch France’s match against Poland for FREE as long as you have a valid TV license.
What are the odds?
After 90 mins:

France 3/10
Draw 4/1
Poland 11/1

To qualify:
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France 1/14
Poland 7/1

Odds courtesy of Betfair are correct at time of publication More