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2022 FIFA World Cup semi-finals highlights: Messi takes Argentina to the finals

By Aayaan Upadhyaya
15 Dec 2022
2022 FIFA World Cup semi-finals highlights: Messi takes Argentina to the finals
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2022 FIFA World Cup semi-finals highlights: Messi takes Argentina to the finals

The 2022 FIFA World Cup is in full swing in Doha and the exciting tournament is shaping up to be exactly how fans were hoping it would be. So here’s your daily lowdown on all of the developments from the tournament, including match highlights, updated points table, and schedule of daily fixtures.

What’s Happening Today?

The second semi-final will be taking place today as the underdogs Morocco take on the 2018 champions France.

December 13: Highlights from Day 24 in Qatar  

The first semi-final of the 2022 FIFA World Cup was an absolute washout as Argentina knocked out Croatia 3-0.

2022 FIFA World Cup

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Argentina Vs Croatia Semi-Final

The first semi-final saw Argentina facing off against Croatia, and this one wasn’t a close contest. Argentina showed complete dominance on the field to coast to the finals. Whether it was was their offence or their defence, Argentina was in incredible form. It was Messi who, once again, led from the front as he successfully converted a penalty into a goal. Julián Álvarez expanded the lead after a brilliant goal that left Croatia in utter disbelief. Then, almost like a master and his apprentice, Messi and Álvarez showed incredible sync as the former assisted the later to score another incredible goal.

 

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December 10: Highlights from Day 21 in Qatar  

2022 FIFA World Cup

Day 21 saw yet another shocking exit as Portugal was knocked out of the tournament by Morocco. France too made its way to the semi-finals after defeating a spirited England.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Portugal Vs Morocco World Cup Quarter-Final

We’ve probably said this a million times by now, but the third quarter-final of the 2022 FIFA World Cup reinforced this notion yet again – this is the tournament of upsets. In yet another shocking result, Morocco took down Cristiano Rolando and his men 1-0 to become the first African country to reach the semi-finals of any FIFA World Cup. The goal scored by Youssef En-Nesyri was enough to secure Morocco’s victory.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of France Vs England World Cup Quarter-Final

A clash of the titans, France took on England in the last quarter-final and neither nations disappointed us with their performance on the field. Aurélien Tchouaméni gave France the early lead, but England were able to equalize in the second half after Harry Kane successfully converted a penalty to a goal. As both teams tried their best to score a second goal, it was Olivier Giroud who delivered the lead for France by scoring in the 78th minute as they knocked out England 2-1.

 

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December 10: Highlights from Day 20 in Qatar  

Day 20 gave us yet another reason to call the 2022 FIFA World Cup the tournament of upsets as Brazil were shockingly knocked out by Croatia. In the second quarter-final, Argentina took down Netherlands in an absolute nail-biter.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Brazil Vs Croatia World Cup Quarter-Final

The quarter-finals began on Day 20 with a match for the ages. Brazil, who have been in great form throughout the tournament, were knocked out by Croatia in the penalty shoot-outs. The match began with both Croatia and Brazil not conceding any goals in the first half. The second half was also equally matched so both teams had to play in extra time. This is where things took an exciting turn as Neymar scored a crutch goal to put Brazil in the lead. But just when it seemed like the match was a done deal, Croatia found an equalizer thanks to Bruno Petković’s stunning goal. In the penalty shoot-outs, Croatia got the upper hand and secured their spot in the semi-finals.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Argentina Vs Netherlands World Cup Quarter-Final

In yet another nail-biter that is fitting of the trend we’ve seen in the 2022 FIFA World Cup so far, Argentina just about managed to reach the semi-finals after the Netherlands put up an incredible fight. The match began with Argentina in the driver’s seat, with a jaw-dropping goal from Nahuel Molina aided by Messi’s assist. Messi himself expanded Argentina’s lead in the second half by successfully converting a penalty to a goal. And just like the earlier fixture of the day, when it looked like things were over, Wout Weghorst decided to score two stunning goals in the last minutes to level up the score. As the match went to penalty shoot-outs, Argentina were able to hold a spirited Netherlands back and make their way to the semi-finals where they’ll be facing a motivated Croatia. 

