Four nations of the sixteen qualified nations begin the round of 16 phase of the 2022 World Cup this Saturday, with two posters: The Netherlands against the United States and Argentina against Australia.
Netherlands/USA: 4 p.m.
The first match of the World Cup knockout stage will pit the Netherlands against the United States on Saturday at the Khalifa International Stadium, with the Europeans looking to assert their credentials as serious challengers in Qatar.
With the Netherlands ranked eighth in the FIFA World Rankings, eight places above the United States, and featuring world-renowned talents like Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk and Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong and Memphis Depay, the game of Saturday will be difficult for the United States.
The winner of the match will qualify for a quarter-final with Argentina or Australia on December 9.
Argentina/Australia: 20 hours
Argentina are heavy favorites to beat Australia in pursuit of Lionel Messi’s dream of winning his first World Cup. But they, more than anyone, have learned not to underestimate an underdog, especially the Socceroos who are fighting hard on Saturday.
Argentina suffered one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history with their first loss to Saudi Arabia but regained their composure to overtake Mexico and Poland in the last 16.
Australia, ranked 35 places below Argentina, have already exceeded expectations with two wins to earn their place at Qatar’s Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium for one of the biggest games in their history.