Accumulator of the day:
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Brazil vs Serbia
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Will Brazil kick off their World Cup campaign with a victory?
A Seleção are, of course, the record five-times winners of this competition, and haven’t been knocked out in the group stages since 1966.
Brazil also haven’t lost their World Cup opener since 1930, winning 16 of 20 such matches since then.
Four years ago, Tite’s team did beat Serbia in a group game in Moscow, but were eventually ousted in the quarter-finals by Belgium.
This time, thanks largely to an array of astonishing attackers, there is renewed optimism that this year will be Brazil’s time again.
Serbia though cannot be underestimated and are more than capable of springing a surprise in Lusail.
But, Dragan Stojković’s team come into this competition having won 11 of their last 15 competitive games, beating Portugal in Lisbon in a crucial qualifier 12 months ago.
Can Serbia cause a massive shock at Lusail Iconic Stadium, or will Brazil simply be too strong?
This one should guarantee goals!
Portugal vs Ghana
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Portugal one of the great footballing nations to have never won the World Cup; will that change on 18 December?
A Seleção reached the semi-finals in 1966 and 2006 but, aside from those two campaigns, have never won a World Cup knockout match.
Under Fernando Santos, they have won the Euros and Nations League with the head coach, in his own words, determined to complete the set.
However, Portugal were unconvincing in qualifying, needing to come through the play-offs, and have been beaten by Switzerland and Spain in recent times.
This’ll be their sixth game at a World Cup against African opposition, unbeaten in four since an infamous defeat to Morocco at Mexico ‘86.
Eight years ago, a late Cristiano Ronaldo strike saw his team, just about, beat Ghana in Brasília, so will this one go the same way?
The Black Stars really upset the odds to qualifying, ousting fierce rivals Nigeria on away goals back in March.
This came just two months after they were embarrassingly dumped out of AFCON in the group stages, beaten by minnows Comoros.
Overall, Ghana have scored just 15 goals in their last 13 competitive matches, so may struggle to find the net against higher-calibre opposition.
Despite their own issues, Portugal should win relatively comfortably at Stadium 974.
Uruguay vs Korea Republic
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Most would expect Uruguay and Portugal to advance from Group H, with Korea Republic the most likely candidates to upset the establishment.
The Taegeuk Warriors have now qualified for ten successive World Cups, famously reaching the semi-finals on home soil in 2002.
Since then, they’ve only got out of the group once, beaten by Uruguay in the round of 16 in South Africa.
Paulo Bento’s team find themselves in a tough group, but a positive result here would leave them in a decent position to get through.
Uruguay meanwhile won this competition in 1930 and 1950, slightly more recently reaching the 2010 semi-finals and the last eight last time round.
La Celeste actually looked set to miss out on this tournament, but changed manager, winning all four qualifiers under Diego Alonso.
Only once since 1974 have Uruguay gone out in the group phase, this coming two decades ago in, coincidentally enough, South Korea.
Uruguay are likely to be just too strong at Education City Stadium, but this game is tough to call.
Switzerland vs Cameroon
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Will Switzerland’s streak of consistently reaching the World Cup knockout stages continue?
This’ll be Rossocrociati’s 12th World Cup appearance, only exiting in the group stage once since 1966, but they haven’t gone beyond the round of 16 since 1954, doing so as hosts.
Since a second round exit in Russia, the Swiss have featured in the Nations League semi-finals, and the last eight of last year’s European Championships.
So, having qualified above Italy, and beaten both Spain and Portugal already this year, Murat Yakın’s team will be tough opponents for anyone.
As for Cameroon, this’ll be their eighth World Cup appearance, the most of any African nation.
Les Lions Indomptables famously reached the quarter-finals at Italia ‘90 but, aside from that, have gone out in the group stages each time.
In fact, since then, they’ve won just one of 15 World Cup matches, this coming against Saudi Arabia two decades ago.
Cameroon’s only victory over European opposition at a World Cup in 14 attempts came against Romania 32 years ago, a statistic that’s unlikely to change here.
A Switzerland victory at Al-Janoub Stadium seems the most likely outcome while their talisman, Xherdan Shaqiri, is seeking to become the first Swiss player to score at three different World Cups.