 

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December 6: Highlights from Day 17 in Qatar  

Day 17 saw yet another upset as Morocco reached the quarter-finals by defeating Spain in a stunning upset. Portugal also advanced to the next round by defeating Switzerland.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Spain Vs Morocco World Cup Match

Day 17 began with yet another upset (notice a trend in this world cup?) as Morocco knocked out the 2010 World Cup champions Spain out of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. With neither of the teams being able to score any goals in the first 90 minutes, the match went to overtime and subsequently the penalty shoot-outs. The Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou was truly the man of the match as he saved all three shots that Spain took to score a goal. Achraf Hakimi’s penalty found the mark as Morocco advanced to the quarter-finals.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Switzerland Vs Portugal World Cup Match

In the second fixture of Day 16, Portugal completely demolished Switzerland’s chances of reaching the quarter-finals as they won by a thumping 6-1 margin. Portugal was in complete control throughout the match and did not make any mistakes to give Switzerland any chances to recover. Goncalo Ramos, who replaced Cristiano Ronaldo in the match, was a superstar on the field as he scored three goals for Portugal. Other goal scorers for the Portuguese were Pepe, Raphaël Guerreiro, and Rafael Leão. The sole goal scorer for Switzerland was Manuel Akanji.

 

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December 5: Highlights from Day 16 in Qatar  

Day 16 saw Japan end their dream run with a heartbreaking loss against Croatia in a penalty shoot-out. South Korea to0 bow out after a decisive loss against Brazil.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Japan Vs Croatia World Cup Match

Day 16 saw Japan end their dream run in the 2022 FIFA World Cup by losing to Croatia in a penalty shoot-out. Initially, it seemed like Japan was set to continue its historic run as Daizen Maeda scored a stunning goal in the last few minutes of the first half. However, Ivan Perišić found a crucial equalizer in the second half that leveled the scores. The match ran into extra time as neither of the teams were able to score a second goal. In the penalty shoot-outs, Japan faltered and took surprisingly weak shots at the goal, while Croatia made no errors and secured their place in the quarter-finals. 

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Brazil Vs South Korea World Cup Match

The second fixture for Day 16 wasn’t as close as the first one. Brazil showed  absolute dominance on the field and smashed South Korea’s chances of entering the quarter-finals. In the first half itself, Brazil went on the offence and scored four goals courtesy Vini Jr., Neymar (converting a penalty), Richarlison, and Lucas Paquetá. By the time the second half began, South Korea had already lost all hope. Though Paik Seung-ho did score a stunner for the Koreans, it just wasn’t enough to cut the massive lead Brazil had cemented earlier. 

 

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December 4: Highlights from Day 15 in Qatar  

The Round of 16 continued on Day 15 as both France and England dominated their competition to secure a spot in the quarter-finals. Poland and Senegal exited the tournament after a spirited display in the group stages.

2022 FIFA World Cup

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of France Vs Poland World Cup Match

France meant business when they took on Poland in the third match of the knockout stages. Right from the get-go, France was in full control and showed complete dominance on the field. Olivier Giroud made sure France was in the lead before the second half began. The star player of the tournament, Kylian Mbappé, also showed everyone why he is considered to be one of the best in the world by scoring two goals that expanded France’s lead to 3-0. In a fitting end, Robert Lewandowski exited the tournament by scoring one last goal in overtime as France moved on to the quarter-finals.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Senegal Vs England World Cup Match

In the second fixture for Day 15, England faced off against Senegal and this one was not close. England decisively won their match as they thrashed Senegal 3-0. Jordan Henderson, Harry Kane, and Bukayo Saka were the goal scorers on the English side. With their victory, England are now set to face off against France in the quarter-finals.

 

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December 3: Highlights from Day 14 in Qatar

Let the knockouts begin! Day 14 saw USA exit the tournament as they went down to Netherlands 3-1 in the first knockout match. In the second fixture for Day 14, Argentina advanced to the quarter-finals by knocking out Australia 2-1.

2022 FIFA World Cup

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of USA Vs Netherlands World Cup Match

The knockout rounds kick-off with an absolute banger as USA took on the Netherlands for a spot in the quarter-finals. Netherlands were in control of the match form the get-go as Memphis Depay scored in the 10th minute. USA’s situation got worse when Daley Blind scored a goal right at the end of the first half. The situation didn’t change much in the second half, although USA did try fighting back with a goal from Haji Wright. In the end, that just wasn’t enough, especially since Denzel Dumfries scored a third goal for the Netherlands.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Argentina Vs Australia World Cup Match

 

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Leave it to Lionel Messi to secure his team’s position in the quarter-finals. In the second fixture for Day 14, Argentina faced a significant challenge from Australia. The match was evenly-fought, especially in the first half, until the masterful Messi scored a stunning goal in the 35th minute to take the lead and lift his team’s spirit and confidence. Messi’s goal was followed by Julián Álvarez’s goal that expanded Argentina’s lead. While Enzo Fernández did gift Australia an own-goal, it wasn’t enough as Argentina won 2-1.

 

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December 2: Highlights from Day 13 in Qatar

The upsets continue at the 2022 FIFA World Cup as Cameroon stun Brazil and South Korea defeat Portugal to qualify for the knockout rounds.

2022 FIFA World Cup

2022 FIFA World Cup

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Ghana Vs Uruguay World Cup Match

The action began on Day 13 with Uruguay facing off against Ghana. While the pressure was on both the teams, Uruguay were in control from the get-go thanks to a spirited performance by Giorgian de Arrascaeta who scored two goals in the first half. Ghana failed to convert a penalty into a goal in the first half, and while they tried finding an equalizer in the second half, Uruguay’s strong defence didn’t give them any wiggle room. In the end, while Ghana went down in defeat 2-0, Uruguay too were knocked out of the tournament thanks to South Korea’s stunning upset. Speaking of which….

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of South Korea Vs Portugal World Cup Match

The world cup of upsets continues to deliver shocking results as South Korea stunned Portugal by defeating them 2-1. The match progressed in a way that could rival the best of cinematic thrillers. Portugal took the early lead with a goal from Ricardo Horta in the 5th minute, but South Korea soon found the equalizer thanks to Kim Young-gwon’s stunning goal. Things remained even for the remainder of the match, and it looked like we were heading towards a draw that would help Uruguay qualify, but right at the last minute, Hwang Hee-chan scored a jaw-dropping goal to take his team to the knockout stages. With their win, South Korea join Japan as the second Asian country to qualify for the Round of 16.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Switzerland vs Serbia World Cup Match

In yet another thrilling contest, Switzerland and Serbia faced off against each other to determine their fate in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The match was a goal fest and an absolute nail-biter at that as Switzerland took down Serbia 3-2. Serbian player Andrija Živković missed an early opportunity to score as his strike hit the goal post, but Xherdan Shaqiri didn’t fail to capitalize as he gave Switzerland the early lead. This was followed by Aleksandar Mitrović’s equalizer and Dušan Vlahović giving Serbia the lead. Breel Embolo found the equalizer and then Remo Freuler secured his country’s win. 

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Brazil Vs Cameroon World Cup Match

We might sound like a broken record, but this really bears repetition. This truly is the tournament of upsets as, once again, we saw an absolute shocker of a result with Cameroon taking down group-leaders Brazil. Both the teams put up a spirited fight throughout the match, and it seemed like this one, just like the match between Portugal and South Korea, was headed for a draw. However, just like the result in South Korea’s match against Portugal, Cameroon’s Vincent Aboubakar scored a stunning last-minute goal to take down Brazil 1-0.

 

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December 1: Highlights from Day 12 in Qatar  

From Germany and Belgium getting knocked out to Japan stunning Spain, here are all of the highlights from Day 12 of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Morocco Vs Canada World Cup Match

In Day 12’s first fixture, Morocco faced off against Canada. The pressure was certainly on Morocco as Canada had already been eliminated from the tournament. Morocco continued their dream run as Hakim Ziyech scored a stunning goal in the opening minutes of the match. Morocco’s lead was further expanded by Youssef En Nesyri’s goal in the 23rd minute. With his goal, En Nesyri also became the first Moroccan player to score goals at two different world cups.  While Canada got a bit lucky when Nayef Aguerd scored an unfortunate own goal, it wasn’t enough to cut the deficit.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Croatia Vs Belgium World Cup Match

The second match on Day 11 was do or die for both Croatia and Belgium as only one of them could join Morocco in the knockout stages. The match was quite evenly fought, and featured lots of exciting moments and close calls. Croatia were even given a penalty that was later overturned after a VAR check. Romelu Lukaku too came very close to scoring for Belgium but ended up hitting the goal post. In the end, neither team were able to score, which meant Croatia was able to advance to the knockout stage.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Germany Vs Costa Rica World Cup Match

It was an absolute goal fest as Germany took on Costa Rica. Germany began the match with Serge Gnabry’s stunning goal that firmly put them in the driver’s seat during the first half. The second half saw a flurry of goals beginning with Yeltsin Tejeda’s equalizer. An unfortunate own goal from goalkeeper Manuel Neuer gave Costa Rica the lead, though Germany was able to quickly take it back thanks to back-to-back goals from Kai Havertz. Niclas Füllkrug scored the fourth goal for Germany as the match came to an end. While Germany won, it was unfortunately not enough and they were knocked out of the tournament.

There was also some history made during this match as it was for the first time that an all-female refereeing trio took charge at a men’s FIFA World Cup match.

 

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FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Japan Vs Spain World Cup Match

 

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Japan, who are having a dream run at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, cemented their position in the knockout rounds with yet another upset win, this time against Spain. By earlier defeating Germany and now Spain, Japan also finished at the top of the leaderboard in Group E. The match began with Spain in the lead thanks to Álvaro Morata’s early goal, but Ritsu Doan found the equalizer at the beginning of the 2nd half. Japan then expanded their lead thanks Ao Tanaka’s incredible goal, and ended up stunning Spain with a 2-1 victory. While Spain lost, they still managed to make it to the knockout stages.

 

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November 30: Highlights from Day 11 in Qatar  

From Tunisia going out on a high note and defeating world champions France in a stunning upset, to Australia knocking out Denmark, here are the highlights from Day 11 at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Australia Vs Denmark World Cup Match

In Day 11’s first match up, it was do or die for both Australia and Denmark as only one of them could advance to the knockout stages. Both teams put up a great fight and the first half was quite equally matched with no goals being conceded on either side. Things stayed the same in the second half, till Mathew Leckie scored a stunning goal at the 60th minute that secured Australia’s win and position in the Round of 16. 

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of France Vs Tunisia World Cup Match

The second fixture for Day 11 was a match up between France and Tunisia. The pressure here was mostly on Tunisia as France had already secured its position in the knockout stages. In yet another stunning upset in a tournament full of them, Tunisia did the unthinkable and took down the world champions 1-0. The star player of the match was clearly Wahbi Khazri who scored Tunisia’s winning goal. Unfortunately, Tunisia’s win wasn’t enough to advance them to the next round as Australia was able to secure their position by defeating Denmark.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Argentina Vs Poland World Cup Match

 

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The third match of the evening was truly a clash of the titans. Two of the greatest players in the world faced off against each other for the first time in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. While both teams were equally matched in the first half, Argentina took the driver’s seat in the second with two goals scored by Alexis Mac Allister and Julián Álvarez. In the end, Poland weren’t able to find any equalizers and went down to Messi’s men 2-0. Interestingly, Poland’s loss here didn’t result in them getting knocked out because of the events of the second match in Group C.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Saudi Arabia Vs Mexico World Cup Match

In the last match of the evening, Saudi Arabia and Mexico went head-to-head. Saudi Arabia needed to win in order to qualify for the Round of 16, while Mexico needed to win with a significant goal-margin to qualify. While both teams put up a spirited fight, Mexico was more in control in the second half with two back to back goals from Henry Martin and Luis Chávez. While Saudi Arabia scored a last-minute goal thanks to Salem Aldawsari, it wasn’t enough. Interestingly, Aldawsari’s goal actually helped Poland secure their position in the knockout stages.

 

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November 29: Highlights from Day 10 in Qatar  

From Ecuador getting knocked out of the tournament to Netherlands, USA, and England securing their positions in the Round of 16, here are all of the highlights from Day 10 of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Ecuador Vs Senegal World Cup Match

In Day 10’s first fixture, Ecuador and Senegal faced off against each other in a crucial knock-out match. While both nations were equally matched for most of the first half, Senegal found themselves in the driver’s seat when Ismaïla Sarr successfully converted a penalty into a goal in the 43rd minute. Though Ecuador found an equalizer thanks to Moisés Caicedo’s stunning header, Senegal took the lead again when captain Kalidou Koulibaly struck the crucial goal. 

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Qatar Vs Netherlands World Cup Match

It continued to be a disappointing world cup for the host nations as they went down to Netherlands in their final match. Netherlands were in control throughout the matchup, with Cody Gakpo’s early goal giving them the lead in the first half. Gakpo, who has been a star player in this tournament, also made history by becoming the first Dutch player to score goals in the first three games of a FIFA World Cup. In fact, only three other players have managed this incredible feat, so Gakpo is certainly in elite company. Frenkie de Jong’s goal in the second half helped secure Netherlands’ win.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of USA Vs Iran World Cup Match

 

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In the third fixture of the evening, USA and Iran took on each other in yet another matchup that would determine who will be advancing to the Round of 16. Christian Pulisic’s goal in the first half gave USA the lead and confidence to deny Iran any equalizing opportunities. In the end, Pulisic’s goal was enough to secure USA its win.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of England Vs Wales World Cup Match

In the last match of the evening, neighbours Wales and England faced off against each other. England showed complete dominance throughout the match, with Marcus Rashford scoring not just one but two outstanding goals. Rashford’s second goal also holds the unique distinction of being the 100th goal scored by England in a FIFA World Cup. Phil Foden’s goal secured England’s decisive win as Wales went down 3-0.

November 28: Highlights from Day 9 in Qatar  

From Ronaldo leading Portugal to a vital victory against Uruguay to an absolute goal fest between Cameroon and Serbia, here are the highlights from Day 9 in Qatar.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Cameroon Vs Serbia World Cup Match

In Day 9’s first match, Cameroon faced off against Serbia in what was truly a match for the ages. The thrilling contest panned out like an exciting movie, with twists and turns that any scriptwriter would be proud of . The absolute goal fest began with Cameroon taking an early lead thanks to Jean-Charles Castelletto’s goal. This was followed by Serbia’s equalizer and successive lead thanks to back to back goals by Strahinja Pavlović and Sergej Milinković-Savić. Serbia expanded their lead in the second half with another goal courtesy Aleksandar Mitrović. But the match was far from over, as Cameroon scripted a stunning comeback with goals from Vincent Aboubakar and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of South Korea Vs Ghana World Cup Match

After the thrilling contest between Cameroon and Serbia, the next match saw South Korea taking on Ghana and this one was another nail-biter. Mohammed Salisu gave Ghana the early lead with a beautiful goal in the 24th minute. Mohammed Kudus, who was the star player for Ghana in this match, expanded this lead by scoring the first of his two goals. However, South Korea wasn’t going down easily as Cho Gue-sung scored two stunning goals in quick succession to tie the match 2-2. Kudus gave Ghana the lead again by scoring his second goal that eventually became the decider as South Korea went down 3-2. 

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Brazil Vs Switzerland World Cup Match

In the third fixture of the evening, Brazil and Switzerland faced off against each other in an important match-up that would help one of the teams advance to the Round of 16. The match was quite an evenly fought contest, with Brazil scoring an early goal that was later disallowed. Eventually, while Switzerland put up a great fight, a late goal from Casemiro secured Brazil’s win.

Meanwhile, the Brazilian mascot Canarinho also found many fans on the internet.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Portugal Vs Uruguay World Cup Match

In the last match of the evening, Portugal and Uruguay took on each other. Portugal was in dominance for most of the match and really gave Uruguay no wiggle room to score any goals. While an early goal from Cristiano Ronaldo was disallowed, Bruno Fernandes helped secure Portugal’s victory with a spectacular goal in the 54th minute. He was the star player of the fixture as he scored another last-minute goal for Portugal thanks to a penalty.

During the match, a protester started running across the field carrying a rainbow flag. He also wore a t-shirt that said ‘Save Ukraine’ and ‘Respect for Iranian women’. With Qatar’s harsh laws against the LGBTQ community, the host country has been facing a significant amount of backlash from around the world.

November 27: Highlights from Day 8 in Qatar  

From Croatia thrashing Canada and Japan going down in defeat to Germany and Spain’s draw, here are all of the highlights from Day 8 of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Japan Vs Costa Rica World Cup Match

In Day 8’s first match, Japan and Costa Rica faced off against each other. After coming off their stunning upset win against Germany, Japan initially had the momentum. However, Costa Rica was prepared for the Japanese team and managed to not concede any goals. In the second half too, both teams were equally matched, till Costa Rica took the lead with a crutch goal in the 81st minute by Keysher Fuller.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Belgium Vs Morocco World Cup Match

The second match of the day was a contest between Belgium and Morocco. The first half was quite evenly fought and relatively uneventful, although a goal scored by Hakim Ziyech was called back for being off-side. In the second half, Belgium, the number 2 ranked team in the tournament, was unable to make any headways at all. Morocco’s fierce gameplay towards the end became a nightmare for Belgium as the former scored two goals courtesy of Abdelhamid Sabiri and Zakaria Aboukhlal. This was yet another upset in a tournament full of them.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Croatia Vs Canada World Cup Match

In the third match of the evening, Croatia took on Canada. This match was an absolute showcase for Croatia’s dominance, although it began with a stunning goal from Canada. In fact, Alphonso Davies scored the fastest goal of the 2022 FIFA World Cup with his strike at the 68th second. Unfortunately, things only went downhill from there as Canada ended up conceding four goals to Croatia. The goal scorers for Croatia included Marko Livaja, Lovro Majer, and a double whammy from Andrej Kramarić.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Spain Vs Germny World Cup Match

The final match of the day was an top-tier contest between two of the best teams in the world – Germany and Spain. The match was evenly matched, and unsurprisingly, ended in a draw. While Spain scored first thanks to a wonderful goal from Álvaro Morata, Germany found the equalizer with Niclas Füllkrug’s goal. While Germany needed a win to be comfortable about their place in the tournament, a draw result at least still keeps them alive.

 

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November 26: Highlights from Day 7 in Qatar  

From the GOAT Lionel Messi leading Argentina and defeating Mexico to Poland defeating Saudi Arabia, here are the highlights from Day 7 of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Tunisia Vs Australia World Cup Match

In the first fixture of Day 7, Australia defeated Tunisia with a strong showing. While Mitchell Duke gave Australia the early lead with a spectacular goal, the man of the match was clearly Harry Souttar and his incredible defensive gameplay. Souttar’s last-ditch tackle was the crown jewel of his incredible skills and another reason why Tunisia was just not able to make any progress.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Poland Vs Saudi Arabia World Cup Match

The second match of the day saw Poland taking on Saudi Arabia. While it was always going to be an uphill battle for Saudi Arabia given the caliber of the Polish players, the match ended up being quite lopsided. Piotr Zieliński gave his team the early lead in the first half, followed by a second goal by Robert Lewandowski. The Barcelona striker, who is considered by many to be one of the best strikers in the world, scored his first FIFA World Cup goal. Poland’s defence was just as impressive as its offence, with Wojciech Szczęsny making a couple of stunning saves.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of France Vs Denmark World Cup Match

In the third match of the evening, France took on Denmark. While the first half was quite evenly fought with both teams putting up a fight and not conceding any goals, the second half was a different game altogether. The star player on the French side was undoubtedly Kylian Mbappé who scored two exciting goals in the second half. While Denmark tried fighting back with an equalizer by Andreas Christensen, it wasn’t enough as they went down to France 2-1. With their win, France also became the first team to advance to the Round of 16.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Argentina Vs Mexico World Cup Match

 

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The final match of the day was between Argentina and Mexico and if nothing else, it was a clear reminder of why Lionel Messi is still the GOAT. In a remarkable display of his elite skills and herculean talent, Messi scored a much-needed goal in the second half to keep his country in the tournament. His goal also lifted the rest of his team as Enzo Fernández scored another goal to expand Argentina’s lead.

November 25: Highlights from Day 6 in Qatar  

From Iran dominating Wales to Senegal knocking out hosts Qatar from the tournament, here are all of the highlights from Day 6 of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Wales Vs Iran World Cup Match

The first fixture of Day 6 saw Iran take on Wales. This was initially quite evenly matched, with Iran even scoring a goal that was called back because it was off-side. Things changed when the Welsh goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey got a red carpet and the Welsh defense effectively fell apart. Iran was able to capitalize on the opportunity and scored two goals to take the win.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Senegal Vs Qatar World Cup Match

It was a disappointing world cup for the host country as Senegal managed to knock them out of the tournament in the second fixture of Day 6. Boulaye Dia helped Senegal get an early lead in the first half, which was expanded by Famara Diedhiou’s goal. While Mohammed Muntari helped Qatar fight back with a goal in the second half, it was all for naught as Senegal further expanded their lead thanks to Bamba Dieng’s strike. 

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Netherlands Vs Ecuador World Cup Match

In the third match of the evening, Netherlands and Ecuador gave us an evenly fought contest that resulted in a draw. While Cody Gakpo gave the Dutch the early lead in the first half, Ecuador’s captain Enner Valencia scored the equalizer in the 49th minute.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of England Vs USA World Cup Match

The final match of the day so England and USA taking on each other. While the English players were clearly the favourites before heading into the match, a spirited defence by the USA caught England off-guard. The match ended up being a draw and has made the dynamics of Group B very interesting.

November 24: Highlights from Day 5 in Qatar  

From Cristiano Ronaldo making history to Switzerland taking down Cameroon, here are all of the highlights from Day 5 of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

2022 FIFA World Cup

2022 FIFA World Cup

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Switzerland Vs Cameroon World Cup Match

The first match of Day 5 saw Switzerland take on Cameroon. A closely fought contest, Switzerland eventually ended up getting the upper hand and defeated Cameroon 1-0. Also, here’s an interesting point of trivia for you – Breel Embolo, who scored the winning goal for Switzerland, was actually born in Yaounde, Cameroon. Now, we can’t help but respect that.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Uruguay Vs South Korea World Cup Match

The second fixture of Day 5 was also a closely fought match that resulted in a draw. South Korea’s impressive defence did not give Uruguay any wiggle room to score a goal. Although strong attempts were made by Federico Valverde and Diego Godín, they both ended up hitting the goal post.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Portugal Vs Ghana World Cup Match

Cristiano Ronaldo, considered to be the greatest football player in the world, added another feather to his very illustrious cap. The Portugal captain scored a goal in his fifth FIFA World Cup, becoming the first male player to do so. As for the match, it was the most exciting fixture of the day as Ghana put up a spirited fight against Portugal’s offence.

Portugal first took the lead in the 65th minute thanks to a penalty goal from Ronaldo, followed by André Ayew scoring the equalizer for Ghana. The tied score was short-lived as Portugal again took the lead thanks to João Félix’s and Rafael Leão back to back goals. While Osman Bukari did reduce the deficit by half, Ghana fell short by one goal at the end and went down to Portugal 3-2.

 

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FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Brazil Vs Serbia World Cup Match

The last match of the day saw Brazil taking on Serbia and, unlike the other three contests of the day, this one was not close. Brazil decisively defeated Serbia thanks to a spectacular performance from Richarlison. His double whammy put Brazil firmly in the lead and helped them score their first victory of the tournament. Although Neymar did get injured during the match, it remains to be seen how it affects him and the Brazilian team for the rest of the tournament.

November 23: Highlights from Day 4 in Qatar  

From the 2014 Champions Germany losing to Japan in a shocking upset to Costa Rica being thrashed 7-0 by Spain, here are all of the highlights from Day 4 of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Highlights Of Morocco Vs Croatia World Cup Match

The first match of the day saw Morocco taking on Croatia. Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou was truly the star of this evenly fought match as he made some incredible saves, including one against Nikola Vlasic. The Moroccan defense was also able to successfully hold off Luka Modric, Croatia’s captain who was the Man of the Tournament at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Japan Vs Germany World Cup Match

It looks like the upsets in this tournament will keep on coming as just a day after Argentina faced a shocking defeat at the hands of Saudi Arabia, Japan just stunned the world by defeating the 2014 champions Germany.

The match was as exciting and dramatic as a FIFA World Cup fixture could get. While Germany took the early lead in the first half thanks to a smooth goal from İlkay Gündoğan, Japan scored the equalizer from Ritsu Doan in the 75th minute. Then, just like the thrilling climax of an action movie, Japan took the lead in the final minutes of the match thanks to a stunning goal from Takuma Asano. Remember that name, as we might be looking at one of the potential stars of the tournament this year.

Remember Paul the Octopus? The sea creature who became a global sensation for accurately predicting the 2010 World Cup match results? Funnily enough, it looks like the 2022 tournament is getting its own Paul the Octopus as a tweet went viral about an Otter in Japan that accurately predicting the stunning upset.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Spain Vs Costa Rica World Cup Match

Unlike the 2nd match of the day, the third fixture was an absolute blowout as Spain humiliated Costa Rica by defeating them 7-0. Spain was in complete dominance throughout the match and gave absolutely not wiggle room to Costa Rica to score any goals. Spain’s offence also took advantage of Costa Rica’s weak defense as they kept scoring goal after goal. While Spain’s goal scorers were evenly spread out across the team, Ferran Torres was the top scorers with two goals, including a penalty goal.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Belgium Vs Canada World Cup Match

The last match of the day saw Belgium take on Canada. While Canada tried putting up a decent fight, Belgian’s expertise and skills were visible on the field as they did not let the Canadian players penetrate their tight defense.

November 22: Highlights from Day 3 in Qatar  

From Saudi Arabia’s stunning upset to tie results between Denmark and Tunisia and Poland and Mexico, here are all of the highlights from Day 3.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Argentina Vs Saudi Arabia World Cup Match

In what is undoubtedly the biggest upset of the tournament so far, Argentina faced a stunning defeat at the hands of Argentina. While Messi scored a goal in the first half, Saudi Arabian players Al-Shehri and Al-Dawsari scored goals in the second half to come back and secure the game.

However, the player of the match was undoubtedly Mohammed Al Owais as he made FIVE saves against the powerful Argentina offence.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Denmark Vs Tunisia World Cup Match

The second match of the day saw Denmark taking on Tunisia. The match was quite evenly fought, which is why it ended up being a draw. The high-octane match also saw Denmark being denied a late penalty that could have potentially led to their victory.

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FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Mexico Vs Poland World Cup Match

 

Just like the match between Denmark and Tunisia, the fixture between Mexico and Poland ended up being quite evenly matched as well. The dynamics in Group C have become quite fascinating now with Argentina’s stunning upset and Mexico and Poland’s draw.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of France Vs Australia World Cup Match

2022 FIFA World Cup

The last match saw France take on Australia and unlike other fixtures of the day, this one was not evenly matched. As Australia went down to France 4-1, the man of the match was clearly Olivier Giroud who scored two exciting goals. Other goals were scored by Adrien Rabiot and Kylian Mbappé, France is now leading the tally in Group D.

November 21: Highlights from Day 2 in Qatar

From England thrashing Iran to Gareth Bale’s crutch goal against the United States, here are all of the highlights from Day 2.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of England Vs Iran World Cup Match

The first match of Day 2 so England thrash Iran and defeating them 6-2. The English players were pretty much in control throughout the match, although Iranian player Mehdi Taremi did try putting up a fight. The goal distribution on the English side was quite even, with Buyako Saka scoring a second. Saka and Jude Bellingham were also clearly the stars of the match.

While Iran lost, Taremi also made some history by becoming the first Asian to score two or more World Cup goals against a European team.

Before the match even began, a moving (and brave) gesture by the Iran Football Team went viral on social media. The team members refused to sing their country’s national anthem in solidarity with the women protesting and fighting for their fundamental rights in the country. Well done, gentlemen!

Given the backlash that FIFA has received for hosting the world cup in Qatar – a country known for its human rights violations against the LGBTQ community – it was promising to see the Iranian players not forget about the women in their country leading the fight for freedom.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Netherlands Vs Senegal World Cup Match

The second match of the day was between The Netherlands and Senegal. While Senegal did go down 2-0, they put up a decent fight and were quite strong in the first half. In fact, it was quite an evenly fought match till the Dutch players were able to secure the win in the second half. The goal scorers for Netherlands were Cody Gakpo and Davy Klassen.

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of USA Vs Wales World Cup Match

Perhaps the most exciting match from Day 2 ended up being the fixture between Wales and the United States. While Wales were down 1-0 for most of the match, Welsh captain Gareth Bale converted a penalty at the 82nd minute to draw the match 1-1. Needless to say, Bale was the highlight of the match, and given the importance of his crutch goal and how he managed to keep his head under pressure, probably the player of Day 2.

November 20: Highlights From Day 1 In Qatar

From the grand opening ceremony to the exciting first match, here are all the highlights from Day 1 in Qatar.

A Spectacular Opening Ceremony

 

The opening ceremony had all of the razzle dazzle you’d expect from an event of this magnitude. A spectacular display of fireworks greeted spectators and home viewers alike to start off the ceremony. While it is was well-known that BTS member Jungkook was going to be performing at the opening ceremony, and his performance was definitely a highlight, there were some genuine surprises as well. Oscar-winning Actor Morgan Freeman also made an appearance and delivered a message that emphasised on the importance of unity, tolerance, and hope.

Image: Courtesy ESPN FC/Twitter

Given the backlash that FIFA has received for hosting the world cup in Qatar – a country known for its human rights violations against the LGBTQ community – Freeman’s remarks were much needed. Also making an grand appearance was La’eeb, the official mascot of the 2022 World Cup.

Images: Courtesy FIFA World Cup 2022/Twitter

FIFA World Cup: Highlights Of Qatar Vs Ecuador World Cup Match Live From Al Bayt Stadium

After the opening ceremony was over, the 2022 FIFA World Cup officially began with the opening match between hosts Qatar and Ecuador. Despite having the hometown advantage, the hosts went down in the first game of the tournament.

Qatar’s Ineffective Formation Led To Their Downfall

Throughout the match, Qatar was struggling with their formation and didn’t take much for Ecuador to exploit it. The man of the match was undoubtedly the Ecuador skipper Enner Valencia, who not only scored the first goal of the tournament, but also ended up scoring the second goal that cemented his team’s victory.

What’s Happening Today?

In Group B, Iran will be taking on England today. Group A also has an exciting fixture as Senegal takes on The Netherlands.

Keep checking this live blog each day to get a lowdown of all of the highlights from the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Hero and Featured Images: Courtesy Instagram

This story first appeared on Augustman India.

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Aayaan Upadhyaya

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